Sunday, March 14, 2010
I built a path, why don't the deer use it?
Now that the snow's all gone, We can get a good view of where the deer trails are. I hauled 28 tons of #57 river rock to make paths in the back yard so Pat and I could wander around the yard when it's muddy, which is most of the year. I would gladly share the paths with Bambi and his family. I might even shovel the paths in the winter if it keeps the deer out of the gardens.The bottom pic is of fawn prints.
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13 comments:
How in the world are you going to keep them from eating everything Jim?
Hope your Hosta aren't on the summer menu. I usually don't have a problem but it get frustrating when the deer don't wait for fall.
Have you tried Astilbes in that moist clay? They're more deer proof than the Ligularia.
I just got your title :)
Dear Jim, How very, very depressing for you. I do believe that deer are a real problem in so many country areas not only trampling people's gardens but eating huge numbers of plants.
There is something to be said for city life!!
Jim, maybe the rock hurts their feet? I don't know, but that is very irritating. Don't get me started about deer in general; we had them pull up whole plants in the night last year, decimating our early veggie garden and leaving huge holes. I well remember when F. came to me and said, "Wasn't there a plant here yesterday?" Sigh...
Sorry, Jim. It makes perfect sense to me that they should use your paths. What do you do to deter them? I know they can be a major problem.
They are the most ungrateful interlopers! They think you run an all night drive in diner and they never read the posted rules. Which clearly state 'Please use paths!' I expect them to be a bother at C&L this year~~they have been spotted everywhere. gail
Soapy water is what I spray on the hosta and ligularia to keep the deer away. it doesn't seem to keep the slugs off the ligularia. I have to do it every day. We are adding orange peels to the mix this year. Pat and I also have sacrificial hosta which the deer eat. If all else fails, there is always the car.
Oh Deer! Oh Dear! We so want to be close to nature ... but we would prefer if the wild creatures would be respectful of our plantings! They just do not seem to understand! ;>( Good luck Jim!
That's the problem with deer; they treat your place like a hotel. They let you do their washing, eat you out of house and home, borrow money without any intention of paying you back, and then, when it suits them, they just up and leave without using the paths.
We have lived in a rural area for 26 years and not had much of a problem with deer, although they are in the woods around the house.
They do browse in the back yard, but that is okay because we don't plant things back there (he periodically floods). I have read that they will eat Japanaese Maples - if they do, we will have venison for supper:)
Oh deer...the problem with deer is they never go where you'd like them to. Meredith may have a point. The rocks may either be uncomfortable, or slippery for them to walk on. We have deer trails all over the property here, some in rather unlikely places. They do use the dirt roads, but also like to make their own convenient short-cuts elsewhere. I'm trying some 'barrier' planting in areas we don't have fenced. Planting a perimeter of plants the deer don't eat around plants I'd like them to leave alone. Planting deer-resistant plants like rosemary, rhododendron, Mexican sage, and monkey-flower. Don't know (yet) if it will help, but if it does, I'll let you know!
Reminds me of a local story: the deer walk across our Highway 49, sometimes at tricky curves in the road. A resident noticed the big yellow Deer Crossing signs and suggested the signs be moved to other parts of the highway so the deer would cross there instead.
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Blogging a dead horse?
I would gladly swap your (2 dozen?)deer for my 100.000 snails:-)
At least deer you can see. Have you tried going to the barber's/hair salon and getting their sweepings to hang in a net here and there? Or lion dung from the local zoo? That is now sold in liquid form. (Honest).
I have to cage in every rose bush or they eat the flower buds. Nothing else, just the buds. And the hair has to be unwashed, so that is not easy to obtain.
That Hosta is unbelievable.
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