Deer

[pixiegirl]

They came and snacked on my garden. My beautiful garden that I worked so hard on that was done minus the mulch. They ate the blooms off the hostas and some of the leaves and they ate just about all the buds off my friggin ballon flowers! The hostas aren't a huge deal. I don't really care for the blooms anyway and they're so hearty I just pruned the leaves way back and they'll come back nicely. My poor ballon flowers.... I grew them from dormant roots and they were just starting to bud. I expected blooms within the next couple weeks. I have just a couple buds left.

My mom says to have the boys pee in the garden. She's fairly good at gardening so I'm likely to take her advice though her yard is fenced and in the middle of a neighborhood in Waldorf with no deer anywhere so she has never actually used this method. Does anyone have any tried and true methods to keep deer out of gardens minus a fence?

 

[Softballkid]

When do they come out......

And do I need to bring my bow or shotgun

Problem will be solved in a matter of days...

TIA

 

[mainman]

snacked on my garden

How many lunch with Pixie threads do we need?

 

[camily]

They came and snacked on my garden. My beautiful garden that I worked so hard on that was done minus the mulch. They ate the blooms off the hostas and some of the leaves and they ate just about all the buds off my friggin ballon flowers! The hostas aren't a huge deal. I don't really care for the blooms anyway and they're so hearty I just pruned the leaves way back and they'll come back nicely. My poor ballon flowers.... I grew them from dormant roots and they were just starting to bud. I expected blooms within the next couple weeks. I have just a couple buds left.

My mom says to have the boys pee in the garden. She's fairly good at gardening so I'm likely to take her advice though her yard is fenced and in the middle of a neighborhood in Waldorf with no deer anywhere so she has never actually used this method. Does anyone have any tried and true methods to keep deer out of gardens minus a fence?

Once I used fox pee that guys buy for hunting and sprinkled it around my garden to keep rabbits out. It worked like a charm!! Maybe the boys peeing will work!

 

[jazz lady]

They came and snacked on my garden. My beautiful garden that I worked so hard on that was done minus the mulch. They ate the blooms off the hostas and some of the leaves and they ate just about all the buds off my friggin ballon flowers! The hostas aren't a huge deal. I don't really care for the blooms anyway and they're so hearty I just pruned the leaves way back and they'll come back nicely. My poor ballon flowers.... I grew them from dormant roots and they were just starting to bud. I expected blooms within the next couple weeks. I have just a couple buds left.

My mom says to have the boys pee in the garden. She's fairly good at gardening so I'm likely to take her advice though her yard is fenced and in the middle of a neighborhood in Waldorf with no deer anywhere so she has never actually used this method. Does anyone have any tried and true methods to keep deer out of gardens minus a fence?

I feel your pain as the deer did the same to part of my flower bed. It's the first time they've ever bothered it. They ate all the blooms and leaves from most of my Stargazer lilies and munched all the leaves off the hosta. Fortunately they left the other plants in the bed alone and totally ignored the other flower bed (I'm thinking because it is bordered by the concrete walkway).

Anyway, I went out to Lowe's and found an organic deer repellent spray made by Bonide. It's a mixture of egg solids, garlic, and hot pepper. It smells like hell for an hour or so until it dries but the deer haven't touched my plants again.

I've heard other people say spreading human hair around the bed keeps them away but I've never tried it. :shrug:

 

[Club'nBabySeals]

Usually hanging something that makes noise around the perimeter will keep them away (lots of farmers use plastic bags or pie tins); but the downside of that technique is that it's tacky as all hell in a residential setting.


The shotgun is still the best recommendation I've seen.

 

[Sharon]

Last night or early this morning the squirrels ate some of the flower tops off my gazanias. They only hit one pot and I guess they decided they didn't like them very much because they left part of one flower on the deck railing. The other planters were left untouched.

 

[Erin]

They came and snacked on my garden.

I have an off topic deer story (not trying to hijack this thread, just thought the Deer thread was an appropriate place to post this).

A friend's black lab took off running after a fawn at my house 2 evenings ago and got a hold of it. I did not witness this, but I saw what I believe is that fawn this morning grazing on the grass.
She has a broken leg, just above the knee. The fawn was limping, but seemed okay otherwise.
I would normally see a few deer between 6:30 - 6:45 a.m., but the fawn was there at 7:00 this morning.
Guess I'm looking for feedback on what to do. Should we call DNR or just let the fawn be to live a handicapped life?
I'm happy she isn't in the woods suffering as I originally imagined.

 

[unixpirate]

They came and snacked on my garden. My beautiful garden that I worked so hard on that was done minus the mulch. They ate the blooms off the hostas and some of the leaves and they ate just about all the buds off my friggin ballon flowers! The hostas aren't a huge deal. I don't really care for the blooms anyway and they're so hearty I just pruned the leaves way back and they'll come back nicely. My poor ballon flowers.... I grew them from dormant roots and they were just starting to bud. I expected blooms within the next couple weeks. I have just a couple buds left.

My mom says to have the boys pee in the garden. She's fairly good at gardening so I'm likely to take her advice though her yard is fenced and in the middle of a neighborhood in Waldorf with no deer anywhere so she has never actually used this method. Does anyone have any tried and true methods to keep deer out of gardens minus a fence?

Let me know if you need any volunteers

 

[pixiegirl]

Last night or early this morning the squirrels ate some of the flower tops off my gazanias. They only hit one pot and I guess they decided they didn't like them very much because they left part of one flower on the deck railing. The other planters were left untouched.

I have slugs in one of my whiskey barrels. Ick! I noticed yesterday evening that one of the plants was mush and upon closer inspection saw the slugs. Tonight I'm going to take the surviving plants out and repot them. Slugs totally gross me out!

It was deer for sure that got into the garden. Big HUGE hoof prints.

I put lily bulbs in one of my barrels and was going to transplant them into the garden once the garden was established. I ended up not having room for them so decided to just let them stay in the barrel and I'm cutting them as they bloom and having fresh flowers in a vase in the house. Damn deer better stay away from them! They're right up next to the house so I think they're safe.

 

[desertrat]

I have an off topic deer story (not trying to hijack this thread, just thought the Deer thread was an appropriate place to post this).

A friend's black lab took off running after a fawn at my house 2 evenings ago and got a hold of it. I did not witness this, but I saw what I believe is that fawn this morning grazing on the grass.
She has a broken leg, just above the knee. The fawn was limping, but seemed okay otherwise.
I would normally see a few deer between 6:30 - 6:45 a.m., but the fawn was there at 7:00 this morning.
Guess I'm looking for feedback on what to do. Should we call DNR or just let the fawn be to live a handicapped life?
I'm happy she isn't in the woods suffering as I originally imagined.

We've had a doe that is part of the neighborhood herd that has only been able to use three legs for years. It really looks pathetic,, but she gets along.

 

[jazz lady]

I have slugs in one of my whiskey barrels. Ick! I noticed yesterday evening that one of the plants was mush and upon closer inspection saw the slugs. Tonight I'm going to take the surviving plants out and repot them. Slugs totally gross me out!

The best thing I have ever found to get rid of slugs is diatomaceous earth. It's a whitish powder and you can get it most anywhere now. It is totally nontoxic as it is the crushed up shells of ancient sea critters (no kidding!). The sharpness of the edges of the shells (which humans can't feel) pierces the skin of the slug and they die. It's completely safe around kids and pets.

It was deer for sure that got into the garden. Big HUGE hoof prints.

I put lily bulbs in one of my barrels and was going to transplant them into the garden once the garden was established. I ended up not having room for them so decided to just let them stay in the barrel and I'm cutting them as they bloom and having fresh flowers in a vase in the house. Damn deer better stay away from them! They're right up next to the house so I think they're safe.

My lilies are right up against the front porch of the house and that didn't stop the deer.

 

[Speedy70]

I have slugs in one of my whiskey barrels. Ick! I noticed yesterday evening that one of the plants was mush and upon closer inspection saw the slugs. Tonight I'm going to take the surviving plants out and repot them. Slugs totally gross me out!

It was deer for sure that got into the garden. Big HUGE hoof prints.

I put lily bulbs in one of my barrels and was going to transplant them into the garden once the garden was established. I ended up not having room for them so decided to just let them stay in the barrel and I'm cutting them as they bloom and having fresh flowers in a vase in the house. Damn deer better stay away from them! They're right up next to the house so I think they're safe.

My dad always sprinkled salt on slugs. They would always crawl up the side of the house and leave that slimy trail.

The salt dries them up and kills them.

 

[desertrat]

My dad always sprinkled salt on slugs. They would always crawl up the side of the house and leave that slimy trail.

The salt dries them up and kills them.

Put a dish of beer out. Pretzles on the side.

 

[camily]

Put a dish of beer out. Pretzles on the side.

And a pack of Marlboro just incase.

 

[Nickel]

And a pack of Marlboro just incase.

I'm pretty sure slugs smoke Newports. At least that's what I've seen in my travels.

 

[Speedy70]

Make fun all you want, it works. :shrug:

 

[Lilypad]

Erin-

you might as well leave well enuff alone-DNR would probably take it away and put it down-they aren't big on rehab w/deers..hopefully there are no wild dog packs out your way-they'll get it in a heartbeat!

 

[Lilypad]

Besides a 10 or 12 gauge-nuthin will stop deer but a 10' high fence!

 

[desertrat]

Make fun all you want, it works. :shrug:

I was serious. Beer works too and pretzles have salt so that made it kinda funny. And I'm sure slugs don't smoke, the ciggies would keep slipping out of their....whatevers.