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Garden Gate:  What will I do about the deer?  |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 14 2010 : 7:44:47 PM
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OK...very amateur gardener here. I LOVE gardening, but I'm not at all an expert. We just moved to a new house last July so I didn't have a garden last year and this year is going to be my first challenge with deer. The problem....I live in an urban area along a stream and there are local deer that are almost domesticated (they don't even run away when I walk out the door in the early morning. And this is THEIR territory. In fact, I think my beautiful back yard is their favorite place in the whole neighborhood. Well, I plan on having a garden this summer and I want them to know that the garden is absolutely off limits. What do I do?
Siobhan, wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2010 : 8:50:28 PM
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If you have the means to, you could erect a deer fence around the area you want to garden- a fence that is over 6 feet tall or 6 foot ish, made out of wire panels so that light still comes through. Most people I know use wood for the supports. They actually look pretty nice when they are finished. You could also decorate you fence with reflective streamers and bells so any wind movement is startling to them.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2010 : 9:01:43 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Alee
If you have the means to, you could erect a deer fence around the area you want to garden- a fence that is over 6 feet tall or 6 foot ish, made out of wire panels so that light still comes through. Most people I know use wood for the supports. They actually look pretty nice when they are finished. You could also decorate you fence with reflective streamers and bells so any wind movement is startling to them.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com
Where would I get the wire panels? Is this something that is a specific product sold for building a deer fence, or can I just use chicken wire? It would definitely have to be high because those deer already jump right over our fence that is about 4.5 feet high. Great idea though. i bet I could find ideas online about how to construct it too, huh?
Siobhan, wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
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gramadinah
True Blue Farmgirl
3557 Posts
Diana
Orofino
ID
USA
3557 Posts |
Posted - Jan 14 2010 : 9:03:32 PM
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Fencing is the only way to go. I have a 5 feet tall fence with a wire stringer around the top with all kinds of things hanging on it.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #273 |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4863 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4863 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2010 : 07:09:06 AM
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You can also try to buy deer resistant plants, shrubs, and flowers. Talk with your local nurseries to see what they recommend. Deer will eat anything if they are starving. Motion lights help too, that's what we have for our yard. We live on an acre wooded lot surrounded by lots of woods, so the deer are well entrenched here as well.
Good luck on gardening & learning what will work for your yard!
Dawn in IL |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
3019 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
3019 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2010 : 08:10:35 AM
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We use the black plastic deer fence. The plastic appears to be flimsy, but that is by design, because if the deer try to get over it, they can't get a good grip on it. When I got my 1st roll, I was worried it would look cheesy, but once it is installed, it blends in fairly well. I know Gardener's supply Company has it, but be sure to get the heavy weight. The light weight is quite flimsy & is better for tree wraps etc.
Deer haven't been my problem lately, it's those dang wabbits. I cannot get a bean to grow to save mny life. Those sneaky wabbits get in the tiniest of holes & go at it. |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2010 : 08:40:26 AM
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Yeah - the black plastic fencing is much more economical and easier to work with too. I have also read if you stagger two barriers, like have a double row of fencing say, 4 feet apart in width, they will not be able to jump over both and can't see to land in between. I have had my troubles with deer too - they are very habitual creatures. Fortunately(?) my garden has been touch and go for a couple years so they haven't had anything to get in the habit of eating.
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2010 : 09:30:04 AM
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predator urine, i.e. dog, human, big cat, you can buy it, or do it yourself, lol. The tallest fence you can afford, hog panels work also, you would have to stack them, as they are not tall, but strong. Reflective tape,hang old cd/dvd's ,mouth balls(put them in nylon netting and hang out of the reach of pets and kids), good luck
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Celticheart
True Blue Farmgirl
811 Posts
Marcia
WA
USA
811 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2010 : 11:16:03 PM
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When we lived in town we also had the fearless deer that seemed to think they owned the yard and garden. They were even picky and would usually pass up everything else on their way to the lavender rosebuds which are apparently a 'deer delicacy.' We've tried it all. Get a fence. At least 6 feet tall---8 is even better....and remember to close the gate. Ask me how I know that.
Now that we live in the country and have a really big garden, we've never any problem with the deer. Go figure. But we do have some big red cows that guard their pasture faithfully and let nothing pass. We've watched them form a line along the creek bank and have a staredown with the deer on the other side of the creek.
"Let us never forget that the cultivation of the earth is the most important labor of man. When tillage begins, other art follows. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of civilization."
Daniel Webster
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Jan 17 2010 : 12:48:08 PM
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| the double fence is a good way. 4 feet apart. also they will not jump over anything they cannot see over. 6 foot hardware wire with a stringer like suggested works for us. you could even electrify the stringer wire on top. just a thought sherrye |
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Perennial
True Blue Farmgirl
85 Posts
Bea
Southwest Virginia
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2010 : 2:47:07 PM
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| Aside from hunting them, i recommend what we did - a solar powered electric fence. I tried the other methods and they worked the first year, but not after. Now, they don't bother my garden. |
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Garden Gate: What will I do about the deer? |
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What will I do about the deer?
