Deer ate my rhododendrons

[cyclonefence]

I was just outside aborting chive babies and took a stroll in my back yard. Everything was pretty much as I expected (I was sick all winter and this is really the first day I've been able to go outside for any length of time); the wisteria has gone nuts! I got the first bloom I've had from the japonica I planted a couple of years ago, and the northern magnolia tree is doing nicely. The deer left both of those plants alone--the japonica and the magnolia are planted with the rhodos. I have never, ever had deer eat the rhodos, but they have damn near killed a couple of them. What gives? It's not like there isn't plenty of other stuff to eat, stuff with nice tender leaves, and my yard backs up to a county-preserved orchard, so you know there's a lot of food available to these guys. I desperately don't want to put a deer fence there. Has anybody had luck with anything else? I'm thinking maybe some whirly-gigs? A motion-activated light?

Signed,
Desperate in the Suburbs

[wryter2000]

1. I've never tried it

But I hear you can buy lion dung at zoos. The scent is supposed to scare deer.

[cyclonefence]

15. You gave me a smile

When I was a kid, the gardener up the block used to go to the Shriner's circus that came to town every year and volunteer to shovel elephant dung, if they would let him take it home. They did, and he did. I don't know that it scared off deer, but he did grow the biggest tomatoes in town.

[CincyDem]

2. I'm not a gardener but...

...when I used to make soap, there was a rumor floating around the plant that hanging Zest soap bars worked. Guy would take 3-4 bars of Zest, drill a couple hole in them and hang them on stakes around his garden. I think he was protecting hostas but I guess it's the same. Replaced them every 4-5 weeks and swore by them.

Not sure if it's the same formula now or the same fragrance but it might be worth a try before going the fence route.

[cyclonefence]

13. I've heard of using Zest to deter rabbits and groundhogs

but never deer. I'll give it a shot--thanks.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Mountain lions.

My dad always had a terrible time with deer eating the shrubbery, and he was hoping he could get a family of mountain lions to move in. This never happened, fortunately. I actually heard of people going to the zoo to get big cat poop to spread around their gardens (supposedly the deer would smell the scent of predators and keep away). But it seems to me that then your garden would smell like a giant litter box.

You can buy some systemic products that make plants taste bad. There's one called Repellex: http://repellex.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=9&limit=25&mode=list&q=systemic I've never used it myself but I've heard it works.

[cyclonefence]

14. mountain lions, huh?

Would it work if I just dumped the (regular old housecat) cat's box in the yard? I'm going to try it.

Have to remember to wear shoes, though.

[elleng]

4. Sorry about this.

Squirrels killed one of my rose bushes (in containers,) so I looked into the matter. There are fox urine pellets available.

I got heavy duty pepper deterrent, which appears to be keeping squirrels away from my new, replacement rose, but maybe they've just had enough of other spring stuff to eat.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Have had sucess with

Pepper Spray and Cayenne pepper. Especially with Roses,dusting the ground with pepper flakes and spraying the pepper spray on the plant itself. Yes,I know the next question,and yes do your best to not contaminate the Flowers. The Bees and Hummers are our friends. Sad to say,you have to retreat the plants after a heavy rain.

Have used deer repellent on and around Veggie Gardens an it does work.

[cyclonefence]

12. Interesting

I buy hot pepper-infused suet for the bird feeder (squirrels and raccoons were gobbling it all up), and I think it might be a Rule of Nature that mammals don't like hot pepper--the birds don't mind it at all. They eat it just like they do regular suet. Thanks!

[samnsara]

6. we spray our flowering trees with DEER OFF...... I learned they dont eat...

...lavender or daffodils but will wait until the Strargazer Lilies are JUST ready to open then they will gobble them

[cyclonefence]

11. Oh, I learned about those lilies a long time ago

I think they must be deer caviar or something. I'll try some deer off, but if it's expensive I may have to grit my teeth and put up a fence. Thanks!

[TexasProgresive]

7. This works surprisingly well

Enough non fat dry milk to make a 1 cup per the directions on the box to a gallon of water. Add teaspoon of castile soap which acts as a wetting agent. Spray liberally (you wouldn't be a conservative on DU, now would you?) on your plants. pour out left over around the base of the plants and rinse your sprayer well. Do not keep any as it will sour.

You may have to do this once a week. The milk will sour but we can't smell it but they can, and find it disgusting.

I've heard of using Irish Spring soap bars as a deterrent. The problem is expense and rain will diminish the bars quickly.

[cyclonefence]

10. I'm going to try this

the other stuff--the store-bought stuff--is expensive because you have to keep re-applying it. Powdered milk is cheap. This sounds goofy, which in my books is a plus. Thanks!

[Polly Hennessey]

8. I have had deer eat our roses, geraniums, bushes, etc.

I don’t mind, I just buy more. The deer are beautiful. Would rather see deer than roses. Love when they take a nap on our lawn. Animals at peace, Polly at peace. Guess I’m not much help.

[cyclonefence]

9. I think you are

a lot closer to achieving Nirvana than I am! Your karma glows.

[spinbaby]

16. We have a perpetual deer problem

It’s hard to tell what they’re going to develop a taste for. We’re usually safe with plants that are fuzzy, smelly, or downright poisonous. On plants they might take a liking to, I spray a commercial deer repellent that smells like it could be made of fermented coyote urine. It mostly works.

[cyclonefence]

17. When I put in new plants,

I always check, either on the tag or on the internet, whether it's deer chow or not. I had no idea deer would eat rhodos because the leaves are so leathery. Plus I grew up in WV where there are forests full of rhodos and deer, with no sign that the deer eat the rhodos.
People gave me lots of good suggestions, but I really don't want to have to reapply because I'll forget to do it, and then the damn plants will be scalped again. If the deer leave them alone over the summer, I'm going to give in and put up a deer fence in the fall.

[japple]

18. My Dad used to get bags of hair sweepings from his barber shop. He would spread it

around the perimeter of his garden. It did seem to help, but the best thing he ever did was to put a 6' fence around the entire garden.

[cyclonefence]

19. I'm beginning to think

there's nothing for it but a damned fence. Thanks.

[Canoe52]

20. Deer are dumb, takes awhile to get to their brain that what they are chewing on tastes bad.