I have three MG that the deer keep eating! Lucky for me that I had collected some seeds bfeore they started this.
Anyone have probelms with deer ? I would love to know soe way to keep them from munching.!
They havent bothered any other plants in my gardens . This is whats left of my spring MG .
I am just sick everytime it gets leaves back they eat them again.
sickened in Arkansas
ladyblues
Ladyblues, we were hit by deer early this past summer, and I must say that the only thing that has worked for us is fencing. Over the years, we've been raising the height of our 42" fences with 2" x 2"s and stapling the thick kind of mesh to that, which gets it up to about around 7'. This year, we closed off the 4th side by stapling wire fence to the bottom and the mesh to the top from the porch, across a couple of trees to a fence. It ain't the purtiest sight, but it was affordable and do-it-yourself and we did save the garden.
I'm posting the following links because the fence posts seem a less expensive but workable design to what's usually available. Regarding the mesh they're selling on the same page, deer busted through that the first night after we put it up, so use the sturdier kind.
Also, I think ideas about deer psychology often have merit. Advice about planting plants they don't like on the outer perimeter of your property or gardens (or spraying them with deer repellent if you don't) is worth paying attention to. Actually, in choosing which plants to plant for a deer garden, this masking principle is very useful throughout the garden.
fence posts: http://www.deerxlandscape.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?p_catid=8
comprehensive DG thread on gardening with deer: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/664744/#post_3114718
DG thread with list of deer resistant plants & liquid fence: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/401531/#post_2638663
another DG list of deer-resistant plants: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/advanced.php?nn%5B16%5D=0&nn%5B1%5D=0&nn%5B2%5D=0&nn%5B3%5D=0&nn%5B4%5D=0&nn%5B5%5D=0&nn%5B6%5D=0&nn%5B7%5D=0&nn%5B8%5D=0&nn%5B9%5D=13&nn%5B23%5D=0&nn%5B10%5D=0&nn%5B12%5D=0&sname=Plants&Search.x=29&Search.y=8
masking with companion plants - I have long used this idea against many kinds of wildlife, but here's a great indepth treatment for deer - http://www.npsot.org/plant_lists/deer_resistant.html
One last thought - deer are said to be able to jump over a 15' height. I think one reason our lower ones work is that they are so overhung with trees, which might be obstructive to a deer leap. If you're gardening in open country, there's another technique that some have said works: put in double fencing with space between the 2 fences. I don't remember off hand exactly how far the fences should be planted apart.
Some counties/states have regulations about electric fences - that's a personal decision I'll leave to others.
