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Garden Gate:  Here Goes Nothin' (Deer Prevention)  |
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PocketFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
119 Posts
Sarah
Utica
New York
119 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 01 2007 : 6:39:26 PM
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I'm having trouble with deer taking potshots at my veggies. I've got mesh over a bunch of my stuff, row cover over some rows. The thing is, I'm finally putting in my tomato plants, which I mentioned elsewhere got started late b/c of how late we moved in. So, between tomatoes, peppers, and a few eggplants, we've got over five hundred plants to put in tomorrow, and I want them row covered, just in case. Which means we need to take the cover off the pole beans and corn and move it. (It was about time, anyway.) So this weekend, we put up 8' stakes around that area in a perimeter, and basically made a ziggy, zaggy fence out of fishing line. Tonight, I'm going to take part of the row cover off and see how we fare. I'm a little worried b/c hubby put the "fence" closer to the actually veggies than I'd like. I think he could have backed it off about a foot and it would have been hard to reach them if someone did get gutsy enough to stick her head through.
Cross your fingers?
Anyone ever tried a scarecrow to keep deer away? |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 01 2007 : 9:43:32 PM
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Sarah- I hope it works for you!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4190 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4190 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 04:17:59 AM
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| I have done the fishing line thing before, and it helped. Though you do have to check, cause sometimes it does break. Darn deer. Michele |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 2:00:05 PM
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Has anyone tried hanging noise makers around their garden? Like wind chimes and stuff on the lines? Or bells? I bet if the bumped into the line and it made an unexpected noise- they would be less likely to try it again!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tying, one hand to hold Nora! |
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CountryChick
True Blue Farmgirl
56 Posts
MICHIGAN
56 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 2:07:57 PM
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I am no garden expert... this year is my first garden. But...
There is an amish lady that writes a cooking column for a local paper and she mentioned that Amish use moth balls to prevent deer. She didin't mention how they use the moth balls only they used them. I have never tried it but I have a herd of deer that runs through my property at night and I will be testing it out next garden year.
Anyway.. I thought I would pass it on.. in hope that it helps.
Nikki |
Edited by - CountryChick on Jul 02 2007 2:11:11 PM |
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PocketFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
119 Posts
Sarah
Utica
New York
119 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 5:46:50 PM
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So far so good. The tomatoes are mostly in, and covered. The uphill stuff was uneaten this morning.
Maybe the mothballs are a smell thing? People have suggested hair clippings, certain brands of soap, sprays...I think that I'll have to keep rotating countermeasures, b/c I think they'll get used to anything eventually. I do have some aluminum pie pans hung up around...they bang in the wind, randomly. Not many of them are attached to the "fence". If this doesn't work well, I'm going to tie mylar strips to it to flap in the wind. It is really nice to see all my corn, beans and squash uncovered, though. I also realized that I have room for some late peas up there, too. Should I start them now or wait until August?
I also realized that some of the minor damage lately has been chipmunks. They used to stay up by the house, but they've been gradually moving back toward the veggies. So there's a new wrinkle. We're going to try borrowing a live trap from dh's boss, and the mesh and row covers do seem to keep them out somewhat. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2007 : 8:11:02 PM
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Sarah-
It sounds like you are doing great! I can't wait to hear how your progress goes with the critters! I know how much damage those guys can do to a crop!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for tpying, one hand to hold Nora! |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4190 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4190 Posts |
Posted - Jul 03 2007 : 04:37:49 AM
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| Sarah, Last year the chipmonks had a field day in my tomatoes. Munch a couple of bites, and on to the next one. My dog got one last week, and I have not seen anymore, so I hope it was only one living here. Michele |
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Trace
True Blue Farmgirl
247 Posts
Tracey
Canton
New York
USA
247 Posts |
Posted - Jul 04 2007 : 12:06:35 PM
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Good luck Sarah!!! We have started seeing deer tracks in our corn and what looks to be racoon tracks on the black plastic in my veg garden. So the fence is in progress here too, lol. I think I will give netting over the plnats a try. I have a handful of zucchini almost ready to harvest, am giving them a couple more days to plump up and would hate to see chomps out of them. I did harvest 2 beauties this morning, lol.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
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BeckyM540
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
Becky
Nebo
WV
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 06:42:18 AM
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We had a chipmonk problem till we got a very good farm cat. She is the best little mouser in the world and she keeps the chipmonks and moles away. Deer,,, well I have heard that the mothballs work. but never tried it. A lot of people don't believe in it but my dad uses an electric fench. the same type that farmers (some not all) use for their livestock. He uses one wire and says that it has to be about a foot off the ground. There is not enough electric to kill the deer and he says that they will stay away from it because they can hear the "buzzing" in the wire. It also works for the coons to. But keep in mind he doesn't have any small children around all the time. When him and my mom are home during the day they turn it off.. he marks the wire with plastic ribbon. and he always turns it off when kids are around. Hate to tell you, with a regular fence it has to be really, really high or they just jump over it. Ever see how high they can jump. A friend of ours put in a lot of really hard work putting up a 6 foot fence just to have them to jump right over it. It may have slowed them down a min. All I know is that he doesn't have a problem with the deer, rabbits and/or coons in his garden. I know that a lot of people don't believe in useing electric fences, but I do know that he has never, and he has used this for many years, found any dead animals around his fence and they stay out of his garden. So if you what to try it ok if not that is ok to everyone should stick to their beliefs. Another thought he says that it is a lot cheaper than a regular fence, and a lot easier to put up.
From the hills of WV
Becky |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 09:28:46 AM
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I've heard of using moth balls too. Just don't put them in the actual beds with your plants though. Sounds like you're on the right track. I know that deer are pretty but they sure are pests when it comes to the garden. I had them take big bites out of my tomatoes last year. Luckily I had them in pots so just moved the pots closer to the house and that helped.
Visit my Etsy shop at http://www.therusticcottage.net
http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com |
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Trace
True Blue Farmgirl
247 Posts
Tracey
Canton
New York
USA
247 Posts |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 11:49:05 AM
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Hey Becky, that is what we are working on putting up, an electric fence. Beside the deer, we have racoons amuck, lol and it does help with the coon raids, lol. I'm also thinking of adding a motion detection light. We got one, one year as a christmas gift for our porch but haven't put it up, so it is going to be repurposed.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
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BeckyM540
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
Becky
Nebo
WV
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2007 : 6:57:47 PM
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| LOL if that don't work add a siren to the motion detection light. There was a guy at work today (lives in the city limits) who "HAD" 6 tomatoe plants,, got as far as green tomatoes on them, then the deer walk right in and ate them. He said that he was standing right there, with his mouth hanging open, because the deer paid him no mind at all... could care less if he was there or not. He now has stalks, that is all that is left. The deer comes every day and has ate everything but the stalk.. He now (since the deer has no more tomatoes or plants to eat) puts out apples (cut up of course) and chopped corn for the deer..I asked him if he every wanted veggie plants..that the deer would just keep coming back.. he said that he hoped that it would be back for deer season...nice and fat.. LOL (he doesn't even own a hunting rifle.doesn't even hunt) LOL he said that it was something to do that if he didn't get to eat the tomatoes that he was glad that the deer enjoyed them.. And at this point him and the deer get along very well. that he can get within 2 foot of it. (as long as he has apples or chopped corn LOL) |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2007 : 7:03:37 PM
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Oh My gosh! That is amazing! 2 feet! I would drop dead in amazement if I got that close to a wild living deer!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
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Bee Haven Maven
True Blue Farmgirl
1862 Posts
Beverly
Pennsylvania
USA
1862 Posts |
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Garden Gate: Here Goes Nothin' (Deer Prevention) |
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Here Goes Nothin' (Deer Prevention)
