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Garden Gate:  Rats with Antlers  |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
 Posted - May 11 2010 : 07:05:19 AM
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Okay, let me just say, I LOVE wildlife. I do, I do, I do. But...why do the deer insist on making a buffet out of my flower beds, with all the other stuff blooming all over?  I have caught them red-hoofed, right by my deck, making a meal of my hostas. Once chewed, they don't come back until next year. They especially seem to like my varigated ones. In the front, I planted some cute little plant that I don't know they name of, but now I won't know, can't post a picture, because it is GONE...eaten! I like seeing deer, (I'd rather see my plants), but is there any way to divert them from my plant-babies? I have tried hair, dog hair, sprays, chasing them off, you name it. Sorry, girls, just needed to vent. 
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22944 Posts
22944 Posts |
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Melina
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Melina
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2010 : 07:37:34 AM
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My front yard is Bambi Cafeteria. They even eat things supposedly deer resistant! Two years ago I heard Martha Stewart talking about raw eggs in water. I now keep a large spray bottle in the fridge and use it about once a week and after rains. I've never lost anything else to the deer. The solution gets pretty vile, and you definitely want to be upwind when you spray, but it really works.
The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.
Rumi |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2010 : 08:37:06 AM
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I use red pepper to keep the rabbits out of my garden, maybe that would work for deer! I buy big restaurant size bottles at Sam's club and sprikle it around the plants. Anything with a nose will take one sniff and run off sneezing.
Why not go out on a limb, that's where all the fruit is! "Mark Twain"
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922 |
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melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3339 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3339 Posts |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2010 : 7:43:10 PM
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Nicole:
Sorry the deer ate your beautiful flowers. My baby sister lives in the Hill Country of Texas and the deer clean out her flowers! She, too, gets pretty upset. She now plants flowers, etc... that she knows the deer will not eat. Lavender is diffently one of the flowers the deer hate.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17476 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17476 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2010 : 11:19:52 AM
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hahaha! hey Nicole,
I feel your pain...and your discription is perfect...Rats w/Antlers!
Mine are so rude that they even walk through my lavender and break them right down the middle...do you suppose that is their way of saying "Plant us some Hostas or the lavender gets it!"
lol!
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom.
"Is it time for my Dirt Manicure yet!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - May 13 2010 : 7:24:34 PM
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Melina,
I bought a spray bottle and am ready to use the egg/water mixture. How many eggs/how much water do you use? How about putting some red pepper in the mix?
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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Melina
True Blue Farmgirl
435 Posts
Melina
USA
435 Posts |
Posted - May 14 2010 : 9:28:24 PM
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Hi Nicole, I used 3 eggs in about 1 qt. of water. Don't know about the pepper, but as long as it doesn't clog the sprayer, why not? Hope it works for you.
The morning breeze has secrets to tell you. Do not go back to sleep.
Rumi |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 06:01:33 AM
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Now they've figured out how to dump the contents of my squirrel-proof birdfeeder out for a meal. I give up! :)
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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quiltin mama
True Blue Farmgirl
436 Posts
Heather
Crescent City
CA
USA
436 Posts |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - May 15 2010 : 07:48:25 AM
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LOL!
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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missgive
True Blue Farmgirl
127 Posts
Kim
Blairsville
Georgia
USA
127 Posts |
Posted - May 16 2010 : 07:24:20 AM
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I am fighting the grasshoppers here - in urban area so no deer. My DH grew up on a farm in Claifornia and he says he has heard a bar of Irish Spring works on them - dril a hole through and hang from fishing line on poles around the garden - a couple should do.
I also heard a 2-3" wide lime line around the garden works too - and there is something on-line you can get that keeps deer away -
To battle the grasshoppers, I made a homemade brew by steeping chewing tobacco in hot water over night - strain the tobbaco and pour the liquid in a spray bottle - add an equal amount of warm water. Then add 1/4 c. of Dawn dish soap, shake well. Spray leaves and plants with this brew - the dish soap makes the tobbaco "juice" stick to the plants and leaves....
I will face the deer issue next year when we plant on the mountain farm...they will be aiming for our crops and especially our raspberries - my husband says they used to put electrical fencing around their 890 acres of raspberries they grew - and he says the bucks would use their horns to push the wires up and make them short out by touching together...then they would just step over and eat their hearts out....sneaky rats with antlers....and ooooohhhhh so smart.
Kim (aka missgive)
Proud Farmgirl Sister #927
A Farmgirl Sister headed for my mountain home and farm in 2010. |
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Gloria Bonde
True Blue Farmgirl
103 Posts
Gloria
Hot Springs
SD
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2010 : 9:12:57 PM
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Rats with Antlers! What a great description. I had to think for a minute. At first I thought you might be talking about the Wyoming "jackolope" LOL (Taxidermy bunny with anthlers)
www.ahealthygardener.com |
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Kirksmom71
True Blue Farmgirl
873 Posts
Mel
Dallas
Texas
USA
873 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2010 : 9:45:59 PM
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This morning I saw a sprinkler set-up that has a motion sensor on it. It's set at a height so as to spritz the deer when they come near it. It's supposed to disuade them.
My best to all,
Mel
Sassy City Girl with Farmgirl Fantasies! |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2010 : 09:34:27 AM
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Yes Mel! I *just* read about that sprinkler in one of the back issues of MJF that I just got. It was either the #2 or #3 issue. I thought it was genius! So far, the deer here haven't given me issues with my veggie garden, which totally surprises me. God must be hearing my prayers. In fact, I haven't seen them much lately, whereas this winter I saw them all the time and my back yard was a big litter box for them.
Farmgirl Sister #1110
Siobhan - AKA Liza-Jane (my farmgirl name), wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
Posted - May 18 2010 : 2:29:39 PM
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LOL!!! Sorry to laugh. . your description is priceless!! Deer can be very frustrating to teach good manners to. You need to give them a reason to NOT come around. . . although I am willing to bet they are very use to humans and will tolerate just about anything these days.
I would try the egg and water mixture, my best guess is to coat the leaves with a cayenne pepper mix so they get a real mouth full. . be sure there is no water available to them . . . like a bird bath. Once they get the idea "these things taste and smell horrible" they will move on.
I must admit, I love venison. . . that's where my problem deers end up. . .on a barbecue!! 
Joanna #566
JojoNH
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CountryCents
http://CountryCents.Blogspot.com
http://Twitter.com/Eastwooddesigns |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - May 19 2010 : 06:41:41 AM
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They are something. This year I finally had to rip out my old holly bushes in the front. Deer usually don't eat holly, but they ate mine. Few years ago I was on my treadmill and glanced out the window. There were two deer right there, picking my holly to death and watching me run on the treadmill. Dinner and a show!! Those bushes were never the same. The battle rages on...
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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Garden Gate: Rats with Antlers |
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Rats with Antlers
