Herbs and Deer

[Bill who putters]

I was thinking a 4 foot fence with a few dogs.

Bill

[enigma]

Bill who putters wrote in news:b2forewagner- [e-mail]:

well, then you have dogs in the garden. that's not ideal either. my dogs like to dig nice cool pits to nap in, for instance, & they never look at plant labels... and it depends on the dog. my Malamute (a breed known for it's strong prey drive) only chases coyotes. he'll sit and watch the squirrels eating at the feeders in his yard. they can be a foot from his nose & he just watches. when he's loose in the pasture, he runs down to the llamas, stands there for a minute, then totally ignores them (but then, dogs do learn that sometimes weird other creatures are part of their pack). he is afraid of the goats. i suspect deer fall into the "looks like a llama, ignore it" catagory by association though. Kirby is too old to chase anything, Scout is like Chief in not chasing other animals (he's never even chased the chickens). my son's Boston Terrier, OTOH, might... she's not allowed loose in the pasture because she does annoy the llamas, & she *will* get herself stomped one of these days. fearless is bad when combined with brainless. dumbest dog i've ever met (& i thought Kirby was dumb when we adopted him. he's a genius compared to Peanut!) lee

[Bill who putters]

Bill Guess only good for pigmy deer.

[ntantiques]

Ok, without a doubt, a tall, sturdy fence is most effective, but if a fence doesn't work well into a landscaping plan there are herbs that can help deter the megamunchers.

We bought a large rural property that came with a herd of deer who bed down in the woods directly behind the house. The first year we were here we thought they were charming...then they ate their way through a few hundred dollars worth of perennials & annuals I'd lovingly added to the front yard.

Everyone's deer are different, but over time I've discovered that if I surround most of my flowering plants with Rosemary, Lavender and creeping Lime Thyme, the deer leave them alone. Think big - larger herbs will exude more deer repelling scent while providing wonderful contrast to vulnerable specimens. Exceptions are roses and tulips - deer candy.

I also learned to lean heavily on annuals like marigolds and zinnias which my deer ignore completely. Daffodils & Iris of any kind are safe and as well as tough perennials like Shasta Daisies and Black- eyed Susans.

About twice a year we spray a few things with PlantSkyd (which my husband calls the bucket of blood) to deter the yearlings from browsing the day lilies, dogwood and hostas. Works like a charm.

After 6 years, we've made our peace with the deer & frequently field questions from longtime residents wondering how we keep our garden flowering with all the deer.

Just my 2 cents, Nancy T