camellias and deer deterrents

What is the best time to plant camellias in New Bern and what varieties do well here? Where are some of the best places to find a good variety of camellias to buy? Do you need to add acid to the soil here for camellias as we needed to in San Diego?
Another topic: does someone have a good "home recipe" for an anti-deer spray similar to Liquid Fence?
We are new to New Bern and would appreciate any and all suggestions. Thanks.
nbnovice

Since camellias are evergreen, pretty much any time is ok .. I still have my babies sitting in pots which have been out all winter and they are doing fine .. they will be going into the ground when I finally decide where they want to go.

Maybe you can find an attack cat for the deer?

X

I have used this recipe for years. It, along with having a dog, works pretty well.

Natural Bug and Deer Repellent

The basic recipe:
Safe for veggies if you don’t put the egg in it. I have recently added the Miracle Gro. Why not fertilize at the same time?

½ teaspoon liquid dish detergent
1 Tablespoon vinegar (I use more – 1 glurk)
1 Tablespoon hot sauce – the hotter the better
1 clove garlic, smashed and strained into garlic juice (it needs to go through spray bottle)
1 quart water
1 Tablespoon Miracle Gro

Mix extensively in blender. (I add the dish detergent later so it doesn’t foam everywhere). Spray on plants.

If not using on vegetables, add:

1 egg (it helps the spray stick to the plants)

With the egg included, this stuff will stay on plants until the next good rainfall, and the deer leave the plants alone even for a while afterward, until they decide to taste again.

Entlie

Camellia and deer ---- opening the door for heartbreak and / or stroke --unless you intend to grow on a deck in a big pot.

Entlie, thank you for the recipe. I'm going to whip up a big batch right away, with egg. Cheaper than Liquid Fence to be sure. Xerantheum, love the cat picture. Unfortunately, I don't have either a cat or a dog to discourage deer. Missingrosie, I am thinking that I might use some sort of wire cage around the camellias but not sure.
Any suggestions for a place to buy camellias in the New Bern area? What are good nurseries in the area?

Funny, but the local deer around here *generally* leave the camellias alone but everything else is fair game to them. This is usually the time of year when they start actively browsing and, for me, if I can get the spray out now and discourage them they won't develop a pattern of munching my plants. Last year I started too late and they considered my yard their local cafeteria for the rest of the summer and fall.

Welcome, NBNovice! Pinecone Perennials on US 17 S on your right, going out of New Bern towards Jacksonville, has nice plants. In Carteret County, I have purchased most of my camellias at Carolina Home and Garden on Hwy 24 a little east of Cape Carteret and at Redfearn's, also on Hwy 24 in Cedar Point. The varieties that these garden centers sell should all do well in the New Bern area. You'll want both sasanquas and japonicas for a long blooming season--from late Sept through April or May.

Claudia

Claudia, thank you so much for the garden center recommendations. I plan to visit all of them to get an idea of what's out there.
nbnovice

Entlie - thanks for the recipe share! I shall try it on my palmate hibiscus this year - last year it was literally eaten to pieces by bugs but since I was just moving into my new home had more important things on my plate (I know how could I? LOL :)~ )