Deer in the garden

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Deer are attacking my watermelon patch every night. What to do? They only get the leaves, but aren't they almost as important as the roots for growing fruit? Thanks, Dooda

-- Dooda (a@a.a), August 12, 1999

Answers

Soap deters deer. Try hanging a lot of motel-size bars of soap around the area, or spray everything with a very soapy solution; I think it has to be made from soap, not dish detergent, but I'm not sure. Or you could cook up some hot peppers in water and spray everything with that solution (ditto for garlic).

-- judy (wednesdayschild@hotmail.com), August 12, 1999.

Dooda,

Not to be indelicate, any carnivor urine will keep them away, piss around it.

-- CT (ct@no.yr), August 12, 1999.


I heard of this for rabbits, might work for deer also.... Sprinkle the leaves with bone meal. Turns a vegetarian delight into a carnivorous snack. Also provides nutrients for the plant. Has to be re-applied after it rains. I hear it actually rains in some areas....

Might it also be woodchucks? When we have had woodchuck problems (thankfully very rarely) they always ate the cuke plants, squashes, melons and sunflower plants. Not to go off on a tangent, but any suggestions for deterring woodchucks?

-- Bingo (ecsloma@spectra.net), August 13, 1999.


A .22........

-- MUTTI (windance @train.missouri.org), August 13, 1999.

...and a recipe book for venison.

Keep your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.net), August 13, 1999.



... and as for woodchucks/groundhogs ... well, what was your recipe the last time you brought home a package of "ground chuck" from the grocery? :-)

-- another omnivore (yum@yum.yum), August 13, 1999.

... and as for woodchucks/groundhogs ... well, what was your recipe the last time you brought home a package of "ground chuck" from the grocery? :-)

-- another omnivore (yum@yum.yum), August 13, 1999.

If they're anything like Gray squriel, over hot coals w/ some green sticks ( I use alder ) and your favorite BBQ sauce. Spit them on a green stick, turn often, cook slow.

-- CT (ct@no.yr), August 13, 1999.


My Dad gave same advice as above (pee around property) but also said to save hair from haircuts and spread it around the edges of garden.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), August 14, 1999.

Thanx Mumsie,

Never thought about Hair!

-- CT (ct@no.yr), August 14, 1999.


apply y2k defensive strategy.Shoot anyone who attempts to steal your food.YUM!!

-- zoobie (zoobiezoob@yahoo.com), August 15, 1999.


This spring, deer where chomping the far end of our corn patch regularly at night. I must confess, I believe we started this bad habit by throwing garden scrapes directly on the garden, prior to tilling, since we hadn't started a compost pile yet.

Well, every evening, the fellows started urinating on the two paths the deer where taking into the garden...since we obviously couldn't use this method to guard the whole 100x50 plot, we targeted the two paths. Worked like a charm.

P.S. BBQ ground hog is delisious. Prepare like you would boiled chicken or pork on the bone, draining off the fat and water and deboning; then add your secret BBQ mix and it looks as BBQ pork for sandwhiches. Of course in some parts of NC, we will BBQ just about anything! :-)

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), August 15, 1999.


More expensive, but effective when properly installed are electric fences - to keep the deer out (instead of keeping cattle in.) If you don't have electricity out in the back 40 or are worried about electricity being available you can consider solar fence charges. I currently have 2 solar charges (American Farmworks).

If you are considering an electric fence to keep animal predators (coyotes, foxes, wolves as opposed to people) out of your newly constructed henhouse, or mini farm, you'll need to consult the manufacturer. The solar charges I've seen aren't recommended for that application - the intermittent 5,000-7,000 volts may not be enough to discourage them - but it will make you dance. (At first, if I danced, I knew my chargers were working - if I didn't I go looking for a short. Then Santa brought me a fence tester for Christmas - I must have been good that year)

The nicer models will set you back about $150 (plus T posts, plastic wire holders, fence wire, grounding rod's, clamps, gate assembly of some sort or other, and labor.) If you go this route here's a couple tips: 1. Spring the $15-20 for a post driver - it beats hammering the posts in any day. Grabbing the driver by the around the circumfernace will be much more merciful on your hands than using the handles. 2. The thin aluminum strand wire (braided with black and yellow plastic cord) works fine and is a lot easier to work with that the heavier single strand aluminun. You are relying on the shock to keep the deer out - not the strenght of the wire. 3. Hang some bright plastic bows or streamers on the fence so the deer can see it. 4 (I haven't done this one but have read it is a good idea) To help train your deer once the fence is up and operational, you can shut it off and wrap small squares aluminum foil along one of the 'hot' wires at the about 4' level. Put a small dab of peanut butter on the squares. One done you turn the fence back on and when the deer lick that peanut butter they'll get one heck of a jolt and learn real quick to avoid that area.

Once installed they work well. The deer here seem creatures of habit and once trained will tend to avoid the area. One of my fencers went bad this spring. I have the part(circuit board) but still haven't repaired it - so far the herd (12-15) have avoided the area. So far it looks like only a lone young buck has ventured in. And if I repair that fencer I'm guessing he'll change his habits soon.

Good Luck. jh

-- john hebert (jt_hebert@hotmail.com), August 20, 1999.


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