Deer me!!!

There’s been deer trouble in the VegHeadz garden. They don't have any more okra or roselle to eat, so they have moved on to the Peggy Martin rose arbor. Even Carole's cover crop was munched. 

This is the first time in over 10 years we’ve had to share our crops with a deer.  Perhaps a deer family has moved into the woods adjoining the garden. 

A fence has been discussed, but in the spirit of IPM (Integrated Pest Management), less drastic and expensive remedies are being tried first.  

It is reported that deer and other animal pests can be deterred with strongly scented plants such as marigolds, onions, basil, or mint.  Onion varieties survive our winters and we have a good supply of perennial shallots and multiplying onions, so transplanting some to various beds may help.  

In that same vein, following a hint from a midwestern gardener friend, we have erected a string border around this fall’s brassica  beds and added rags soaked in vinegar.  So far this seems to work.  However frequent rains require renewal of the vinegar which isn’t required in the midwest where it doesn’t rain as often.  

Other remedies from various sources include hot pepper spray, motion activated sprinklers or lights, wind activated garden ornaments or scarecrows, hanging fabric softener strips or wrapped bars of soap from trees to confuse a deer’s sense of smell.    

It will be interesting to see what works.  We may have to try different remedies as our deer visitors learn to bypass our deterrents.  We’ll keep you posted.  

VegHeadz Cathy, Peter and Glenn 
surveying deer damaged plants

Cathi, Cathy and Evelyn 
set up deer fence with vinegar
soaked rags.