Seeking Advice for Trees and Plants in NoVA

[IndiaLimaDelta]

Originally Posted by Caladium

That's a good deal, because if deer get hungry they've been known to eat "deer resistant" plants. They love all roses, but will avoid roses with lots and lots of thorns. That's why they avoid the knockouts if there's something less thorny to eat. OTOH, I have seen plenty of evidence that deer have eaten even the knockouts. They probably spend the whole meal going "Yum!" Ouch!" "Yum!" Ouch!" "Yum!" Ouch!" but they'll eat them if they're hungry.

Yeah, it's amazing how animals will choose survival with pain over death. Animals don't seem to give up easily.

I've given a lot of business to this landscaper and have referred others to him as well. I am pretty loyal to businesses that provide good service. Also, I take a great deal of interest in how small- to medium-sized businesses do in the area, so I talk to proprietors a great deal and get to know them well (it's a habit left over from the days when I worked in politics). So he's always provided me a hassle free service (e.g. replacing any tree that dies in the first year of planting, mowing and pruning exactly as I instructed, etc.).

One advantage I have in deer control is that my neighbors seem to take delight in planting lots of yummy plants and trees that bear sweet fruit. On the other hand, that probably attracts the rodents to the general area. Ugh. I hate deer with a passion -- not just because they damage plants, but also because they cause accidents and operate as a vector for Lyme disease.

I read somewhere that the indigenous deer population in VA was all but wiped by the early 20th Century and new herds of them were imported from elsewhere around the 1920-30s because some people wanted that bucolic deer-hopping-across-the-greenery look. Now they are just a huge nuissance.

[saganista]

Originally Posted by IndiaLimaDelta

I'm hoping the wife would buy me one of these for Christmas.

Don't forget the hunting license, deer license, archery license, and crossbow license then. I think you can get the entire package for about 150 bucks. Speaking of which, if it has antlers, all you can do is offer it dessert. And do observe the Free Foraging on Sundays law, of course.

[IndiaLimaDelta]

You might read the exemptions section: Hunting Licenses & Fees

[saganista]

Saves you the $150 if you choose to hunt only on your own property. All other season, bag, and related limits continue to apply. No antlers, and no shooting on Sundays. You'll find that the deer show much less respect for these rules than you will be required to. Do you have Plan-B for when a wounded deer staggers off your property worked out yet? Might want to talk to an attorney experienced with liability issues.

[ACWhite]

1) Your landscaper should be willing to answer all of your questions and to provide links or other sources of info to back up what s/he tells you.

2) One of the most critical factors in gardening success is whether you have the proper amount of sun for the plants where they are located. Different parts of your landscape will get different amounts of sun, etc. For example, roses, Japanese maples, and most barberries need a lot of sun to thrive and show the color you want.

[statecollege]

I'll vouch for the variegated liriope. They offer some flower-free color contrast to lawns or other greenery with their cream-colored leaf striations, albeit dainty purple lowers on short spikes do appear in mid-summer for a time. They make a nice low edging or mass planting. They are easy to divide if you want to later increase your plantings without having to purchase new plants. And best of all, they require NO maintenance (pruning, watering, fertilizer, pesticides). The leaves will die off in winter's cold but regrow in the spring.