Deer often come into our yard and munch on some of the garden plants. What can we do to prevent this? A neighbor said that human urine diluted and sprinkled near the plants the deer like to eat would work. Is it true? Are there any alternative repellants? Thanks for any advice/suggestions.
There is a motion detecting water sprinkler that might work.
Carl
Dog, electric fence, blood meal. Once deer have tasted your plants they will be back for more!
I've heard that human male urine "applied" at about waist-height works very well but has to be replenished after each heavy rain. It also has to be urine from men who have not had vasectomies. How about a beer party at your house?
Sprinkler may work but only physical barriers, electic fences or loose dogs will deter deer. They get used to odors like human urine and substances must be reapplied after rain. Netting around critical plants works for me. They could easily trample it down but do not. Neighbor was sold some expensive fox urine guaranteed to work. It did not. I told her she was gyped as I've used fox urine as odor mask while deer hunting.
Frank
Are you trying to protect vegetables, ornamentals, or both?
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I'm trying to protect annuals and perennials, not vegetables. Appreciate all the helpful responses.
OK. If vegetables were the issue, caging is the solution for some. For ornamentals, you might be able to protect some of them using chicken wire barriers, which, with enough foliage around, can be inconspicuous from normal viewing distances. I'm not talking about surrounding an entire garden with it. Rather, you can use small pieces to protect plants that seem to be on the menu most often. For instance, the deer were munching the unopened buds from my daylillies. So, I put a green stake in the ground next to each plant, and attached a hoop of chicken wire surrounding the flower stalks. I cut some of the chicken wire to lots of pointy things were sticking out. No more damage. Same with the gerbera daisies.
If your state is like NY, it is legal (with certain requirements) to kill destructive animals. IIRC, they must be destroying a food garden, or ornamentals grown as part of your livelihood. Obviously, you can't be shooting deer in typical neighborhoods, but if you're out in the sticks, this may be an option. Plant some favorite deer snacks among your flowers, and now it's a food garden. There are a few other minor requirements, but nothing insurmountable.
American deer do not like French dogs ;)
Seriously, once I saw a big buck being chased by a beagle.
Frank
Seek out one of the thousands of deer proof or resistant plants deer will not eat. Deer prefer forbs, so putting ornamental grasses to good use, etc.
There is a small patch of English ivy that gets eaten to the ground by deer every winter. I now use the cucumber trellis from the vegetable garden to place on top of the ivy in the winter and that works. Deer are particular about stepping on fences. Also Home Depot has deer netting that you can use to protect individual plants.
My mother swears by this stuff
Baaahahahahahahahahahaha!
Ingrid,
I had to laugh. We have a Papillon too and I agree I can't imagine her scaring off a deer. Our "ten pounds of terror" has a tough enough time trying to scare squirrels out of my bird feeders, and even the cats in our neighborhood just give her the eye and won't run off.
Patrick
Felis concolor works well although the neighbors may complain a bit.
how do you send out invitations for something like that?
Good one!! I was going to recommend Liquid Fence, which works pretty well for me. Your solution appears to be far more long lasting
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