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LOL I so wish deer were that reasonable! No only do they seem to know where the good stuff is they seem to change their tastes to whatever cost the most or whatever you finally put in a lot more of. It is a logical idea and might help to fool them while making more permanent plans. I love plants so much it even hurts to think of growing "sacrificial plants" for the deer.
Eegads...I'm certainly glad I don't have to deal with them, then .
They look so cute and sweet, I never knew they could be so destructive and problematic...we desert dwellers have a whole host of other issues to contend with, though, so I do know how it feels to have all your hard work go down the drain. We got a freak windstorm late in the season 2 years ago, and basically lost all our veggies . From then on, we made sure the veggies were situated in areas with ample wind protection, and only the native plants are in those spots where the wind strikes the most fiercely. I guess there's really no perfect place to garden, there are always challenges, but I agree 1,000% with J&Em...once gardening is in your soul, it's there to stay, no pesky creatures or bugs are going to stop us from doing what we love, and we won't let our plants go down without a fight !
I strung heavy duty fishing line in my trees , we lived on a piece of hilly land where it
was hard to fence.
looked colorfull with the fishing wire, how about installing the fence and then string wire
above it, say up to about 8-10 ft?
a friend of mine does order the "pee" and sprays his most valuable plants but what a job it is to
keep that up. he has mixed success.
the best idea is most likely to install double fencing so they wont attempt to jump.
good luck , I am on your side in not being the biggest fan of deer.
spoken like only a dedicated gardener can speak. Somehow we are called to the earth, pains and all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvmycat
Eegads...I'm certainly glad I don't have to deal with them, then .
They look so cute and sweet, I never knew they could be so destructive and problematic...we desert dwellers have a whole host of other issues to contend with, though, so I do know how it feels to have all your hard work go down the drain. We got a freak windstorm late in the season 2 years ago, and basically lost all our veggies . From then on, we made sure the veggies were situated in areas with ample wind protection, and only the native plants are in those spots where the wind strikes the most fiercely. I guess there's really no perfect place to garden, there are always challenges, but I agree 1,000% with J&Em...once gardening is in your soul, it's there to stay, no pesky creatures or bugs are going to stop us from doing what we love, and we won't let our plants go down without a fight !
Gardening...
Some people play at gardening, or dabble at it and then go on to the next thing. Some get boxed up in a one dimensional aspect (no Roundup ever, all natives, only roses, no plants just trees) or read something and take it as gospel truth never learning from their plants, or that cultivated and native plants all can be beautiful and have place the garden. What they never become is a real gardener; never really learning about what gardening really is-nurturing all green things. People don't understand that being in the garden, watching things grow and bloom is an incredibly rewarding act. It is worth the painful joints, dry cracked hands, farmer's tan (burn?), parched throat and whatever other discomfort. My neighbor just told me what her niece and grand daughter said about my garden and it has me so tickled. They said they love walking by and seeing it because it was a living rainbow. Great way to put it, isn't it?
Jan the Bambi movie has a lot to do with how we see deer. Until you've lost a garden full of plants to them you have no idea how much you can unlearn those tender feelings the old Walt Disney stuff instilled in us as kids. I'm sure deserts have their issues, too.
Before I knew better I remember being at a Town Hall meeting as part of a group trying to maintain a greenspace in our area. I spoke about preserving places for natural habitat for all the animals, like deer. I had some people snicker at me and say "Wait until you've replaced your expensive landscaping twice and see if you still want to save those overgrown rats." Much as I hate to admit it they were right. The years of no hunting and changing of habitat had increased deer numbers while putting them ever closer to the new suburban yards. If you have the misfortune of having a yard on their route (they often follow the same path for generations) it will take extreme measures to get them to change and the adapt to things that put them off initially.
NoKudzu the closely spaced lower fences do work but I have forgotten the magical height of the fences and the distance they have to be separated. It had to do with the distance they need to get over a fence and not liking to be between obstacles. Fencing would have been prohibitive in cost and most of my neighborhood was open. A combination approach where I was always changing something seemed to work best. This is going back a few years but the best "no chew" zone was through a combination of using Milorganite as a fertilizer, Deer Solution as a once every 3 weeks spray and planting less favorite plants. My friend with an extensive perennial garden used Liquid Fence a lot as well as the Milorganite. No matter what we used sooner or later one deer would overcome their fear/ revulsion to the deterrent or take a liking to a plant they weren't "supposed" to like and the arms race would escalate.
Gardening...
Some people play at gardening, or dabble at it and then go on to the next thing. Some get boxed up in a one dimensional aspect (no Roundup ever, all natives, only roses, no plants just trees) or read something and take it as gospel truth never learning from their plants, or that cultivated and native plants all can be beautiful and have place the garden. What they never become is a real gardener; never really learning about what gardening really is-nurturing all green things. People don't understand that being in the garden, watching things grow and bloom is an incredibly rewarding act. It is worth the painful joints, dry cracked hands, farmer's tan (burn?), parched throat and whatever other discomfort.
I imagine it takes many, many years to become a master gardener, and by that I really mean understanding the "language" of plants on a much deeper level than can be attained just through doing research or dabbling. Being a novice myself still, I can say I learn a great deal each year through challenging myself, learning the hard way what works and what doesn't, and getting over the fear of moving things around when necessary. One day I hope to be a master gardener, but until then I am humbled and still very much in awe of the fact that I can put these tiny seeds into the ground, water them, and watch them transform into beautiful works of art. Growing things from seed is so much more gratifying than simply buying plants and putting them into the ground...I do that too sometimes, but I kind of feel like it's "cheating" if I didn't grow it myself, LOL .
I imagine it takes many, many years to become a master gardener, and by that I really mean understanding the "language" of plants on a much deeper level than can be attained just through doing research or dabbling. Being a novice myself still, I can say I learn a great deal each year through challenging myself, learning the hard way what works and what doesn't, and getting over the fear of moving things around when necessary. One day I hope to be a master gardener, but until then I am humbled and still very much in awe of the fact that I can put these tiny seeds into the ground, water them, and watch them transform into beautiful works of art. Growing things from seed is so much more gratifying than simply buying plants and putting them into the ground...I do that too sometimes, but I kind of feel like it's "cheating" if I didn't grow it myself, LOL .
Keep the awe! Master Gardeners are no different than you, as long as you have the attitude you have now. By taking the long view and learning for yourself and not parroting what others say you will know plants, soil, weather and all things related to being a gardener, and you will know it in depth. Really great gardeners may also be trained and have book or scientific knowledge, but by far the best of them have strong instincts to nurture and learn most by doing, just as you are. Welcome to the club.
Keep the awe! Master Gardeners are no different than you, as long as you have the attitude you have now. By taking the long view and learning for yourself and not parroting what others say you will know plants, soil, weather and all things related to being a gardener, and you will know it in depth. Really great gardeners may also be trained and have book or scientific knowledge, but by far the best of them have strong instincts to nurture and learn most by doing, just as you are. Welcome to the club.
Thank you so much for the encouragement and all the helpful advice you post on this forum in general .
I don't think I could lose the awe if I tried, and the more time I spend out there with my plants, the calmer and more centered I feel.
Actually Master Gardener is a title used by U.S. Agricultural Department for a program they sponsor through each county's Extension Office. At least i would hope most Extension Services have the program. I took the course in Atlanta probably 30 years ago as i remember I was still nursing my son. For 3 months, once a week we went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden to study and listen to guest speakers from all over the state. there was a big test afterwards and I was even licensed to use some really potent chemicals which I never did.
At that time the course cost $50 and I had to give about 100 hours back to my community through the Extension Office. My county's horticultural agent didn't know what to do with me so I worked with another county doing soil testing etc. I also designed and helped implement designs for some neighborhood entrances etc.
I already had a degree in Horticulture and Design but this Master Gardener course was so hands on and in a completely different area of the country where I got my degree.
That was the best $50 I have ever spent in my life. In fact I would say it changed my life in ways I'm still benefiting from. Look it up for your country.
Deer are a huge problem where I live, but our property is too large and complicated to fence. I spray Bobbex on all my perennial gardens, shrubs etc. every 3-4 weeks. It's time-consuming and expensive, but what's a gardener to do. Old wive's remedies like urine and human hair just don't work. Our dog's scent doesn't scare them away, either. I actually enjoy watching them, so I have learned to live with them. I even toss them apples in the winter. I do have a relative that fenced in their large backyard with a black plastic deer fence, and it doesn't look as offensive as chain-link etc., and their fence is 9' or so tall. They used some kind of pressure treated posts. Combined with all the plantings/shrubs/trees etc. the fence is not really noticeable unless you look right at it, it blended in with everything. Just google plastic deer fence to see what I am referring to. However, it would not look very attractive on it's own in a front yard, I don't think I've ever seen a truly tasteful fence in someone's front yard that would be high enough to keep out the deer. A wood fence is considered tasteful, (at least around here, people prefer natural over man-made fences) but since it would have to be 9' tall, well it would look rather intimidating.
Great posts J&Em... I especially appreciate reading about what it takes to be a real gardener. Having lived in big cities most of my life and just recently moved to where we are to have a bit of backyard for gardening, I am really enjoying this journey of learning & feeling that sense of joy watching my garden & trees grow. Still a newbie but the labor is more than justified by the reward.
Actually Master Gardener is a title used by U.S. Agricultural Department for a program they sponsor through each county's Extension Office. At least i would hope most Extension Services have the program. I took the course in Atlanta probably 30 years ago as i remember I was still nursing my son. For 3 months, once a week we went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden to study and listen to guest speakers from all over the state. there was a big test afterwards and I was even licensed to use some really potent chemicals which I never did.
At that time the course cost $50 and I had to give about 100 hours back to my community through the Extension Office. My county's horticultural agent didn't know what to do with me so I worked with another county doing soil testing etc. I also designed and helped implement designs for some neighborhood entrances etc.
I already had a degree in Horticulture and Design but this Master Gardener course was so hands on and in a completely different area of the country where I got my degree.
That was the best $50 I have ever spent in my life. In fact I would say it changed my life in ways I'm still benefiting from. Look it up for your country.
I already sent luvmycat a little note to that effect. Lots of people don't know there really are official Master Gardeners or what they do.
Unfortunately not all places have a full fledged Master Gardener program, and in these days of cutbacks in services it isn't always a top priority. With more people turning to home gardening and home grown food that's a shame. It was one of the best things for me, too, and I still do the yearly community service. Even with a lot of years of gardening under my belt I learned so much more as I went through the course and since then in continuing education. With a strong background in environmental science and conservation I've had lots of chances to teach and answer questions. For me, outside of sharing the love of gardening, the program was a wonderful way to meet many experts in the horticultural field and have learned so much from them. Some of the talent within the local Master Gardener program is pretty amazing as well.
HB2HSV I'm glad whatever I've written about has helped encourage you. Nurturing green things is one of the most rewarding ways to spend the day. I'm wishing you many happy days in your garden.
Last edited by J&Em; 06-01-2012 at 09:04 PM..
Reason: left out something
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. From then on, we made sure the veggies were situated in areas with ample wind protection, and only the native plants are in those spots where the wind strikes the most fiercely. I guess there's really no perfect place to garden, there are always challenges, but I agree 1,000% with J&Em...once gardening is in your soul, it's there to stay, no pesky creatures or bugs are going to stop us from doing what we love, and we won't let our plants go down without a fight 
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