Play a radio overnight. Set it in the garden, cover in case of rain, play at normal volume, dusk to dawn. Works for me. The deer seem to dislike adult contemporary and religious proselytizing.
LOVE this -- but like this video says, deer will get used to things very quickly. How long has it beenworkingfor you? -- AND have you tried rap -- That's so much like discordant noise and human voices yelling, that wouldbe my first choice!
@@SLFinSF It always works but they do, after a time, start to develop a sense of what constitutes a safe distance from the sound so the effective area may shrink down a bit. Mitigate this by moving the radio’s location every so often . Good point about rap.
For the last 5 years we have used 30 lb test fishing line tied to t posts at 1' levels around our (4) 10'X10' box garden. The t posts are at a slight angle outward. Knock on wood, this has worked. The fishing line freaks them out when something touches them that they cannot see. I hope this keeps working. Now I'm working on flower gardens.
Im tryn to grow a Willow Hedge and no sooner they grew 1’ tall them sob munched off tops Grrrr …I will have to try this and set camera out to see the response when they encounter Fish line 🎉
You didn't mention deer netting! Tenax C-Flex is the one to get, nothing less. But the fence still needs to be 7.5-8 ft high. Avoid a wooden frame around it, because that makes it too easy for them to see where the top is and more likely to try jumping it. Black deer fencing posts $$ or black or dark green t-posts are better choices. Also, use a tension line or cable at the top and near the bottom that can absorb the impact of a male deer (bigger) running against it. That's at least 400 lbs, preferably more. I've also found that a second TALL Double fence deters them, not necessarily as high as the primary one. As you said, they will not jump, usually, unless they can SEE that they have a safe, sufficient landing space. Thanks for the links to those two other sites that use this method.
I also heard a discussion with apple growers. Deer will get into an apple orchard regardless of the methods used to keep them out. Except for dogs. The growers fenced their orchard, (enough to keep the dogs in) and put in 1 dog per 3 acres. They were very happy with the results.
Dogs are affective up to about 5 acres maximum, after that the distance is too great because the dogs tend to stay together and basically become a traveling pack. We tried to station dogs every 3-5 acres apart, but the deer would quickly figure out their locations and trail in between them. A perimeter fence and dogs are definitely a successful method, but like everything there are limitations.
I have a veg garden consisting of 24" high wooden raised beds for veggies and smaller, lower stone beds for herbs. These beds are arranged in a more or less circular pattern around a large circular bed for pole beans. All of this is enclosed by a simple 5.5 foot wooden fence that is fairly open, having only four cross slats between posts. We have herds of marauding deer all year round here in Eastern Ontario yet in over 16 years not one has ever ventured in. I believe it's because they just can't figure out where to land and more importantly, how to make a quick escape. If only that worked for the racoons, chipmunks, squirrels, crows and the neighbour's cat!
That's really interesting. It echoes what I've seen elsewhere in the comments about the deer shying away from jumping into confined areas or places where the landing is less certain. And if it's working, you have no reason to second-guess the design! Well done. It's times like these I wish the comments section in UA-cam had more basic features like other social media feeds - it'd be nice to invite you to share a photo or two!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarmYeah, quite deficient comments section. Another big one is that comments bubble to the top, but reply threads to each such comment are strictly chronological. And not nested, like a tree structure, but are flattened into one long stream.
We went with the motion sensored deer sprinklers (and repellents as backup). My husband piped in the water lines along the edges of the garden beds, chose the locations for the sprinklers, and for most of the season, I'd say they were successful. I had all my daylilies bloom this summer in most areas that were protected. However, late summer, the deer found the proverbial "back door" that wasn't protected and started with my 4 foot hosta. We, too, are older adults and just can't stand letting the deer win, so we're going to up our sprinklers and check the direction they cover. We also have a lawn irrigation system and play "whack a deer" and set off zones they venture near when we see them in the yard. Seeing them turn and run is ridiculously satisfying! I will admit to eliminating many hostas for ferns and choosing more so-called resistant plants. We have security cameras, and with the water off during the winter, we see clearly they'll go after whatever is left standing, and so we've protected with deer netting those plants we want alive in the spring when we can hook up the water again. Good luck to all!!
@Fraser Valley Rose Farm I would say, yes, I've had pretty good luck with surrounding some plants with deer netting as long as it's tall enough or covers the top of the plant. It's just not the look i was hoping for. I have an Incrediball hydrangea, Hinoki Cypress and 3 different arborvitae that I'm protecting. I waited a little too long to get the netting around my Jantar arborvitae, but I'm hoping it will recover from some of the damage. And yes, it was hard to look at the large hosta ransacked in one evening!
@@hd1ab1 coming to this video today because I hear misery loves company… went up To our new small orchard this morning, just Put in last fall. For whatever reason Deer did not bother at ALL my 4 new pear trees and 2 elderberry. I was feeling pretty smug. ( pride goeth before the fall) This morning I went up to take a gander… everything was fine 2 days ago………went up today everything was decimated. Destroyed to the point of GONE. I’m sad. 😕
I just use a highly visable single wire strand electric fence about chest height to a deer. Once zapped the resident deer are frightened so badly they don't go near it. For trees I just wrap heavy duty foil around the trunk at antler rubbing height each fall or just a twisted wire around the sapling trunks. Been doing this for 25 years successfully in my orchards
Id like to try this if the fishing line dont work My thing is mid winter i have 2-3’ snow , and these sob’s eat even spruce when starving lol , i might need a added wire at 3’ too , im growing Willow hedge along property thank to state taking my stand of pines down lastyear just to put highway ditch Grrrr there went my Wind/noise privacy screan
Oh deer… it’s a never ending battle and what works in one area, won’t necessarily work anywhere else. Our experience here is if they’re hungry enough, they’ll eat anything and they try everything to figure out what they like. We have a solid cedar fence (not super tall) but with an opinionated 50lb dog. Works well in the summer but I noticed some dropping in the yard last winter when the pickings are slim and the tops of the brussels sprouts were missing 🙃 so we’ll see how it goes this winter. Thanks for the video, my go to deer resistant plants are the fragrant herbs lavender, rosemary etc and rhododendrons are also popular
Yeah, I heard they love to eat rhodos - which are toxic to most everything else! We're lucky in this spot, but we used to struggle a bit at our old place. The damage wasn't so bad early in spring when there was plenty of other vegetation, but got a lot worse in the fall and winter.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm That’s very interesting, they don’t eat the rhodos here. We consider them deer resistant. And I agree, you really notice them trying out different things in the fall/winter. They’ll even nibble the laurel, very waxy and it has that smell!
I live on a wild life estate in South Africa. It was explained to homeowners that out in the wild there are hotdogs and hamburgers growing, but in our gardens we grow steaks! Generally, a welded-mesh cage around the buck's favourite trees protects well. We try to remind ourselves that we chose to live with wildlife and it is a privilege to be able to do so in our retirement. But i do feel for the farmers!
We never had a problem with deer until last July. With all the fireworks, a mama left her fawn bedded down in our garden (middle of town) for two days. He helped himself for a couple of days until mama felt safe enough to take him somewhere else, and left. However *since* then, I think they must've remembered us because this winter all our new fruit trees have been chewed on, all the saffron crocus mowed neatly, even the creeping phlox (which I'd think would hurt to eat). We're thinking caging the little trees, and having my husband and boys pee around the garden strategically.
I have tried everything you mentioned with little success, it only takes one night to destroy a summer's growth. We have a 4 acre orchard and garden so I have resorted to 6' horse fence and electric wire on the outside, one at nose level one at the top to prevent them from standing up and gauging the jump. It works pretty well. I might get one deer a year that makes it in but they get shocked either way and want nothing but to get back out. I started with 4' fence and electric up to 6' but they would get in about once a year, especially if they were able to damage the electric wire and I didn't notice for a few days.
Ugh. I guess that's why we've still on the losing end of the score: deer find a way! I'm very lucky here. We had some damage on our previous property, but here they're controlled by waterways, dikes, and multiple low fences on surrounding dairy farms. And maybe a few farmers with firearms too! So they never make it out as far as my farm.
Thank you Jason. We need more deer hunters to keep herds in check. That won’t solve the problem but it may help some by taking away deer overload, they will have more resources with a less populated herd and not need to venture from their woodland homes. Deer are a big problem but so are rabbits, while the rabbits aren’t as large they do girdle trees and shrubs to the point of death. So in my opinion there are two predators to our gardens and orchards. 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄💚🙃
Rabbits are an even more vexing problem for many gardeners - the bites aren't so large, but cumulatively the damage can be substantial! I used caging around the base of my young roses here and happily the rabbits haven't been such a problem recently.
In suburban and rural spaces, hawks and coyotes can help keep rabbits in check. I'm not holding my breath for wolves to control the deer, though! Still, I'd love it if our village would cull our deer population. Funny enough, the deer come into town during hunting season because they know it's safe. Likewise for elk out west: I've seen large herds of elk hang out in college parking lots during hunting season - it's wild!
I moved to Grand Rapids several years ago and put in a large rose garden. The land is adjacent to a wild area with many deer passing through, and I quickly learned about their fondness for roses. I've been using an animal urine spray ever since, and it has worked very well. It does take more frequent application than the directions state, but it has worked for several years in a row, and my I've put in many more roses. Now they're winterized in their chicken wire cages filled with leaves, so they're safe from just about anything.
I once operated a nursery that bordered up to a state forest. Many deer problems! In early spring, before any growth had started, I started spraying Liquid Fence around the whole area, up to 20' away from the nursery plants themselves. I didn't spray the nursery plants themselves, just a wide perimeter (a fence of sorts) around them. If It rained, I sprayed again. It was an expense, and spraying that stuff is gross. But that technique protected the nursery plants.
Interesting. With such large scale, did you ever justify experimenting with making your own liquid fence? I’ve understood it is predominantly the scent of spoiled egg whites. Getting that into a spray ale consistency that won’t clog a sprayer seems to be the challenge. But that’s only my limited understanding.
It didn’t stop the deer from eating all of my hostas right at my back door ,or eating my two new maples ..I did save one by putting cattle panels in a ten foot square around it! They don’t seem to like coneflowers,geraniums or marigolds…everything else is on the menus…even very poisonous hellebores and holly!
We have been gladiolus farmers for a number of years. The deer love them. Our best defense has been a product called Milorganite. It is made made from microbes used to digest sewerage. It is very clean but smells. It is used as an organic fertilizer. We hang it in stocking socks around our growing area and use some on the plants themselves. The deer and rabbits leave everything alone. We also use 2 strands of electric wire around our garden area close to the woodland part of our property for extra coverage.
Definately need to check it out. @Judy Bradley do you have dogs and cats? How do they behave near the socks and plants doused in Milorganite? I never have problems with deer, but i have problems with irresponsible pet owners and sheep owners. I'm at my wits end to keep them from messing thus killing my plants. I wonder if elephants would keep away from Milorganite. I'm far away from elephant habitats but these pass few weeks several villages lost huge number of crops after being trampled by big herds of elephants
2cents... I'm in suburban Westchester county NY, which seems to be as popular with deer as it is with people. I work in a number of different gardens and deer issues are different in almost all of them. Have seen such deer safe things as Hellebore, allium, and kalmia eaten in one yard while a mile away they never touch anything, but do pass through the yard. Agree with solid 6' fences helping, 8'+ fences more so... dogs helping, spraying helpful too, but formula changes seem necessary for long term spraying to keep working. Deer resistant plants work, and there are lots, however with enough pressure the deer eat or at least will try almost anything. Fencing, circling, individual plants till they grow mostly out of reach is a strategy too... literally every yard can be a different pressure and solution. One has to roll with it and deal with each spot as it is. Until the suburbs become the place the deer don't want to live (the definitely want to live here and spend the winter eating everyone's Taxus and Thuja, and summer hosta and hydrangea) we just have to deal with it
Thanks for your input Eric... and I'm on board with your approach. On a large rural property with heavy deer feeding, there may be no better option than a tall fence (at least around the veggie patch) and a protective dog. But everyone's garden is a bit different, so some might "get away" with lesser measures. At least until they don't ;-)
As usual, your videos are very informative. I live in South Texas. When I lived in the country I could not grow roses-roses are deer candy. In my area there is no such thing as “deer resistant” plants. We may go through several years of drought. During these times deer will eat every plant that is not poisonous. I had oleander bushes on one fence line. During droughts I have seen the deer take one bite of the oleanders and quickly drop them. A quality fence is the only thing that will keep them out, and the fence must be constantly maintained. In the back I had an 8 foot, high quality, fence. If the dogs were chasing a large deer they will clear the 8 foot fence. I have never seen them clear a 12 foot fence. It was funny to see a large deer clear the 8 foot fence and the smaller one behind it bounce off the fence.
The deer can taste the poison in the oleander. They spit out/drop the mouthful of leaves as soon as they realize it's poisonous. They don't die from it.
I have completely given up. Short of just sitting on my porch and shooting them I don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve done everything. I’m heartbroken. I hate deer with the passion of a million suns.
You and me both. Just came in from enclosing a 10 x 15 foot area that has five plants that they will decimate if left unattended. Had to buy the deer netting, not bird netting, stakes and garden pins to put it all in. Not cheap. But, I know when I come out every day that those plants will be safe. I do know some plants they won’t touch and have replaced half of my hosta with hellebores, which they don’t touch. Six rose bushes were taken out and replaced with Pugster Blue butterfly bushes and Double Doozie spirea, which haven’t been touched since last year. Also dahlias are a winner. I will slowly replace my little lime hydrangea, which they seem to love, with either the Spirea or pugster blues. I also planted Florida Sunshine, keeps its leaves, gorgeous yellow color through the winter, and is an anise plant, so they also don’t touch it. They made a dwarf variety and I got one of them.
This is a tough topic because the varieties of species are so broad. Some areas have small agile animals and others have very large animals like elk and moose, and others have various combinations. I have mouflon (mountain sheep) which are medium sized, but quite agile. The temporary solution is a narrow run that is 10 feet wide with 4 foot 2x4 horse fence. The narrow spacing seems to be enough deterrent because my plants are in mostly 15-35 gallon pots and the smaller pots are nestled in the larger pots giving the illusion of not much space. I have seen the Y shaped fences used around vineyards, hopps, and barley fields to keep deer out and they are effective. They are basically a 4x4 post with a T top and angled boards from the post out to each end of the top board. Regular fence wire or barb can be used, or even a couple strands of electric wire. The wire is typically only on outside along the post and Y brace, but having a couple strands along the top give the appearance of depth which really seems to work well. The Y fence is the only fence system that I've actually seen be successful. Four strands of double barb and two strands of electric (one low and one face high) seems to work best. I'm not sure what the cost would be in the current over-priced market, but typically the cost is about a third more than just a standard 4 foot 5 strand barb fence which is the least expensive perimeter deterrent. With todays prices maybe not so much, but then again the cost of protection versus the value of products is always the final determination. Like all things agriculture, the amount of acceptable losses is the key.
Thanks - and it seems electric fencing is a part of quite a few viewers' solutions - good to hear that narrow spacing offers some deterrent. Makes sense to play around a bit, because as you note, there's a lot of different species and climates to account for. I read some comments like "That doesn't work" or "The only solution is...", and I do believe them as far as their own experience goes. What I liked about my integrated pest management professors is that they emphasized observation and measurement - and yes, the constant questions of how much damage should you tolerate. For some commercial settings, I admit, the answer may be nearly zero. But I've got to hope that for most gardeners there could be a step somewhere between no protection and Fort Knox.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm For commercial settings like yours, the most effective approach would be a general perimeter fencing and more specific smaller controlled areas for the more vulnerable plants like you were saying. Of course elevated shelving and others methods like hanging pipes are also quite useful as well. I plan to have a three stage fence around the main growing area with tight mesh at the bottom 2 ft for small pests and 4ft 6x6 hog wire from the ground up, with probably two strands of double barb at 5ft and 6ft. There will also be a second outer two wire simple fence between 3&5 feet away as a walkway buffer. Over time I will learn just how much is needed and if I need to expand or relax the additional spaces. Buildings and greenhouses are also effective deterrence as well.🤙
Here in Northern Virginia we have many vineyards and an oversupply of deer. Vineyard owners install a 10-ft. plastic mesh fencing around the entire periphery and install cattle grating over the roadway at the entrance so customers can come and go but animals cannot traverse. One wine marker told me lastvweek that he's been granted a year-round pistol permit to take out any deer he wants (it's still a rural area) which he most obligingly doea to preserve the growing vines. This method (although an initial expense) works as I had some great wines on site recently.
Took out almost all my hosta, lilies and roses. Put in hellebores, Serrendipity Allium, dwarf butterfly bushes, dahlias, yarrow and Double Doozie spirea. So far, so good. I will cover with netting the hosta I kept and put in some inexpensive wooden stakes that I will enclose with netting. I am willing to try and spray the plants I have left that they eat. But, I will take them out in the fall if it becomes too expensive or time consuming to keep them safe.
I love lilies, hostas and roses. But, dahlias are my favorite. I guess I will follow your suggestion, and remove and plant these. Thank you. I do have Asiatic lilies, which, of course, only bloom for the month of June. I so enjoy them, and the deer never touch them. One lily you may be able to enjoy.
@@concettaworkman5895 I planted dahlias two years ago. The only thing that eats them is slugs. They come in a huge variety of colors and sizes, which means you can plant them in front of the border or behind. This year I put in 3 trellises from Lowe’s, attached them with zip ties, and planted tall ones in back and short ones in front of the tall ones. Am beginning to use those same zip ties to help the tall ones stay sturdy. They have all come up, and the tiered effect is great. I almost don’t care about the color matches, they seem to all blend together. I live in zone 7b so they don’t have to be taken up in the fall, another plus. The newest patch is about 6 feet long and two feet deep. A pleasure not to have to spray or put netting around them. Just slug stuff. And make sure they are watered in dry weather. Just had two 7 year old Little Like hydrangea removed because the deer were eating through the netting and they did this twice. Bought two Pugster pinker plants to take their place. No spraying and no eating for these two. I hate to dig such lovely, vigorous plants out, and they are expensive to replace, but in the long run, I will be a much happier gardener. Much good luck. I did have good luck buying dahlias in stores like Lowe’s, and now they are 50% off.
If you have an existing lower fence, you can install very tall poles at the corners, then string netting that comes in 7' high rolls of 100 linear feet for $20, between those poles, using masonry line threaded thru the top of it to pull that netting taut. Depending on the height of your poles, you could achieve a 12' fence for a very small amount of money and some elbow grease. Deer will NOT jump that.
I'm going to give the grossest fix to this. I got it from the yard guy on PBS years ago. This worked for me. Pee in a bottle. Age it for a couple of months, let it get strong. Pour half a cup into a yard hose sprayer, spray your yard. Your concentrating your urine (Nitrogen) into an alpha predator mark. No deer, rabbits, very few squirrels. You cant pour it directly onto the lawn because you'll burn the grass. But by spraying the whole yard, you get the alpha mammal effect. If you do it don't tell people. They will look weird at you.
@@peggyfrommanitoba7310 As needed. It's nitrogen so it replaces or can be mixed with a liquid fertilizer. You don't have to use alot. I got it from Jerry Davis, who use to be on PBS 20 years ago
Tell everyone, it is free, it is the mammal way. We must compete. Eat deer, grow healthy. Urine is not gross, it's normal. Everyone is so squeamish. Think of the thousands everyone will save.
Jason, as you know my yard is edged by the woods, so deer and any other critters are a problem. Mostly in the veg garden but I did have some hydrangeas topped off this year. They did it early and I lost several flower buds. The way I deal with it is, I want the flowers but I also want to see the deer in the yard so I accept them chewing on some plants. So far they have only effected a few plants, but last year I plant 27 fruit trees and they destroyed about 10 of them. That was an expensive loss but I still enjoy having the deer.
Thanks Dennis. Well I've got to respect your tolerance for them - and that's one of the main principles they tried to teach us in horticulture school: some amount of damage may be tolerable, and it's up the grower to decide how much!
great info. even birds adapt. up to a decade ago or so, pigeons would not touch the purple berries of a Callicarpa bush, and now they eat them bare and so no pretty pruple dots in winter anymore
My experience has been that most deer can be diswaded by a seriously conscientious dog. This dog also needs to be trained to do more than just bark. Running the garden perimeter regularly is also required. My golden retriever/great Pyrenees cross also repels the bear. We do have lots of fencing of all types, but it's mostly "smoke and mirrors". Having lived in deer territory for over 45 years our most successful deterrent has always been our dogs, combined with the occasional paint ball gun backup.
My little year and a half mini miniature dashound tries her best to run them off but they just stand there and look at her. Probably thinking, what heck is this little brown thing barking at me. My husband loves to watch deer and see likes to bark at them. I do the best I can to keep them out of my flower garden's and my little veggie garden planted in big feed tubs with high wire around each one of them. I'm afraid they are going to hurt my little dashound.
I think you should be seriously concerned about the safety of your mini dashboard. My dog is a 90 pound alpha female. Since I wrote this comment she has aged to over 13 years and no longer actively patrolls my perimeter. Amazingly the local wildlife still are aware of her presence and rarely trespass. However, there are existing fences and barriers that keep them out. The bear did pushbdown a fence last year but Spirit let me know and we scared him off. I use a paintball gun. A small dog really can't compete with animals vastly larger and stronger, no matter how aggressively they are defending their territory. Even Spirit with all her years of experience knows her limitations. We seriously pruned back the apples and no longer want to tempt the bear. Consider a larger dog of the herding variety, maybe a border collie mix.
My problem is I live in the center of a town and the area my home is in was once a large vacant area. Most of the deer were born here before it was anything but a area of scrub, trash trees surrounded by old homes. No shooting in city limits. or I would be eating venison
We have flower planting each spring.. have about 1+ acre ranch fenced property in Oregon. When we had a 90 lb Akita/Siberian dog which looked like a wolf type and was psychologically highly predative, we never had a deer issue. Our dog passed and since then deer are an issue. So territorial dogs are one answer. When we walked out in the BLM, we'd come across hunter deer kills and he'd insist on bringing the cut off fore legs home in his mouth. One time he brought the whole deer hide, still bloody, from a hunter's kill. No deer, cougar or coyote problemos then. Now I have high blood pressure chasing the deer with a long pole banging on the trees to herd the buggers out of the gate. My wife and I make a real comedy of our selves. But then we are in our 70s and don't care.
I know this video is a couple years old, but I’ve struggled with deer eating our hostas, daylillies, and others. I had read deer won’t cross an area that has nylon fish line because they can feel it and not see it and won’t cross at that area, so I put two strands at different heights on a trail they were regular using and they have not crossed that , so I put it around two areas of daylillies and I had flowers for the first time in a few years that the fish line kept them away. So next spring I’m putting it up in other areas.
I have resorted to no planting until the perimeter electric fence goes up. I grow approximately 2500-3000 sunflowers a year commercially and they love the young sprouts. As long as I don't forget to plug in the fence every night, I'm 100% successful. I have to apply this same tactic to anything I choose to grow in my yard, such as my roses. Cost is very low, maintenance can be a challenge with the Florida weather, at times. I use the plastic push-in posts with guides placed every two inches on the posts.
Thanks for sharing your method. How high is the top wire for your electric fence? I wonder if you should invest in a timer - all it takes is one missed night for a lot of damage! ;-)
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm all I use is one stran approx 4ft from ground. The bottom 2ft. has to be protected with high grade chicken wire (not the flemsie kind) with u-anchors to keep bunnies out. A timer is an excellent idea, not sure why I didn't think of that. Countless times I would remember after I went to bed to plug it in, then crawl out of bed with flashlight in hand to go plug it in. Timer is on my Christmas wish list. My current project is to make my perimeter fencing mobile in about 20ft sections for tilling and planting. No-tilling is my end game, I'm just not there yet. Should you ever get to Florida, look me up.
Thank you for this information. You really covered the reality of deer decimating a garden.Last summer the deer ate EVERYTHING. Chilies, tomatoes, squash, sunflowers, pumpkins and morning Glory. I checked my garden today and the deer had munched my 2' sunflowers to nubs. First I was pissed . . Then I laughed.Overnight they destroyed alot. I live in Deadwood South Dakota . It's a tricky place to grow a garden in. There is lush vegetation everywhere. The deer love my garden and consider it their salad bar. Deer are beautiful creatures but when they DESTROY your garden, you lose your fondness for them.
I have brand new 5-ft fence with may 1/4" between each slat. I couldn't believe that my roses and my 4.5' tall nondeterminant tomatoes were all just munched. Azaleas, too. And this is in an area with creeks tons of lawns, shrubbery (the Piedmont of NC). It's like they just walk along and say "Oh, I'll have a bit of this and bit of that" -- and of course, the bites they like best are just where the plant is budding, flowering or fruiting. We moved here a year ago and between red clay soil that is literally ike potter's clay (NC pottery is famous!) that has to be amended like crazy and the cost of worms, worm castings, mulch, organic matter, topsoil -- and plants -- I've probably spent well over $2500 -- and have almost nothing to show for it. (The record-breaking "real fee" 107F heat we had this summer didn't help -- my entire backyard is heavily shaded by 80-100ft trees -- but am told the rhodies and azaleas just can't stand that heat and humidity --even though they got little direct sun. Everything is food for deer, rabbits, voles/moles and squirrels (who ate all my bulbs except daffodils.)
We have had some unexpected success with solar motion lights. Some success with two dogs and some success with motion sprinklers. And, some with an outdoor portable radio. We also overplant vegtables, so we aren’t fully wiped out if they get through all that. It is a real war and you have to use multiple weapons and strategies staying vigilant.
Great video….we have had great success with 5 ft fence with added electric wires… our homestead is in bear , deer and elk area and this combination works well… and actually not crazy expensive!! Thanks for the great content
Oh, that's really good to hear. I know there have been a few commenters here who have said "lower fences don't work" - and I believe them: that it might not work in their area or with their deer problem. But then it does go to show that not everyone's situation is the same, and I'd hate to think that the only possible solution is a 10ft razorwire-topped fence like in a high security prison!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm as you stated as well …. If there is another option the animals tend to go for the easy first.. I live on 160 acres surrounded by crown land so getting zapped by electric fence or wandering off to another food source, makes sense they wander off …. Not to mention if the livestock guardian dog smells them then he gives chase to our property line ! Cheers
I use the hanging Rescue fly traps. The smell is horrible, it has the added benefit of attracting flies, but they are expensive. I have found that if I’m in my garden every day and move something around, the deer are deterred for a few days. I also use any type of shiny object hanging in my fruit trees and inexpensive wind chimes, but as I have noted, they have to be moved around from fruit tree to fruit tree.
We hang big black garbage bags. And what should be freely suspended on a rope, the bags are inflated from the wind, the deer sees from afar and do not come
For perimeter, we use 3 strands of electric net on plastic step-in posts or t-posts. Lowest strand keeps out rabbits. Middle & top strands keep out deer. Top strand is around 4 feet high. It's not 100%, but still very effective. For an extra layer of protection around specific rows inside the perimeter fence, we run one strand of electric tape up & down the row about 3-4 feet high, with roses in the middle. We learned the hard way after a herd of deer ate a 50 foot row of David Austins down to nubbins. 😑
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Only a few of the David Austin roses survived, & those that did all reverted to rootstock. They started out as Tranquillity, a white rose, & ended up a pale pink which I actually like better. 🤣 I got them at Lowe's, a big box chain hardware store.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I grow cut flowers, so hoping to start having some of these in enough supply to sell to my florist customers in the upcoming season. 🙏
Deer have scent glands in their lower legs to mark trails as they go and a herd will follow this trail. Deer do not like plants with heavy oils in them (like the wild geraniums) as it will cause the deer to leave a scent trail that predators can track and a smell on themselves a cougar will smell. I’ve planted these geraniums that look more like a weed across a well known deer trail and they stopped using that trail. Started planting a guild around bushes because the deer won’t walk through these plants. Some hunter knowledge to add to the our collection of deer repelling methods.
I am thinking of growing a fence of rosa rugosa around my garden because looks like deer don't like them. But I won't be able to enter the garden myself then...
Your own urine to mark your territory around. Always save your night urine for the most expensive loved bushes you have to protect. Animals usually respect the territory of other animals as far as I have experienced. But yes, I also put Egyptian onion, or garlic in any potted (or tired) plants that they may love especially. Mother Earth News years ago when I left big city living for another province & off grid self sustaining lifestyle had an article that said a low knee high strand and a 7' or so high strand is all you need. One to catch their leg, the other their neck if they walk into it will deter them.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I'd bet that if you had a waist high perimeter of nitrogen loving evergreens men would be happy to urinate behind them rather than in the facility next to a snack bar. Too few now days get to do what country people always have done. Even in the city a guy taking back land along a constantly broken & flooded sidewalk has put up a little privacy screen, a large funnel, a jug of rinsing water and the urine goes from the funnel along long lines with holes in them & in-between plants & now, bushes & trees. He has created an oasis tht people love & now can walk along without wet feet no matter the weather. As you know, roots will absorb rain really fast. Think there was a lot of blowback at first to him lifting the traditional but unkept sidewalk but as his lot became planted etc people saw that he was fixing the problems, not doing damage. It sometimes takes a while for people to put their pigeon holed thinking towards new/old ideas.
Bobbex works incredibly well. I have over 60 emerald green arborvitaes (i.e., deer candy) apple trees, rose bushes, pear, peach and plumb trees as well as large hostas. We have PLENTY of deer, but they don't touch my plants. I use Bobbex that I purchase on Amazon. A gallon cost about $48, but it is a concentrate (mix with water) and it lasts me for years. You only need to apply once every three to four months with a conventional sprayer. I last bought a 2.5 gallon jug back in 2019 and I still have 1/4 of it left. And I use it at a higher dosage than recommended. So a gallon will really last you a long time. The stuff will stink and your neighbors will be wondering where the stink is coming from. Just shrug and wait for a few days and the smell will be gone, unless you rub your face directly into a dense shrub covered with it.
We never had a problem with deer eating from our small vegetable garden until this year, our dog kept the deer, coyotes and other wildlife away, unfortunately she died in January and now we have deer and rabbit problems. May have to get another dog.
BTW: My nephew has a huge German Shepherd that hasn't been neutered. He gave me a ton of its hair sealed tight in a baggie right after brushing. I spent a long time sticking it through 1/4" gaps in our 5' tall board fence...under and in between rocks in our plant border and some I'd just put near particular plants. DID NOT DETER ANYTHING -- not rabbits, voles, deer. A friend is a hairdresser and said human hair would do it. Kinda creepy (!) but I did the same with that. I'd say that worked better -- but maybe for 2 days. Don't know if the scent wore off maybe/ Anyway, can't e spending an hour every two days going around the garden sticking human hair here and there -- and man, I did use up a LOT. Every 2 or 3 days? Nope. ODD: I've planted purple lilac, hibiscus, roses in a bed in front of my house. Deer have enjoyed everything -- but the lilac shrubs. No idea why. Not complaining!
I've spent a fortune on repellents, with limited success. I have a lot of boxwood and other plants deer don't like. They leave them alone but eat other things. The only thing that has really work are wire cages and netting over vulnerable plants.
Put up at electric fence. Use a weed control fence as they have a stronger electrical charge. Every 30 to 50 feet, take a piece of aluminum foil about 4“ x 8“ and fascinate on the top wire of the electric vent. Spread peanut butter on the strips of aluminum foil. Dear decide where their paths will be in the early spring. Once they determine the areas they’re going to travel through they use those continually throughout the season. If you have your peanut butter and electric fence hooked up, when the deer go through an early spring they’ll take a little taste of the peanut butter and it will literally knock them on their feet. for the rest of the season, they will want nothing to do with this area and stay clear. It’s also very hilarious to watch the dears reaction when they first bite into that peanut butter…
In Finland and Sweden, we hang large black garbage bags on a rope that inflate like a balloon from the wind. Deer sees them from afar and do not approach, apparently they are afraid of them
I had luck with homemade repellant - six eggs, ten crushed garlic cloves, a few drops of dish detergent, a liter or so of water. they say to spray, but I put mine in an empty dish soap bottle and squirted it around the yard, plants and any wood surfaces that would absorb it. The deer would walk right past my yard, they hate eggs., and no, my yard didn't smell like rotten eggs!
I have a bad deer and rabbit problem. I have found human hair out of hair brushes, and i have a beauty shop that saves it for me, once in a while. Also human pee. We live in the coutry no one can see me. I pee all around my flower gardens beds. We put our veggies in big feed tubs and put high wire around them. We just have tomaties, cucumbers,green peppers and pole beans planted, a very small garden in the tubs.
I have a strategy that’s a win-win for both deer and gardener so each earns a point. I don’t recall the term for it (I think the strategy starts with a ‘b’ and it’s a 1 syllable word), but I learned about it ~5 years ago. Basically you plant the edges of your garden or farm with edible weeds that deer like. The idea is that the deer will eat that and either avoid or eat less of what you’re growing for human consumption (flowers or food). If your deer population is out of control (out east where I used to live, there’s over-population and controlled culls) so this strategy wouldn’t work. But here in Northern California I believe the deer that decimate my potted plants and anything unguarded are the result of a small family or two of resident deer on my side of the mountain. I believe this strategy COULD minimize damage at worst and even solve my deer problems at best. Thoughts?
Thanks. I think you're right that this would depend on the region and the deer population - as do the other strategies. Under light deer pressure, and with abundant food resources, even a low fence could be enough of a deterrent. It's worth a try to plant something they like around the margins if you know it's a small group of deer you're dealing with.
put a fence; 5 ft minimum height; grow roses or other high plants around the edges; they will not cross; you do not need 8 or 6ft; put the roses around they are beautiful and will keep them out; raspberries and wineberries work amazing too; they will not jump into a raspberry patch with thorns they hate it :-)
I got the best deer repellent in the world. and the result is delicious. And it ends up being the best deterrent of them all. There are too many deer in the enviornment now
The cockroaches of the forest. Knocked over my cement bird baths, hummingbird feeders, bird seed feeders... wrecked front and back just last night. Not enough time to say last week the ruins. So depressing.
I think it was Darryl Hall (Hall and Oats) That used cockroaches of the forest. He contracted Lyme and he really hates them. We also totaled two cars in two states. No escaping them. Furry slugs is cute too.
ELECTRIC FENCE!!! have it all around the vegetable area with excellent success. It also helps to have a loyal outdoor dog ... one who stays home and guards your yard. Sadly our dog passed on . My flower borders are heavy on resistant plants such as peonies iris,
I only have 1 wire and it's at about 30inches ... right at the height a deer would stick their nose to check it out. If it's too high the smaller ones would duck under. We are in the middle of forest. The population of deer are increasing lately.
A locked-in prisoner in your own garden. How sad. I won this one: I took the buck by the horns - so's to speak. I placed a 4-ft. wide, 3-inch deep, walking path of small seashells "around" my garden and that has been working incredibly fine. Deer walk up - sniff - but won't step forward. Deer don't like seashell flooring - the sharp shells get in between their narrow little toes which is not only discomforting, it gives them no footing to jump your fence if you have one. They just don't like stepping on deep soft layers of little shells. I got the idea while making a nature documentary. I observed that deer "never" walk on the shell beaches we have here in Georgia. Ever! No matter how hungry. It got me thinking. I set out my design by putting a narrow shell beach down around my own garden. Also, I sprinkled some dry deer repellent over the seashells knowing that individual shells would "cup-hold" the mixture in place for weeks. Voila! The end design is totally organic and also aesthetically BEAUTIFUL - for any garden. Brilliant, I know. You're welcome. I will do a documentary on this "shellpath deer design" of mine at some point, but, for now, I wanted to share this with you. If you try this technique, and it works for you, please just credit me, "NightOwl Productions," in acknowledgment as to your original source. Happy planting, fellow gardeners! (My sincere apologies to any deer who might be reading this out there with sensitive feet...)
I wouldn’t say repellants don’t work…I’d say it’s not a one-and-done solution. I think lots of gardeners know that going in. I make my own, so I don’t mind reapplying. It’s not expensive at all, but it is pretty nasty stuff to deal with. I haven’t empirically tested anything, but it does seem to work if I’m diligent about applications. And you need to spray most everything, not just their favorites. The time of year and the specific plant have a lot to do with it too. Anymore I’ve taken to planting highly resistant varieties. Thankfully there is a wide variety still. I can testify that they leave my rugosa rose alone, but not another that’s a rugosa hybrid (if that’s what the type is called?) because it’s just not spiny and rough enough.
Thanks EmKn. You're right, it's not a clear cut "yes" or "no". Despite there being not much room for nuance in a thumbnail or title, I do try to give a fuller discussion in the video of what the research says gardeners should expect. Namely, variable & possibly short-term results - which, as you say, might not be a deal breaker if you're making your own repellant and it's not costing you much except time and effort (and maybe a nose-plug or two!). For gardeners paying the (high) cost of commercial repellants, and expecting consistent results, it's not a good bet. Thanks for the feedback on the rugosa roses - that's what I've seen work here in difficult areas.
I wonder about that - if it were too close to other plants, might it just draw in more "regulars" to the yard? I saw some searches on Google about what to feed deer to help them out - seems like they don't need much extra help around here!
Sorry to hear it. Just re-watch the same video, and score it at 5-0 for the rabbits! Not quite, but nearly so. The only difference is that wire cage fencing doesn't need to be quite so tall, but it does need to extend into the ground in such a way that they can't burrow under. Easier said than done! Plant level protection with temporary cages has helped me with young roses in the past, but they're really a tough pest to beat.
The best solution is gathering the ingredients for good stew. All of the ingredients. And then making it. Perhaps several times. When I was a kid my parents and none of our neighbors had problems with deer in their gardens. Guess why,
Well, I read every comment, and I am doing the seashells and urine. Wish me luck. All free, I have bags of seashells. I will let everyone know my results. Occam's Razor.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm My little dog Cocoa was kicked to death on Memorial Day weekend this spring in our backyard. A doe gave birth to twin fawns and Cocoa walked over to sniff. No barking oe anything. 😞
@@DianeKovacs I'm sorry to hear that. As defenders, dogs can be a great deterrent to other animals. That being said, once there are children involved, forget it. Mama ducks be like bears.
Rabbits are equally as bad and harder to deter because even with fences and netting they still get around or through it. Also I’ve had them tip over my pots or jump into them even if they’re on a pedestal….
I made pull down over bags from floating row cover for all my shrubs. I sewed them on my sewing machine in minutes. I made the bottoms long enough to weight down with bricks. The deer came and I believe they continue checking the shrubs for availability. ME-=WIN. DEER O.
We have roses all along the front of our house here in upstate South Carolina and last spring we were anticipating the opening of dozens of buds but were disappointed when one morning they were all gone and deer scatt everywhere. I purchased 2 automatic motion detecting sprinklers and it totally solved the deer problem. We enjoyed our roses the rest of the season and will be using the sprinklers again this year.
Hi, thanks for the tips. Here in Sweden we use sheep's wool. hanging pussies in hedges and roses. But also covers the soil around the plants and in vegetable crops. Here we have Deer, Deer. It is said that they do not like the smell and grease that the wool has
Double low fence does not work. The deer quickly learn to hop one fence then the other in quick succession. Once one deer has done it, the entire herd has learned to do it. Speaking from experience on that one. Row cover doesn't work. Deer will tear right through it or nose under it to get to what they want. Again, speaking from experience on that. Yes, rugosa roses are less palatable to deer, but it's not due to the thorns, but rather the taste. Deer eat my climbing and hybrid tea roses, thorns and all without hesitation. The only thing I did that worked was an 8' fence. The problem with fences lower than 8' is that the deer get injured on them. An injured deer is a dead deer. The adult deer can stand next to a 6' fence and hop over it without even needing a running start. The younger deer can't always make it, and get tangled in the top of the fence. A 7' fence is just tall enough for deer to attempt but not necessarily make it. I watched a deer try to get over a 7' fence, snag a hind quarter on the top, get flipped over and take a hard landing, then limp off. I added a top wire at 8' as soon as I could. With an 8' fence, they don't even try. I also mark the fence with lengths of white cotton string so the deer know the fence is there. Now I finally have a garden, plus a deer path along the outside of the fence. Both the deer and my desired plants are safe, and that's a win. Save yourself the trouble and do it right the first time. 8' fence with heavy duty plastic deer mesh with ground stakes at the bottom, held by a top and bottom wire and 10' posts going 2' into the ground and you're set for decades.
I agree 100%. I also tried low double fences and all of the mentioned "tricks". The only thing (other than dogs) that has worked for me is a 7 1/2 foot fence built like yours. In 3 years, I've had only one deer get through a broken splice in the fence and it was a bugger to get the deer "out" of my 4 acre yard!
My cousin who is a retired professor of horticulture came up with an effective way of keeping deer out of his garden. He even coauthored a book on plant propagation. He has some beautiful and rare plant specimens. He has a backyard of about 1/2 acre. He installed an 8 ft heavy duty plastic mesh fence at the perimeter of the back of his house. On both sides of the fence he planted Green Giants (thuja) which conceal the unsightliness of the fencing. The deer cannot even try to jump over the fence because they are kept 6 feet away by the fast-growing thujas and cannot see where they'd land if they did try to jump.
What I found that has worked well is to use light weight bird/deer netting (from a box store). It cuts easily with scissors and I can size it according to the plant I am covering. I just drape it over the top of the plant to where most of the flowers and leaves are covered. It is light weight, the plant still receives the sunlight it needs, and the breeze and rain still gets through. Even better, you can’t see it from a distance so it doesn’t deter from the looks of my garden! I believe the deer do not like the texture of it on their tongue when/if they try to nibble. I see deer tracks in my grass leading up to the flower bed wall but the plants and netting are not disturbed. I do need to adjust it from time to time as the plant grows.Also, if there is a super windy day, you may need to adjust it afterward since it is lightweight.
@angiestelzer Just be aware that fine netting draped over plants and touching the ground can be a death trap for snakes wandering through your yard and helping eat all the rodents. They can get caught in the netting and can't back out. I was sad to see I'd inadvertently caused the death of a large bull snake by using fine deer mesh that was folded over on the ground. A neighbor had the same thing happen in her yard too.
@@patblack2291 Hi Pat - good point on the snake issue, probably would affect toads as well. Fortunately, I’ve not run into that issue. I literally drape the netting over the top, it does not reach the mulch / soil level - maybe just halfway down the plant. Also, the netting DOES allow pollinators in and out, so another benefit.
Wire cages with plastic bags and nylons with a half bar of smelly Irish Spring soap tied on them, and human urine all around the area around the beds appears to have worked for our first gardening attempts in deer country. 😂
I find the more time I spend in my garden the less deer activity I have . Same with moles , rabbits and voles . I guess it’s the human presence or smell they don’t like . If you’re not there everything comes back including weeds . So what I’m trying to say is without human presence everything will return back to its original state .
We have an 8 ft fence of chicken wire around the garden and 5-6 ft around the yard. For the most part, it does really well to keep the deer out. They just walk around it. But there is always that 1 "Houdini" deer that has the ability to find every weakness and just keeps pushing until it creates a large enough hole or pushes down a corner until it collapses. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, they are very persistent in finding that hole/weakness and almost impossible to keep out. We like it because when you look out, you don't see a fence. But neither do cats, dogs, or birds see it either. We've had a few run into it. I've tried the liquid fence😜, solar repeller, and throwing things. They just stare as if saying, "Really? Are you serious?" and casually walk off.
I worked in the human-wildlife conflict field, and the double fence scenario you described is considered the best way to exclude deer from a yard. Deer can jump far and they can jump high, but they have a hard time jumping BOTH high and far at the same time. So ideally, you have a shorter fence in the front (maybe 4 feet - I can't remember the exact dimensions needed off the top of my head, I'm sure someone could look them up) and then a taller fence erected a few feet behind that (maybe 6 feet) and that should prevent them from being able to jump them.
Thanks for your insights! I know that every solution is "situational" so it may not work for everyone, but it may be worth a try if you have light deer pressure and can't justify a solid 8ft fence.
I've been fighting deer in my garden for 50 years - from CT to SC to VA. I now have resorted to 5-6 separate garden areas on my property which have a 5 ft. heavy plastic mesh fence around each of them. These separate bedding areas leave little room for deer to jump into and they're reluctant to jump into narrow, confined spaces. For my daylily and dahlia garden (haven't seen a daylily in years) we've installed an electric fence - again in a relatively confined area. We are so far unscathed but there are no guarantees when it comes to deer. The only additional deterrent to the above would be having a dog (like a German shepherd) that I was able to confine to our yard and keep outside from Spring to Fall.
I just enclosed an area with two sugar tips rose of Sharon, a standard limelight hydrangea, and a panicle hydrangea. There are a few other butterfly bushes and plants within the enclosure, but the first three are the ones that get eaten. I used four 6 foot metal stakes which are probably 5 feet when driven into the ground. I used deer netting, not bird netting, which is metal like, and ran it around the stakes, securing with zip ties and staking it to the ground. I wanted a way to get in, and used a small metal stake at the end that I can unfold. I have three other little limes that I am covering also, but my plan is to replace them one at a time. I have had good luck with butterfly bushes and the Pugster Blue is a nice size. No spraying, no covering. It is just too discouraging and expensive to try and keep beautiful plants that I love with deer. It is a compromise, but it is also a great feeling to walk by a bed and know I don’t have to spray and that I won’t find something decimated.
Great video. I like how you ended it. I came to the same conclusion and am working out a plant by plant strategy.. My neighbors opted for a chemical solution, which seems to be working for them, but I don't want to go down that same slippery slope.
Play a radio overnight. Set it in the garden, cover in case of rain, play at normal volume, dusk to dawn. Works for me. The deer seem to dislike adult contemporary and religious proselytizing.
lol
😄
LOVE this -- but like this video says, deer will get used to things very quickly. How long has it beenworkingfor you? -- AND have you tried rap -- That's so much like discordant noise and human voices yelling, that wouldbe my first choice!
@@SLFinSF It always works but they do, after a time, start to develop a sense of what constitutes a safe distance from the sound so the effective area may shrink down a bit. Mitigate this by moving the radio’s location every so often . Good point about rap.
For the last 5 years we have used 30 lb test fishing line tied to t posts at 1' levels around our (4) 10'X10' box garden. The t posts are at a slight angle outward. Knock on wood, this has worked. The fishing line freaks them out when something touches them that they cannot see. I hope this keeps working. Now I'm working on flower gardens.
This works well for me too. Same set up.
Bless you for commenting, going to try this 🌻
Im tryn to grow a Willow Hedge and no sooner they grew 1’ tall them sob munched off tops Grrrr …I will have to try this and set camera out to see the response when they encounter Fish line 🎉
Thank you!
Definitely going to have to try that next year. Cause nothing else works
You didn't mention deer netting! Tenax C-Flex is the one to get, nothing less. But the fence still needs to be 7.5-8 ft high. Avoid a wooden frame around it, because that makes it too easy for them to see where the top is and more likely to try jumping it. Black deer fencing posts $$ or black or dark green t-posts are better choices. Also, use a tension line or cable at the top and near the bottom that can absorb the impact of a male deer (bigger) running against it. That's at least 400 lbs, preferably more.
I've also found that a second TALL Double fence deters them, not necessarily as high as the primary one. As you said, they will not jump, usually, unless they can SEE that they have a safe, sufficient landing space. Thanks for the links to those two other sites that use this method.
I also heard a discussion with apple growers. Deer will get into an apple orchard regardless of the methods used to keep them out. Except for dogs. The growers fenced their orchard, (enough to keep the dogs in) and put in 1 dog per 3 acres. They were very happy with the results.
Thanks David!
Dogs are affective up to about 5 acres maximum, after that the distance is too great because the dogs tend to stay together and basically become a traveling pack. We tried to station dogs every 3-5 acres apart, but the deer would quickly figure out their locations and trail in between them.
A perimeter fence and dogs are definitely a successful method, but like everything there are limitations.
I have a veg garden consisting of 24" high wooden raised beds for veggies and smaller, lower stone beds for herbs. These beds are arranged in a more or less circular pattern around a large circular bed for pole beans. All of this is enclosed by a simple 5.5 foot wooden fence that is fairly open, having only four cross slats between posts. We have herds of marauding deer all year round here in Eastern Ontario yet in over 16 years not one has ever ventured in. I believe it's because they just can't figure out where to land and more importantly, how to make a quick escape. If only that worked for the racoons, chipmunks, squirrels, crows and the neighbour's cat!
That's really interesting. It echoes what I've seen elsewhere in the comments about the deer shying away from jumping into confined areas or places where the landing is less certain. And if it's working, you have no reason to second-guess the design! Well done. It's times like these I wish the comments section in UA-cam had more basic features like other social media feeds - it'd be nice to invite you to share a photo or two!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarmYeah, quite deficient comments section. Another big one is that comments bubble to the top, but reply threads to each such comment are strictly chronological. And not nested, like a tree structure, but are flattened into one long stream.
We went with the motion sensored deer sprinklers (and repellents as backup). My husband piped in the water lines along the edges of the garden beds, chose the locations for the sprinklers, and for most of the season, I'd say they were successful. I had all my daylilies bloom this summer in most areas that were protected. However, late summer, the deer found the proverbial "back door" that wasn't protected and started with my 4 foot hosta. We, too, are older adults and just can't stand letting the deer win, so we're going to up our sprinklers and check the direction they cover. We also have a lawn irrigation system and play "whack a deer" and set off zones they venture near when we see them in the yard. Seeing them turn and run is ridiculously satisfying!
I will admit to eliminating many hostas for ferns and choosing more so-called resistant plants.
We have security cameras, and with the water off during the winter, we see clearly they'll go after whatever is left standing, and so we've protected with deer netting those plants we want alive in the spring when we can hook up the water again. Good luck to all!!
Thanks Janice. That must have been pretty frustrating to have them chew down such large hostas! Have you had much luck with deer netting?
@Fraser Valley Rose Farm I would say, yes, I've had pretty good luck with surrounding some plants with deer netting as long as it's tall enough or covers the top of the plant. It's just not the look i was hoping for.
I have an Incrediball hydrangea, Hinoki Cypress and 3 different arborvitae that I'm protecting. I waited a little too long to get the netting around my Jantar arborvitae, but I'm hoping it will recover from some of the damage. And yes, it was hard to look at the large hosta ransacked in one evening!
@@hd1ab1 coming to this video today because I hear misery loves company… went up
To our new small orchard this morning, just
Put in last fall. For whatever reason Deer did not bother at ALL my 4 new pear trees and 2 elderberry. I was feeling pretty smug. ( pride goeth before the fall) This morning I went up to take a gander… everything was fine 2 days ago………went up today everything was decimated. Destroyed to the point of GONE. I’m sad. 😕
@KM I feel your pain!! It's a good reminder to not let my guard down. I should start spraying my unprotected areas right away.
I just use a highly visable single wire strand electric fence about chest height to a deer. Once zapped the resident deer are frightened so badly they don't go near it. For trees I just wrap heavy duty foil around the trunk at antler rubbing height each fall or just a twisted wire around the sapling trunks. Been doing this for 25 years successfully in my orchards
Id like to try this if the fishing line dont work
My thing is mid winter i have 2-3’ snow , and these sob’s eat even spruce when starving lol , i might need a added wire at 3’ too , im growing Willow hedge along property thank to state taking my stand of pines down lastyear just to put highway ditch Grrrr there went my Wind/noise privacy screan
Oh deer… it’s a never ending battle and what works in one area, won’t necessarily work anywhere else.
Our experience here is if they’re hungry enough, they’ll eat anything and they try everything to figure out what they like.
We have a solid cedar fence (not super tall) but with an opinionated 50lb dog. Works well in the summer but I noticed some dropping in the yard last winter when the pickings are slim and the tops of the brussels sprouts were missing 🙃 so we’ll see how it goes this winter.
Thanks for the video, my go to deer resistant plants are the fragrant herbs lavender, rosemary etc and rhododendrons are also popular
Yeah, I heard they love to eat rhodos - which are toxic to most everything else! We're lucky in this spot, but we used to struggle a bit at our old place. The damage wasn't so bad early in spring when there was plenty of other vegetation, but got a lot worse in the fall and winter.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm That’s very interesting, they don’t eat the rhodos here. We consider them deer resistant.
And I agree, you really notice them trying out different things in the fall/winter. They’ll even nibble the laurel, very waxy and it has that smell!
I live on a wild life estate in South Africa. It was explained to homeowners that out in the wild there are hotdogs and hamburgers growing, but in our gardens we grow steaks! Generally, a welded-mesh cage around the buck's favourite trees protects well.
We try to remind ourselves that we chose to live with wildlife and it is a privilege to be able to do so in our retirement. But i do feel for the farmers!
We never had a problem with deer until last July. With all the fireworks, a mama left her fawn bedded down in our garden (middle of town) for two days. He helped himself for a couple of days until mama felt safe enough to take him somewhere else, and left. However *since* then, I think they must've remembered us because this winter all our new fruit trees have been chewed on, all the saffron crocus mowed neatly, even the creeping phlox (which I'd think would hurt to eat). We're thinking caging the little trees, and having my husband and boys pee around the garden strategically.
I have tried everything you mentioned with little success, it only takes one night to destroy a summer's growth. We have a 4 acre orchard and garden so I have resorted to 6' horse fence and electric wire on the outside, one at nose level one at the top to prevent them from standing up and gauging the jump. It works pretty well. I might get one deer a year that makes it in but they get shocked either way and want nothing but to get back out. I started with 4' fence and electric up to 6' but they would get in about once a year, especially if they were able to damage the electric wire and I didn't notice for a few days.
Ugh. I guess that's why we've still on the losing end of the score: deer find a way! I'm very lucky here. We had some damage on our previous property, but here they're controlled by waterways, dikes, and multiple low fences on surrounding dairy farms. And maybe a few farmers with firearms too! So they never make it out as far as my farm.
Thank you Jason. We need more deer hunters to keep herds in check. That won’t solve the problem but it may help some by taking away deer overload, they will have more resources with a less populated herd and not need to venture from their woodland homes. Deer are a big problem but so are rabbits, while the rabbits aren’t as large they do girdle trees and shrubs to the point of death. So in my opinion there are two predators to our gardens and orchards. 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄💚🙃
Rabbits are an even more vexing problem for many gardeners - the bites aren't so large, but cumulatively the damage can be substantial! I used caging around the base of my young roses here and happily the rabbits haven't been such a problem recently.
In suburban and rural spaces, hawks and coyotes can help keep rabbits in check. I'm not holding my breath for wolves to control the deer, though! Still, I'd love it if our village would cull our deer population. Funny enough, the deer come into town during hunting season because they know it's safe. Likewise for elk out west: I've seen large herds of elk hang out in college parking lots during hunting season - it's wild!
We need Good learning around the predator prey dynamic …. More predators would help out and restore the ecosystem
@@gunning6407 I keep wondering when we are going to get cougars here in the Boston MA area. We've started to get bobcats.
I moved to Grand Rapids several years ago and put in a large rose garden. The land is adjacent to a wild area with many deer passing through, and I quickly learned about their fondness for roses. I've been using an animal urine spray ever since, and it has worked very well. It does take more frequent application than the directions state, but it has worked for several years in a row, and my I've put in many more roses. Now they're winterized in their chicken wire cages filled with leaves, so they're safe from just about anything.
Nice... I hope it's a mild winter for you!
I once operated a nursery that bordered up to a state forest. Many deer problems! In early spring, before any growth had started, I started spraying Liquid Fence around the whole area, up to 20' away from the nursery plants themselves. I didn't spray the nursery plants themselves, just a wide perimeter (a fence of sorts) around them. If It rained, I sprayed again. It was an expense, and spraying that stuff is gross. But that technique protected the nursery plants.
Thanks David. Good to know you were able to get some use from the repellants, and at least your nursery plants were safe!
Interesting. With such large scale, did you ever justify experimenting with making your own liquid fence? I’ve understood it is predominantly the scent of spoiled egg whites. Getting that into a spray ale consistency that won’t clog a sprayer seems to be the challenge. But that’s only my limited understanding.
@@ttb1513 We never tried to make it ourselves. It was bad enough being around that stuff, let alone formulating it.
It didn’t stop the deer from eating all of my hostas right at my back door ,or eating my two new maples ..I did save one by putting cattle panels in a ten foot square around it! They don’t seem to like coneflowers,geraniums or marigolds…everything else is on the menus…even very poisonous hellebores and holly!
@@davidquarles5965 😂
We have been gladiolus farmers for a number of years. The deer love them. Our best defense has been a product called Milorganite. It is made made from microbes used to digest sewerage. It is very clean but smells. It is used as an organic fertilizer. We hang it in stocking socks around our growing area and use some on the plants themselves. The deer and rabbits leave everything alone. We also use 2 strands of electric wire around our garden area close to the woodland part of our property for extra coverage.
Definately need to check it out. @Judy Bradley do you have dogs and cats? How do they behave near the socks and plants doused in Milorganite? I never have problems with deer, but i have problems with irresponsible pet owners and sheep owners. I'm at my wits end to keep them from messing thus killing my plants. I wonder if elephants would keep away from Milorganite. I'm far away from elephant habitats but these pass few weeks several villages lost huge number of crops after being trampled by big herds of elephants
FYI Milorganite has been found to contain forever chemicals.
@@titosrevenger ☹
2cents... I'm in suburban Westchester county NY, which seems to be as popular with deer as it is with people. I work in a number of different gardens and deer issues are different in almost all of them.
Have seen such deer safe things as Hellebore, allium, and kalmia eaten in one yard while a mile away they never touch anything, but do pass through the yard.
Agree with solid 6' fences helping, 8'+ fences more so... dogs helping, spraying helpful too, but formula changes seem necessary for long term spraying to keep working. Deer resistant plants work, and there are lots, however with enough pressure the deer eat or at least will try almost anything. Fencing, circling, individual plants till they grow mostly out of reach is a strategy too... literally every yard can be a different pressure and solution.
One has to roll with it and deal with each spot as it is. Until the suburbs become the place the deer don't want to live (the definitely want to live here and spend the winter eating everyone's Taxus and Thuja, and summer hosta and hydrangea) we just have to deal with it
Thanks for your input Eric... and I'm on board with your approach. On a large rural property with heavy deer feeding, there may be no better option than a tall fence (at least around the veggie patch) and a protective dog. But everyone's garden is a bit different, so some might "get away" with lesser measures. At least until they don't ;-)
As usual, your videos are very informative. I live in South Texas. When I lived in the country I could not grow roses-roses are deer candy. In my area there is no such thing as “deer resistant” plants. We may go through several years of drought. During these times deer will eat every plant that is not poisonous. I had oleander bushes on one fence line. During droughts I have seen the deer take one bite of the oleanders and quickly drop them. A quality fence is the only thing that will keep them out, and the fence must be constantly maintained. In the back I had an 8 foot, high quality, fence. If the dogs were chasing a large deer they will clear the 8 foot fence. I have never seen them clear a 12 foot fence. It was funny to see a large deer clear the 8 foot fence and the smaller one behind it bounce off the fence.
Thanks for sharing your experience Steve. Wow. I knew oleander was poisonous, but I've never grown it, so I did realize how fast acting it would be!
The deer can taste the poison in the oleander. They spit out/drop the mouthful of leaves as soon as they realize it's poisonous. They don't die from it.
I have completely given up. Short of just sitting on my porch and shooting them I don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve done everything. I’m heartbroken. I hate deer with the passion of a million suns.
Diddo
Fox piss. Home depot
Right with you! They have destroyed a fortune in landscaping.
Sound based landmines
You and me both. Just came in from enclosing a 10 x 15 foot area that has five plants that they will decimate if left unattended. Had to buy the deer netting, not bird netting, stakes and garden pins to put it all in. Not cheap. But, I know when I come out every day that those plants will be safe. I do know some plants they won’t touch and have replaced half of my hosta with hellebores, which they don’t touch. Six rose bushes were taken out and replaced with Pugster Blue butterfly bushes and Double Doozie spirea, which haven’t been touched since last year. Also dahlias are a winner. I will slowly replace my little lime hydrangea, which they seem to love, with either the Spirea or pugster blues. I also planted Florida Sunshine, keeps its leaves, gorgeous yellow color through the winter, and is an anise plant, so they also don’t touch it. They made a dwarf variety and I got one of them.
This is a tough topic because the varieties of species are so broad. Some areas have small agile animals and others have very large animals like elk and moose, and others have various combinations.
I have mouflon (mountain sheep) which are medium sized, but quite agile.
The temporary solution is a narrow run that is 10 feet wide with 4 foot 2x4 horse fence. The narrow spacing seems to be enough deterrent because my plants are in mostly 15-35 gallon pots and the smaller pots are nestled in the larger pots giving the illusion of not much space.
I have seen the Y shaped fences used around vineyards, hopps, and barley fields to keep deer out and they are effective.
They are basically a 4x4 post with a T top and angled boards from the post out to each end of the top board. Regular fence wire or barb can be used, or even a couple strands of electric wire. The wire is typically only on outside along the post and Y brace, but having a couple strands along the top give the appearance of depth which really seems to work well.
The Y fence is the only fence system that I've actually seen be successful. Four strands of double barb and two strands of electric (one low and one face high) seems to work best. I'm not sure what the cost would be in the current over-priced market, but typically the cost is about a third more than just a standard 4 foot 5 strand barb fence which is the least expensive perimeter deterrent.
With todays prices maybe not so much, but then again the cost of protection versus the value of products is always the final determination.
Like all things agriculture, the amount of acceptable losses is the key.
Thanks - and it seems electric fencing is a part of quite a few viewers' solutions - good to hear that narrow spacing offers some deterrent. Makes sense to play around a bit, because as you note, there's a lot of different species and climates to account for. I read some comments like "That doesn't work" or "The only solution is...", and I do believe them as far as their own experience goes. What I liked about my integrated pest management professors is that they emphasized observation and measurement - and yes, the constant questions of how much damage should you tolerate. For some commercial settings, I admit, the answer may be nearly zero. But I've got to hope that for most gardeners there could be a step somewhere between no protection and Fort Knox.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm
For commercial settings like yours, the most effective approach would be a general perimeter fencing and more specific smaller controlled areas for the more vulnerable plants like you were saying.
Of course elevated shelving and others methods like hanging pipes are also quite useful as well.
I plan to have a three stage fence around the main growing area with tight mesh at the bottom 2 ft for small pests and 4ft 6x6 hog wire from the ground up, with probably two strands of double barb at 5ft and 6ft. There will also be a second outer two wire simple fence between 3&5 feet away as a walkway buffer.
Over time I will learn just how much is needed and if I need to expand or relax the additional spaces.
Buildings and greenhouses are also effective deterrence as well.🤙
I know the deer vs roses story all too well. I am seriously considering a 12 gauge deer repellent...
I saw one of the studies called this a "lethal deterrent method" which I thought was an interesting way to word it!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm well, I guess, technically, they are right: being dead generally deterrs from eating
Well I suppose it could effect the appetite a bit.
Here in Northern Virginia we have many vineyards and an oversupply of deer. Vineyard owners install a 10-ft. plastic mesh fencing around the entire periphery and install cattle grating over the roadway at the entrance so customers can come and go but animals cannot traverse. One wine marker told me lastvweek that he's been granted a year-round pistol permit to take out any deer he wants (it's still a rural area) which he most obligingly doea to preserve the growing vines. This method (although an initial expense) works as I had some great wines on site recently.
Took out almost all my hosta, lilies and roses. Put in hellebores, Serrendipity Allium, dwarf butterfly bushes, dahlias, yarrow and Double Doozie spirea. So far, so good. I will cover with netting the hosta I kept and put in some inexpensive wooden stakes that I will enclose with netting. I am willing to try and spray the plants I have left that they eat. But, I will take them out in the fall if it becomes too expensive or time consuming to keep them safe.
I love lilies, hostas and roses. But, dahlias are my favorite. I guess I will follow your suggestion, and remove and plant these. Thank you. I do have Asiatic lilies, which, of course, only bloom for the month of June. I so enjoy them, and the deer never touch them. One lily you may be able to enjoy.
@@concettaworkman5895 I planted dahlias two years ago. The only thing that eats them is slugs. They come in a huge variety of colors and sizes, which means you can plant them in front of the border or behind. This year I put in 3 trellises from Lowe’s, attached them with zip ties, and planted tall ones in back and short ones in front of the tall ones. Am beginning to use those same zip ties to help the tall ones stay sturdy. They have all come up, and the tiered effect is great. I almost don’t care about the color matches, they seem to all blend together. I live in zone 7b so they don’t have to be taken up in the fall, another plus. The newest patch is about 6 feet long and two feet deep. A pleasure not to have to spray or put netting around them. Just slug stuff. And make sure they are watered in dry weather. Just had two 7 year old Little Like hydrangea removed because the deer were eating through the netting and they did this twice. Bought two Pugster pinker plants to take their place. No spraying and no eating for these two. I hate to dig such lovely, vigorous plants out, and they are expensive to replace, but in the long run, I will be a much happier gardener. Much good luck. I did have good luck buying dahlias in stores like Lowe’s, and now they are 50% off.
If you have an existing lower fence, you can install very tall poles at the corners, then string netting that comes in 7' high rolls of 100 linear feet for $20, between those poles, using masonry line threaded thru the top of it to pull that netting taut. Depending on the height of your poles, you could achieve a 12' fence for a very small amount of money and some elbow grease. Deer will NOT jump that.
Rose, my gardening sister…. Do you have any sources for these products ? This is a fantastic idea!❤️
Now this is what I'm talking about, thank you so much for your information. ❤
I'm going to give the grossest fix to this. I got it from the yard guy on PBS years ago. This worked for me. Pee in a bottle. Age it for a couple of months, let it get strong. Pour half a cup into a yard hose sprayer, spray your yard. Your concentrating your urine (Nitrogen) into an alpha predator mark. No deer, rabbits, very few squirrels. You cant pour it directly onto the lawn because you'll burn the grass. But by spraying the whole yard, you get the alpha mammal effect. If you do it don't tell people. They will look weird at you.
I'm going to try this, thank you for sharing❤
Very interesting! How long does it last, when do you have to reapply it? Thanks!
@@peggyfrommanitoba7310 As needed. It's nitrogen so it replaces or can be mixed with a liquid fertilizer. You don't have to use alot. I got it from Jerry Davis, who use to be on PBS 20 years ago
Tell everyone, it is free, it is the mammal way. We must compete. Eat deer, grow healthy. Urine is not gross, it's normal. Everyone is so squeamish. Think of the thousands everyone will save.
Jason, as you know my yard is edged by the woods, so deer and any other critters are a problem. Mostly in the veg garden but I did have some hydrangeas topped off this year. They did it early and I lost several flower buds. The way I deal with it is, I want the flowers but I also want to see the deer in the yard so I accept them chewing on some plants. So far they have only effected a few plants, but last year I plant 27 fruit trees and they destroyed about 10 of them. That was an expensive loss but I still enjoy having the deer.
Thanks Dennis. Well I've got to respect your tolerance for them - and that's one of the main principles they tried to teach us in horticulture school: some amount of damage may be tolerable, and it's up the grower to decide how much!
great info. even birds adapt. up to a decade ago or so, pigeons would not touch the purple berries of a Callicarpa bush, and now they eat them bare and so no pretty pruple dots in winter anymore
My experience has been that most deer can be diswaded by a seriously conscientious dog. This dog also needs to be trained to do more than just bark. Running the garden perimeter regularly is also required. My golden retriever/great Pyrenees cross also repels the bear. We do have lots of fencing of all types, but it's mostly "smoke and mirrors". Having lived in deer territory for over 45 years our most successful deterrent has always been our dogs, combined with the occasional paint ball gun backup.
Thanks Susan!
My little year and a half mini miniature dashound tries her best to run them off but they just stand there and look at her. Probably thinking, what heck is this little brown thing barking at me. My husband loves to watch deer and see likes to bark at them. I do the best I can to keep them out of my flower garden's and my little veggie garden planted in big feed tubs with high wire around each one of them. I'm afraid they are going to hurt my little dashound.
I think you should be seriously concerned about the safety of your mini dashboard. My dog is a 90 pound alpha female. Since I wrote this comment she has aged to over 13 years and no longer actively patrolls my perimeter. Amazingly the local wildlife still are aware of her presence and rarely trespass. However, there are existing fences and barriers that keep them out. The bear did pushbdown a fence last year but Spirit let me know and we scared him off. I use a paintball gun. A small dog really can't compete with animals vastly larger and stronger, no matter how aggressively they are defending their territory. Even Spirit with all her years of experience knows her limitations. We seriously pruned back the apples and no longer want to tempt the bear. Consider a larger dog of the herding variety, maybe a border collie mix.
The best deer deterrent I have found is 243 or 308 and in a pinch 44 or 357 work well.
A 44, eh? Do you at least give the deer a little Dirty Harry warning: "Go ahead, make my day..."
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm lol
My problem is I live in the center of a town and the area my home is in was once a large vacant area. Most of the deer were born here before it was anything but a area of scrub, trash trees surrounded by old homes. No shooting in city limits. or I would be eating venison
We have flower planting each spring.. have about 1+ acre ranch fenced property in Oregon. When we had a 90 lb Akita/Siberian dog which looked like a wolf type and was psychologically highly predative, we never had a deer issue. Our dog passed and since then deer are an issue. So territorial dogs are one answer. When we walked out in the BLM, we'd come across hunter deer kills and he'd insist on bringing the cut off fore legs home in his mouth. One time he brought the whole deer hide, still bloody, from a hunter's kill. No deer, cougar or coyote problemos then. Now I have high blood pressure chasing the deer with a long pole banging on the trees to herd the buggers out of the gate. My wife and I make a real comedy of our selves. But then we are in our 70s and don't care.
Sounds like your dog really had things under control! Right guy for the job I guess.
Sounds like us LOL!
@@Bandaid17 us, too!
I know this video is a couple years old, but I’ve struggled with deer eating our hostas, daylillies, and others. I had read deer won’t cross an area that has nylon fish line because they can feel it and not see it and won’t cross at that area, so I put two strands at different heights on a trail they were regular using and they have not crossed that , so I put it around two areas of daylillies and I had flowers for the first time in a few years that the fish line kept them away. So next spring I’m putting it up in other areas.
I have resorted to no planting until the perimeter electric fence goes up. I grow approximately 2500-3000 sunflowers a year commercially and they love the young sprouts. As long as I don't forget to plug in the fence every night, I'm 100% successful. I have to apply this same tactic to anything I choose to grow in my yard, such as my roses. Cost is very low, maintenance can be a challenge with the Florida weather, at times. I use the plastic push-in posts with guides placed every two inches on the posts.
Thanks for sharing your method. How high is the top wire for your electric fence? I wonder if you should invest in a timer - all it takes is one missed night for a lot of damage! ;-)
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm all I use is one stran approx 4ft from ground. The bottom 2ft. has to be protected with high grade chicken wire (not the flemsie kind) with u-anchors to keep bunnies out. A timer is an excellent idea, not sure why I didn't think of that. Countless times I would remember after I went to bed to plug it in, then crawl out of bed with flashlight in hand to go plug it in. Timer is on my Christmas wish list.
My current project is to make my perimeter fencing mobile in about 20ft sections for tilling and planting. No-tilling is my end game, I'm just not there yet.
Should you ever get to Florida, look me up.
Thanks. You bet. I have a cousin in Florida, so I'd love to get down there.
Thank you for this information. You really covered the reality of deer decimating a garden.Last summer the deer ate EVERYTHING. Chilies, tomatoes, squash, sunflowers, pumpkins and morning Glory. I checked my garden today and the deer had munched my 2' sunflowers to nubs. First I was pissed . . Then I laughed.Overnight they destroyed alot. I live in Deadwood South Dakota . It's a tricky place to grow a garden in. There is lush vegetation everywhere. The deer love my garden and consider it their salad bar. Deer are beautiful creatures but when they DESTROY your garden, you lose your fondness for them.
Try Bone Sauce. Go on UA-cam how to make bone sauce. Works for 3-5 years
I have a 9FT fence around my garden. I have seen adult deer clear 8ft wirt a running start!
I have brand new 5-ft fence with may 1/4" between each slat. I couldn't believe that my roses and my 4.5' tall nondeterminant tomatoes were all just munched. Azaleas, too. And this is in an area with creeks tons of lawns, shrubbery (the Piedmont of NC). It's like they just walk along and say "Oh, I'll have a bit of this and bit of that" -- and of course, the bites they like best are just where the plant is budding, flowering or fruiting. We moved here a year ago and between red clay soil that is literally ike potter's clay (NC pottery is famous!) that has to be amended like crazy and the cost of worms, worm castings, mulch, organic matter, topsoil -- and plants -- I've probably spent well over $2500 -- and have almost nothing to show for it. (The record-breaking "real fee" 107F heat we had this summer didn't help -- my entire backyard is heavily shaded by 80-100ft trees -- but am told the rhodies and azaleas just can't stand that heat and humidity --even though they got little direct sun. Everything is food for deer, rabbits, voles/moles and squirrels (who ate all my bulbs except daffodils.)
Thanks Jason for another interesting and informative video. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Yer to you and your family. :)
Thanks so much Christie - and I wish a Merry Christmas to you and yours as well
We have had some unexpected success with solar motion lights. Some success with two dogs and some success with motion sprinklers. And, some with an outdoor portable radio. We also overplant vegtables, so we aren’t fully wiped out if they get through all that. It is a real war and you have to use multiple weapons and strategies staying vigilant.
Thanks Coleman for sharing your strategies.
All this talk of deer eating everything is giving me gardening PTSD. :(
Great video however and I always enjoy your content. :)
Thanks Nathan. Maybe this one should have come with a trigger warning! ;-)
Great video….we have had great success with 5 ft fence with added electric wires… our homestead is in bear , deer and elk area and this combination works well… and actually not crazy expensive!!
Thanks for the great content
Oh, that's really good to hear. I know there have been a few commenters here who have said "lower fences don't work" - and I believe them: that it might not work in their area or with their deer problem. But then it does go to show that not everyone's situation is the same, and I'd hate to think that the only possible solution is a 10ft razorwire-topped fence like in a high security prison!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm as you stated as well …. If there is another option the animals tend to go for the easy first.. I live on 160 acres surrounded by crown land so getting zapped by electric fence or wandering off to another food source, makes sense they wander off …. Not to mention if the livestock guardian dog smells them then he gives chase to our property line ! Cheers
I use the hanging Rescue fly traps. The smell is horrible, it has the added benefit of attracting flies, but they are expensive. I have found that if I’m in my garden every day and move something around, the deer are deterred for a few days. I also use any type of shiny object hanging in my fruit trees and inexpensive wind chimes, but as I have noted, they have to be moved around from fruit tree to fruit tree.
We hang big black garbage bags. And what should be freely suspended on a rope, the bags are inflated from the wind, the deer sees from afar and do not come
For perimeter, we use 3 strands of electric net on plastic step-in posts or t-posts. Lowest strand keeps out rabbits. Middle & top strands keep out deer. Top strand is around 4 feet high. It's not 100%, but still very effective. For an extra layer of protection around specific rows inside the perimeter fence, we run one strand of electric tape up & down the row about 3-4 feet high, with roses in the middle. We learned the hard way after a herd of deer ate a 50 foot row of David Austins down to nubbins. 😑
Wow - hard lesson to absorb! Did many recover after the "hard prune"? Sounds like your electric net is paying for itself!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Only a few of the David Austin roses survived, & those that did all reverted to rootstock. They started out as Tranquillity, a white rose, & ended up a pale pink which I actually like better. 🤣 I got them at Lowe's, a big box chain hardware store.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I grow cut flowers, so hoping to start having some of these in enough supply to sell to my florist customers in the upcoming season. 🙏
Deer have scent glands in their lower legs to mark trails as they go and a herd will follow this trail. Deer do not like plants with heavy oils in them (like the wild geraniums) as it will cause the deer to leave a scent trail that predators can track and a smell on themselves a cougar will smell. I’ve planted these geraniums that look more like a weed across a well known deer trail and they stopped using that trail. Started planting a guild around bushes because the deer won’t walk through these plants. Some hunter knowledge to add to the our collection of deer repelling methods.
I am thinking of growing a fence of rosa rugosa around my garden because looks like deer don't like them. But I won't be able to enter the garden myself then...
That's a catch 22!
Your own urine to mark your territory around. Always save your night urine for the most expensive loved bushes you have to protect. Animals usually respect the territory of other animals as far as I have experienced. But yes, I also put Egyptian onion, or garlic in any potted (or tired) plants that they may love especially. Mother Earth News years ago when I left big city living for another province & off grid self sustaining lifestyle had an article that said a low knee high strand and a 7' or so high strand is all you need. One to catch their leg, the other their neck if they walk into it will deter them.
Thanks Katherine. That's interesting about the river stones!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I'd bet that if you had a waist high perimeter of nitrogen loving evergreens men would be happy to urinate behind them rather than in the facility next to a snack bar. Too few now days get to do what country people always have done. Even in the city a guy taking back land along a constantly broken & flooded sidewalk has put up a little privacy screen, a large funnel, a jug of rinsing water and the urine goes from the funnel along long lines with holes in them & in-between plants & now, bushes & trees. He has created an oasis tht people love & now can walk along without wet feet no matter the weather. As you know, roots will absorb rain really fast. Think there was a lot of blowback at first to him lifting the traditional but unkept sidewalk but as his lot became planted etc people saw that he was fixing the problems, not doing damage. It sometimes takes a while for people to put their pigeon holed thinking towards new/old ideas.
Bobbex works incredibly well. I have over 60 emerald green arborvitaes (i.e., deer candy) apple trees, rose bushes, pear, peach and plumb trees as well as large hostas. We have PLENTY of deer, but they don't touch my plants. I use Bobbex that I purchase on Amazon. A gallon cost about $48, but it is a concentrate (mix with water) and it lasts me for years. You only need to apply once every three to four months with a conventional sprayer. I last bought a 2.5 gallon jug back in 2019 and I still have 1/4 of it left. And I use it at a higher dosage than recommended. So a gallon will really last you a long time.
The stuff will stink and your neighbors will be wondering where the stink is coming from. Just shrug and wait for a few days and the smell will be gone, unless you rub your face directly into a dense shrub covered with it.
The deer around here have acquired a taste for peonies and bee-balm and they have acres of hay fields and pastures to cross to get to them.
Agh. Too bad they won't read and abide by the list of plants they won't eat!
We never had a problem with deer eating from our small vegetable garden until this year, our dog kept the deer, coyotes and other wildlife away, unfortunately she died in January and now we have deer and rabbit problems.
May have to get another dog.
BTW: My nephew has a huge German Shepherd that hasn't been neutered. He gave me a ton of its hair sealed tight in a baggie right after brushing. I spent a long time sticking it through 1/4" gaps in our 5' tall board fence...under and in between rocks in our plant border and some I'd just put near particular plants. DID NOT DETER ANYTHING -- not rabbits, voles, deer. A friend is a hairdresser and said human hair would do it. Kinda creepy (!) but I did the same with that. I'd say that worked better -- but maybe for 2 days. Don't know if the scent wore off maybe/ Anyway, can't e spending an hour every two days going around the garden sticking human hair here and there -- and man, I did use up a LOT. Every 2 or 3 days? Nope.
ODD: I've planted purple lilac, hibiscus, roses in a bed in front of my house. Deer have enjoyed everything -- but the lilac shrubs. No idea why. Not complaining!
Greetings from the LooseNatural farm in Andalusia Spain where we currently live through deer attacks
I've spent a fortune on repellents, with limited success. I have a lot of boxwood and other plants deer don't like. They leave them alone but eat other things. The only thing that has really work are wire cages and netting over vulnerable plants.
Thanks Susan. Good to hear you've had some success with the netting on plants you want to protect.
Put up at electric fence. Use a weed control fence as they have a stronger electrical charge. Every 30 to 50 feet, take a piece of aluminum foil about 4“ x 8“ and fascinate on the top wire of the electric vent. Spread peanut butter on the strips of aluminum foil. Dear decide where their paths will be in the early spring. Once they determine the areas they’re going to travel through they use those continually throughout the season. If you have your peanut butter and electric fence hooked up, when the deer go through an early spring they’ll take a little taste of the peanut butter and it will literally knock them on their feet. for the rest of the season, they will want nothing to do with this area and stay clear. It’s also very hilarious to watch the dears reaction when they first bite into that peanut butter…
Thanks for sharing your method John.
In Finland and Sweden, we hang large black garbage bags on a rope that inflate like a balloon from the wind. Deer sees them from afar and do not approach, apparently they are afraid of them
Simple and elegant, thank you. How about a scarecrow?
I haven't tried this yet but I've heard using radios tuned in to talk radio work. I think It might be wise to move them around periodically.
I had luck with homemade repellant - six eggs, ten crushed garlic cloves, a few drops of dish detergent, a liter or so of water. they say to spray, but I put mine in an empty dish soap bottle and squirted it around the yard, plants and any wood surfaces that would absorb it. The deer would walk right past my yard, they hate eggs., and no, my yard didn't smell like rotten eggs!
I've had good luck with Milorganite however when it breaks down I lose (if I don't apply more fast enough).
Clove oil works .
Deer and elk would jump our barbed wire fence (which was a little over 4 feet high) to eat our apples. It’s amazing how agile and athletic they are
I have a bad deer and rabbit problem. I have found human hair out of hair brushes, and i have a beauty shop that saves it for me, once in a while. Also human pee. We live in the coutry no one can see me. I pee all around my flower gardens beds. We put our veggies in big feed tubs and put high wire around them. We just have tomaties, cucumbers,green peppers and pole beans planted, a very small garden in the tubs.
I have a strategy that’s a win-win for both deer and gardener so each earns a point.
I don’t recall the term for it (I think the strategy starts with a ‘b’ and it’s a 1 syllable word), but I learned about it ~5 years ago. Basically you plant the edges of your garden or farm with edible weeds that deer like. The idea is that the deer will eat that and either avoid or eat less of what you’re growing for human consumption (flowers or food).
If your deer population is out of control (out east where I used to live, there’s over-population and controlled culls) so this strategy wouldn’t work.
But here in Northern California I believe the deer that decimate my potted plants and anything unguarded are the result of a small family or two of resident deer on my side of the mountain. I believe this strategy COULD minimize damage at worst and even solve my deer problems at best.
Thoughts?
Thanks. I think you're right that this would depend on the region and the deer population - as do the other strategies. Under light deer pressure, and with abundant food resources, even a low fence could be enough of a deterrent. It's worth a try to plant something they like around the margins if you know it's a small group of deer you're dealing with.
We had a beagle who kept all of the deer out of our farm fields in Maine. When we lost the beagle the deer ate 20,000 broccoli plants in two nights.
Wow! I'm trying to think what that much broccoli might do for their digestive system!
Did that send you into a blind rage?….. because just reading it ticked me off.
OMG that's awful
Deer repellent works really well for me in rural Arizona!
put a fence; 5 ft minimum height; grow roses or other high plants around the edges; they will not cross; you do not need 8 or 6ft; put the roses around they are beautiful and will keep them out; raspberries and wineberries work amazing too; they will not jump into a raspberry patch with thorns they hate it :-)
I got the best deer repellent in the world. and the result is delicious. And it ends up being the best deterrent of them all. There are too many deer in the enviornment now
That'll settle the score in a hurry anyway!
Would you please do a video on rabbits. My Dolly Parton was about to bloom and the rabbits ate it. I live in an urban area so do not have deer.
The cockroaches of the forest. Knocked over my cement bird baths, hummingbird feeders, bird seed feeders... wrecked front and back just last night. Not enough time to say last week the ruins. So depressing.
I like that - cockroaches of the forest! An rabbits as giant furry slugs...
I think it was Darryl Hall (Hall and Oats) That used cockroaches of the forest. He contracted Lyme and he really hates them. We also totaled two cars in two states. No escaping them. Furry slugs is cute too.
ELECTRIC FENCE!!! have it all around the vegetable area with excellent success. It also helps to have a loyal outdoor dog ... one who stays home and guards your yard. Sadly our dog passed on . My flower borders are heavy on resistant plants such as peonies iris,
Oh good. How high is the top wire if you don't mind me asking?
I only have 1 wire and it's at about 30inches ... right at the height a deer would stick their nose to check it out. If it's too high the smaller ones would duck under. We are in the middle of forest. The population of deer are increasing lately.
A locked-in prisoner in your own garden. How sad. I won this one: I took the buck by the horns - so's to speak. I placed a 4-ft. wide, 3-inch deep, walking path of small seashells "around" my garden and that has been working incredibly fine. Deer walk up - sniff - but won't step forward. Deer don't like seashell flooring - the sharp shells get in between their narrow little toes which is not only discomforting, it gives them no footing to jump your fence if you have one. They just don't like stepping on deep soft layers of little shells. I got the idea while making a nature documentary. I observed that deer "never" walk on the shell beaches we have here in Georgia. Ever! No matter how hungry. It got me thinking.
I set out my design by putting a narrow shell beach down around my own garden. Also, I sprinkled some dry deer repellent over the seashells knowing that individual shells would "cup-hold" the mixture in place for weeks. Voila! The end design is totally organic and also aesthetically BEAUTIFUL - for any garden. Brilliant, I know. You're welcome. I will do a documentary on this "shellpath deer design" of mine at some point, but, for now, I wanted to share this with you. If you try this technique, and it works for you, please just credit me, "NightOwl Productions," in acknowledgment as to your original source. Happy planting, fellow gardeners!
(My sincere apologies to any deer who might be reading this out there with sensitive feet...)
Yes but wher did you get all the sea shells?
@@kristinapruett8917
My landscaper - it’s everywhere.
Deer and rabbit spray work well on my 1 acre.
I wouldn’t say repellants don’t work…I’d say it’s not a one-and-done solution. I think lots of gardeners know that going in. I make my own, so I don’t mind reapplying. It’s not expensive at all, but it is pretty nasty stuff to deal with. I haven’t empirically tested anything, but it does seem to work if I’m diligent about applications. And you need to spray most everything, not just their favorites. The time of year and the specific plant have a lot to do with it too. Anymore I’ve taken to planting highly resistant varieties. Thankfully there is a wide variety still. I can testify that they leave my rugosa rose alone, but not another that’s a rugosa hybrid (if that’s what the type is called?) because it’s just not spiny and rough enough.
Thanks EmKn. You're right, it's not a clear cut "yes" or "no". Despite there being not much room for nuance in a thumbnail or title, I do try to give a fuller discussion in the video of what the research says gardeners should expect. Namely, variable & possibly short-term results - which, as you say, might not be a deal breaker if you're making your own repellant and it's not costing you much except time and effort (and maybe a nose-plug or two!). For gardeners paying the (high) cost of commercial repellants, and expecting consistent results, it's not a good bet. Thanks for the feedback on the rugosa roses - that's what I've seen work here in difficult areas.
How about providing the deer with sacrificial plants they prefer? What's a plant that they really like, but that can survive their attention? Alfalfa?
I wonder about that - if it were too close to other plants, might it just draw in more "regulars" to the yard? I saw some searches on Google about what to feed deer to help them out - seems like they don't need much extra help around here!
Deer can live on grass, they are just bored with it, and want variety. Little shits.
Interesting! Please do a video like this for rabbits!! (My nemesis)
Sorry to hear it. Just re-watch the same video, and score it at 5-0 for the rabbits! Not quite, but nearly so. The only difference is that wire cage fencing doesn't need to be quite so tall, but it does need to extend into the ground in such a way that they can't burrow under. Easier said than done! Plant level protection with temporary cages has helped me with young roses in the past, but they're really a tough pest to beat.
They avoid eating Magnolia but the bucks will break a young tree down to 18 inches rubbing the velvet from the antlers. So sad.
That's frustrating!
The best solution is gathering the ingredients for good stew. All of the ingredients. And then making it. Perhaps several times. When I was a kid my parents and none of our neighbors had problems with deer in their gardens. Guess why,
Deer stew? Yum.
How can you keep deer from eating your plants? Easy, eat the deer!
That would do it!
My secret weapon against deer is the Hovawart. Rock-solid reliable around humans but absolutely will not tolerate deer on the property.
Nice! My dog will "defend" against squirrels, but anything larger and she's hiding behind my legs!
Well, I read every comment, and I am doing the seashells and urine. Wish me luck. All free, I have bags of seashells. I will let everyone know my results. Occam's Razor.
Not true about spirea. They love mine and any other deer resistant plants that I have planted😂
The did skip my spirea, but have definitely munched on other "deer-resistant" plants in my gardens. It's like they can't read the menu!
Sadly, when you boil it all down, it’s a losing battle.
I have a fence no problems now! Deer will eat anything if they are hungry.
Thanks Diane. I guess the deer don't read those lists of resistant plants then!
The deer don’t eat my spirea but the rabbits eat it to the ground in the winter. Sigh.
Deer love carrots
No mention of having a guardian dog? Surely that would test their desire to jump a small fence.
Good call. I'm sure Fido would even up the score in a hurry.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm My little dog Cocoa was kicked to death on Memorial Day weekend this spring in our backyard. A doe gave birth to twin fawns and Cocoa walked over to sniff. No barking oe anything. 😞
So sad Diane!
@@DianeKovacs I'm sorry to hear that. As defenders, dogs can be a great deterrent to other animals. That being said, once there are children involved, forget it. Mama ducks be like bears.
Cayenne pepper on plant has helped keep deer away
Big, loud dog.
My roses are eaten by rabbit every winter
They're even more difficult to control in some ways!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm that's why this time i am trying with burlap
Deer jumps in to Lion Exhibit at the National Zoo DC
ua-cam.com/video/7Vf8qCpCaGE/v-deo.html
Adopt a dog, put in a dog door for him.
Rabbits are equally as bad and harder to deter because even with fences and netting they still get around or through it. Also I’ve had them tip over my pots or jump into them even if they’re on a pedestal….
You're so right Laura. Maybe not such large bites, but they can still do a lot of damage and they're not always easy to spot or keep out.
I made pull down over bags from floating row cover for all my shrubs. I sewed them on my sewing machine in minutes. I made the bottoms long enough to weight down with bricks. The deer came and I believe they continue checking the shrubs for availability. ME-=WIN. DEER O.
Nice. I'll celebrate any win against the deer!
We have roses all along the front of our house here in upstate South Carolina and last spring we were anticipating the opening of dozens of buds but were disappointed when one morning they were all gone and deer scatt everywhere. I purchased 2 automatic motion detecting sprinklers and it totally solved the deer problem. We enjoyed our roses the rest of the season and will be using the sprinklers again this year.
Good to hear!
Wowww! They don’t sell such in Norway 😢
Awesome idea, so glad it worked for you.❤
Hi, thanks for the tips. Here in Sweden we use sheep's wool. hanging pussies in hedges and roses. But also covers the soil around the plants and in vegetable crops. Here we have Deer, Deer. It is said that they do not like the smell and grease that the wool has
Thanks Annicka!
I live in Norway. Deers took my flowers and apples 😡how should I do? Sheep wools around on the flower bed nearing the flower??
Double low fence does not work. The deer quickly learn to hop one fence then the other in quick succession. Once one deer has done it, the entire herd has learned to do it. Speaking from experience on that one. Row cover doesn't work. Deer will tear right through it or nose under it to get to what they want. Again, speaking from experience on that.
Yes, rugosa roses are less palatable to deer, but it's not due to the thorns, but rather the taste. Deer eat my climbing and hybrid tea roses, thorns and all without hesitation.
The only thing I did that worked was an 8' fence. The problem with fences lower than 8' is that the deer get injured on them. An injured deer is a dead deer. The adult deer can stand next to a 6' fence and hop over it without even needing a running start. The younger deer can't always make it, and get tangled in the top of the fence. A 7' fence is just tall enough for deer to attempt but not necessarily make it. I watched a deer try to get over a 7' fence, snag a hind quarter on the top, get flipped over and take a hard landing, then limp off. I added a top wire at 8' as soon as I could. With an 8' fence, they don't even try. I also mark the fence with lengths of white cotton string so the deer know the fence is there.
Now I finally have a garden, plus a deer path along the outside of the fence. Both the deer and my desired plants are safe, and that's a win. Save yourself the trouble and do it right the first time. 8' fence with heavy duty plastic deer mesh with ground stakes at the bottom, held by a top and bottom wire and 10' posts going 2' into the ground and you're set for decades.
Thanks Pat
I agree 100%. I also tried low double fences and all of the mentioned "tricks". The only thing (other than dogs) that has worked for me is a 7 1/2 foot fence built like yours. In 3 years, I've had only one deer get through a broken splice in the fence and it was a bugger to get the deer "out" of my 4 acre yard!
Deer are like thieves. You can slow em down but you can’t stop them.
My cousin who is a retired professor of horticulture came up with an effective way of keeping deer out of his garden. He even coauthored a book on plant propagation. He has some beautiful and rare plant specimens. He has a backyard of about 1/2 acre. He installed an 8 ft heavy duty plastic mesh fence at the perimeter of the back of his house. On both sides of the fence he planted Green Giants (thuja) which conceal the unsightliness of the fencing. The deer cannot even try to jump over the fence because they are kept 6 feet away by the fast-growing thujas and cannot see where they'd land if they did try to jump.
This is one great idea.
What I found that has worked well is to use light weight bird/deer netting (from a box store). It cuts easily with scissors and I can size it according to the plant I am covering. I just drape it over the top of the plant to where most of the flowers and leaves are covered. It is light weight, the plant still receives the sunlight it needs, and the breeze and rain still gets through. Even better, you can’t see it from a distance so it doesn’t deter from the looks of my garden! I believe the deer do not like the texture of it on their tongue when/if they try to nibble. I see deer tracks in my grass leading up to the flower bed wall but the plants and netting are not disturbed. I do need to adjust it from time to time as the plant grows.Also, if there is a super windy day, you may need to adjust it afterward since it is lightweight.
Thanks Angie. It's good to hear you've had some success with targeted netting!
@angiestelzer Just be aware that fine netting draped over plants and touching the ground can be a death trap for snakes wandering through your yard and helping eat all the rodents. They can get caught in the netting and can't back out. I was sad to see I'd inadvertently caused the death of a large bull snake by using fine deer mesh that was folded over on the ground. A neighbor had the same thing happen in her yard too.
@@patblack2291 Hi Pat - good point on the snake issue, probably would affect toads as well. Fortunately, I’ve not run into that issue. I literally drape the netting over the top, it does not reach the mulch / soil level - maybe just halfway down the plant. Also, the netting DOES allow pollinators in and out, so another benefit.
This is worked for me for about five years now. the deer won’t even come in my yard anymore.
Thanks!
Have used helium balloons with great results. Seems to confuse and discourage fox even.
Wire cages with plastic bags and nylons with a half bar of smelly Irish Spring soap tied on them, and human urine all around the area around the beds appears to have worked for our first gardening attempts in deer country. 😂
I find the more time I spend in my garden the less deer activity I have . Same with moles , rabbits and voles . I guess it’s the human presence or smell they don’t like . If you’re not there everything comes back including weeds . So what I’m trying to say is without human presence everything will return back to its original state .
We have an 8 ft fence of chicken wire around the garden and 5-6 ft around the yard. For the most part, it does really well to keep the deer out. They just walk around it. But there is always that 1 "Houdini" deer that has the ability to find every weakness and just keeps pushing until it creates a large enough hole or pushes down a corner until it collapses. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, they are very persistent in finding that hole/weakness and almost impossible to keep out.
We like it because when you look out, you don't see a fence. But neither do cats, dogs, or birds see it either. We've had a few run into it.
I've tried the liquid fence😜, solar repeller, and throwing things. They just stare as if saying, "Really? Are you serious?" and casually walk off.
Lol
Perfect description of their affect. They look at you, and are clearly thinking, "What's wrong with you? What's your problem?"
I worked in the human-wildlife conflict field, and the double fence scenario you described is considered the best way to exclude deer from a yard. Deer can jump far and they can jump high, but they have a hard time jumping BOTH high and far at the same time. So ideally, you have a shorter fence in the front (maybe 4 feet - I can't remember the exact dimensions needed off the top of my head, I'm sure someone could look them up) and then a taller fence erected a few feet behind that (maybe 6 feet) and that should prevent them from being able to jump them.
Thanks for your insights! I know that every solution is "situational" so it may not work for everyone, but it may be worth a try if you have light deer pressure and can't justify a solid 8ft fence.
Yes. Virginia Cooperative Extension has some excellent deer fencing suggestions. This is one of them.
I've been fighting deer in my garden for 50 years - from CT to SC to VA. I now have resorted to 5-6 separate garden areas on my property which have a 5 ft. heavy plastic mesh fence around each of them. These separate bedding areas leave little room for deer to jump into and they're reluctant to jump into narrow, confined spaces. For my daylily and dahlia garden (haven't seen a daylily in years) we've installed an electric fence - again in a relatively confined area. We are so far unscathed but there are no guarantees when it comes to deer. The only additional deterrent to the above would be having a dog (like a German shepherd) that I was able to confine to our yard and keep outside from Spring to Fall.
I just enclosed an area with two sugar tips rose of Sharon, a standard limelight hydrangea, and a panicle hydrangea. There are a few other butterfly bushes and plants within the enclosure, but the first three are the ones that get eaten. I used four 6 foot metal stakes which are probably 5 feet when driven into the ground. I used deer netting, not bird netting, which is metal like, and ran it around the stakes, securing with zip ties and staking it to the ground. I wanted a way to get in, and used a small metal stake at the end that I can unfold. I have three other little limes that I am covering also, but my plan is to replace them one at a time. I have had good luck with butterfly bushes and the Pugster Blue is a nice size. No spraying, no covering. It is just too discouraging and expensive to try and keep beautiful plants that I love with deer. It is a compromise, but it is also a great feeling to walk by a bed and know I don’t have to spray and that I won’t find something decimated.
Great video. I like how you ended it. I came to the same conclusion and am working out a plant by plant strategy.. My neighbors opted for a chemical solution, which seems to be working for them, but I don't want to go down that same slippery slope.