GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Brooklyn1 · 15-09-2011, 11:17 PM posted to rec.gardens

On Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:17:53 -0400, wrote:

songbird writes:

wrote:
...
Isn't the real issue the deer?

After having struggled with every thing under the sun to repel deer,
I can tell you what works. Fences.

If fences aren't in the cards, forget the roses.

here we have combination of 7ft fences around
the veggie gardens and the hunters that thin
the herds that roam around.

i would fence the whole yard if it was set up
better for it.

6ft fence was not high enough.

Technically, I agree.

But in practice, it works.

I've read that most deer can clear 10 feet.

A mother deer with doe in tow is restricted to the height the
doe can clear.

Note that most of the area is heavily planted and there are lots of
overhead branches. The deer can't get near to the fence and see a
clear spot to land on the other side.

The fence has been up for 2 full seasons.

I think you meant a mother deer with 'fawn' in tow... although
wherever there's a mother deer with fawns there is usually an aunt or
two nearby. I have herds of deer on my property, I can see about
twenty out there right now... I have 5' fences around my vegetable
garden and all my flower beds, during the ten years I've been here not
once has a deer jumped my fences... but they don't keep rabbits,
birds, moles, and several other critters out. To clear a 5' fence
they need a running start. Deer ain't so stupid as to jump into a
small fenced area that they can't get a running start to jump out, so
fencing an entire large property makes no sense unless the fence is
like ten feet high. It makes much more sense to fence just the small
areas. Also deer won't typically try to get to a fenced area if they
can forage elsewhere... if you live where it snows don't mow short
before winter sets in, deer will dig down to eat grass but they won't
touch the roots. Also it's a good idea to bring in a couple three
large round bales of hay, that will keep the deer (and other critters)
going until spring. In other words if you provide an easily
accessable source of food deer generally won't bother your plants. I
will never understand people who want to live in the country but hate
the critters... they shoulda stayed in their paved cities.