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Herbs and Deer
On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:59:44 -0800 (PST), Frank
wrote: On Jan 23, 8:52*am, mj wrote: Are there Herbs that will deter Deer from the garden? MJ There are things they don't eat but nothing I know of will keep them away from the stuff they like. As others suggest, fence is the only answer and avoid repellents as if they even work they wash off eventually. Only vegetable in my garden deer did not eat was onions. Right, deer won't eat alliums, they won't eat daffodils either. There are many plants that they won't touch unless they're starving, like spruce (spruce needles are too sharp, they won't risk nibbling hawthorn either) but when hungry enough they will eat sharp needled and thorny plants. And for some reason deer won't eat blueberry bushes but they will eat the berries, if the birds don't get them first... I've seen crows take on deer for blueberries and win every time. The only thing that works to keep deer out is strong fencing, deer will push through a wood picket fence that's only been nailed. As to fence height, a lot depends on terrain, unless there is space and the ground is such for deer to get into a full run they are not going to clear a six foot fence... and deer aren't stupid, they are not going to jump a fence into an enclosed space that is too small, they know how much running space they need to get out, they truly look before they leap. Deer can leap a great distance but they can't attain the height some like to think they can. When it comes to survival deer sensory perception is far more acute then humans... a deer knows it's physical capability better than any olympic/professional athlete ever lived. A fawn is taught to run, leap, dodge and evade from the moment it can stand. I've watched new born fawns go through their paces together for hours, it only looks like frolicking to humans but their every movement is deadly serious business, to deer it's the difference between life and death. Unless they are being persued by a pack of coyotes a six foot fence will definitely keep deer out of a typical tract home yard, and if being persued by preditors deer are not going to stop to snack. |
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Herbs and Deer
On 1/23/2010 1:17 PM, brooklyn1 wrote:
On Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:59:44 -0800 (PST), Frank wrote: On Jan 23, 8:52 am, wrote: Are there Herbs that will deter Deer from the garden? MJ There are things they don't eat but nothing I know of will keep them away from the stuff they like. As others suggest, fence is the only answer and avoid repellents as if they even work they wash off eventually. Only vegetable in my garden deer did not eat was onions. Right, deer won't eat alliums, they won't eat daffodils either. There are many plants that they won't touch unless they're starving, like spruce (spruce needles are too sharp, they won't risk nibbling hawthorn either) but when hungry enough they will eat sharp needled and thorny plants. And for some reason deer won't eat blueberry bushes but they will eat the berries, if the birds don't get them first... I've seen crows take on deer for blueberries and win every time. The only thing that works to keep deer out is strong fencing, deer will push through a wood picket fence that's only been nailed. As to fence height, a lot depends on terrain, unless there is space and the ground is such for deer to get into a full run they are not going to clear a six foot fence... and deer aren't stupid, they are not going to jump a fence into an enclosed space that is too small, they know how much running space they need to get out, they truly look before they leap. Deer can leap a great distance but they can't attain the height some like to think they can. When it comes to survival deer sensory perception is far more acute then humans... a deer knows it's physical capability better than any olympic/professional athlete ever lived. A fawn is taught to run, leap, dodge and evade from the moment it can stand. I've watched new born fawns go through their paces together for hours, it only looks like frolicking to humans but their every movement is deadly serious business, to deer it's the difference between life and death. Unless they are being persued by a pack of coyotes a six foot fence will definitely keep deer out of a typical tract home yard, and if being persued by preditors deer are not going to stop to snack. Netting works well too around some plants and bushes. They are generally browsers and nibble here and there and move on. Little things may deter them but when starving they will eat anything and die with a full stomach of food that would not sustain them. They will even climb steps to eat something on your porch. |
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