Deer ate lilies and black eyed susans--trim stems? (fertilizer, DayLilies, nursery)

[Caladium]

Looks like the deer had quite a party in my garden last night. They ate the buds off about 100 day lilies and a large patch of black eyed susans but left the stems. So... I'll spray with the Bobex. In the meantime, do I trim the stems or leave them alone? Will they bloom again?

[J&Em]

Aren't deer frustrating?

If they ate the buds off of the stems of the Daylilies then those stem will begin browning shortly and appear like they do when they are done blooming. Cut them down now so the plant does not waste any energy on the remaining stems. You will probably get a few new stems showing within the next 2 weeks and have an chance for some more blooms. Those new stems will need respraying as they get bigger with most of the deer repellents.

Cut back the Black-eyed Susan stems to the first node or point where several stems have come out of one and you should get a second bloom within a month. Again any new growth will have to be constantly sprayed.

I found a combination of Miliorganite (a weak fertilizer) and spraying using Deer Solution worked the best for me in my last garden. I sprayed as soon as plants emerged and then only resprayed any new growth on a weekly basis. Every gardener eventually finds the best combination for their deer and garden. You have my sympathy as it is pretty heartbreaking to nurture beautiful plants only to find they have been munched down to sticks overnight.

[BuffaloTransplant]

Originally Posted by J&Em

Aren't deer frustrating?

If they ate the buds off of the stems of the Daylilies then those stem will begin browning shortly and appear like they do when they are done blooming. Cut them down now so the plant does not waste any energy on the remaining stems. You will probably get a few new stems showing within the next 2 weeks and have an chance for some more blooms. Those new stems will need respraying as they get bigger with most of the deer repellents.

Cut back the Black-eyed Susan stems to the first node or point where several stems have come out of one and you should get a second bloom within a month. Again any new growth will have to be constantly sprayed.

I found a combination of Miliorganite (a weak fertilizer) and spraying using Deer Solution worked the best for me in my last garden. I sprayed as soon as plants emerged and then only resprayed any new growth on a weekly basis. Every gardener eventually finds the best combination for their deer and garden. You have my sympathy as it is pretty heartbreaking to nurture beautiful plants only to find they have been munched down to sticks overnight.

I mix liquid plant soap ( ask at a nursery) with cayenne pepper and crushed chili flakes and hot sauce and spray on plants. Deer hate it.

[J&Em]

Originally Posted by BuffaloTransplant

I mix liquid plant soap ( ask at a nursery) with cayenne pepper and crushed chili flakes and hot sauce and spray on plants. Deer hate it.

If the hot stuff is working keep with it! For me it was effective, until it rained... then you come out to eaten stuff again. I tried it, more than once. The reason I recommend Milorganite and Deer Solution is that both are at least partially resistant to being diminished with every watering and rain. Deer Solution is actually absorbed (there might be other product that are the same way I can only speak to what I've used or know the facts on) which means the protection is at least in the parts that have absorbed the repellent. What you still have to keep sprayed is new growth. Milorganite is a very weak fertilizer that has a smell that makes them move along a bit faster and by itself isn't always strong enough if they feel hungry enough. After better than 25 years fighting with deer what I did learn is there is no perfect solution outside of very high fences!