I wrote a little about the deer a couple of weeks ago, but I thought I would write something else about them for our Thursday theme.
The pictures of this deer were taken through the window of my dining room. He was there in the hill behind my house with the other members of his herd. There are seven deer in the herd. Everyday they pass through twice a day. Generally, they come over the hill in the morning making their way down until they cross to the undeveloped land across the road. And they make the reverse trip late in the day. Occasionally they are on the move through before daybreak. If you are like me you know the story about Bambi, so you hold the thought of deer with fondness. Now they are beautiful to look at, but they are very destructive to the landscape.
Every spring I love to plant flowers and perennial plants. And every year it is a challenge to keep the deer from eating them. Hosta is one of my favorite perennials and they are also a favorite of the deer. Another favorite of mine is impatiens, they like those as well. Several years ago one of my neighbors told me to buy a watering can and fill it with water and egg. So I buy eggs just to deter the deer. It works as long as you remember to put the egg water on the plants after it rains. We even go as far as pouring the egg water all along the perimeter of the property.
I gave up planting tulips years ago. I remember spending a fall day planting three dozen tulip bulbs while wearing two orthopedic boots for double partially torn Achilles heel. That was no easy task. Come Spring the plants came up and were growing nicely. I could see the plants from my bedroom window. One the evening I could see some red beginning to show on the tulips. The next morning I got up, went to the window, opened the blinds and all I saw was stems. Now I couldn't believe what I was seeing, so I went and put on my glasses and took another look. Sure enough there were only stems sticking up, the deer had eaten every single tulip bud.
This is what happened last year. I have a large flower pot that sits on top of the well cover. I had filled the pot with red impatiens , green and white vinca vine, and a tall green grass. All summer everything grew beautiful and lush. They were given an egg water treatment all summer, than for some reason I didn't keep it up. One morning I went to the bedroom window, opened the blinds and the flowerpot only had a green display. The deer had feasted on only the impatiens. I didn't put on my glasses this time, because I have seen this too many times in past seasons.
The deer don't limit their feasting habits just to my summer flowers and plants. They have destroyed all the Yews that were once planted as foundation plants. And this winter they have eaten every leaf off the three Rhododendrons that are planted in the Hosta garden.
Its guaranteed you will never see ornamental deer and the lighted deer of Christmas displayed at my house.
26 comments:
Yes, the deer are voracious! I, also, live in deer country. Not as deep as many of my friends a few miles away. I am a little luckier. They don't often come up out of the canyon to my yard. Only on very bad years. They do love bulbs! Many of my friends say they have good luck with Iris. But then, they usually have good luck with the Rhododendrons and you didn't. They seem to leave their rosemary alone too.
Ah, I see you are from Connecticut. I am California. Maybe the deer are a little different.
We have no native deer here, it's the rabbits that do the munching so all my impatiens is in hanging baskets along the verandah . . .it's a mighty rabbit that dares to jump that high! I think I'd rather have the deer than the tulips . . .
I was thinking that maybe you should get some hanging plants. But I also thought they had some kind of wire mesh to put over the plants that lets you see them but the deer cannot get to them. I have never heard of the egg water, I wonder what that does. Does it stink. I also thought I heard that wolf urine scares them away too, but after the rains you have to spray again, and it stinks for everyone. Ugh.
I wonder if the egg water mix works on keeping away other animals? We sometimes have rabbits that like to nip the buds off the new zinnias. I'll have to give it a try.
We have a little herd that hangs around the manor, too, and enjoy them, but they do like to eat! I'll give the egg water thing a try.
we have a family of five deer that sleep in our backyard each night. You will usually see one or two standing watch while the others lay down. they have become used to us it seems, one ever came up on our back patio to check it out not too long ago. rather a surprise for both of us when i opened the door.
well I didn't have trouble with deer because I had dogs...but then the darn dogs would dig beds in the flower beds and so if it isn't one thing it is another!
I heard Irish Spring soap helps to keep them away.
It seems now that we five kids aren't romping around there anymore the deer are reclaiming their territory. I remember we would see them first thing in the morning, but never that close to the house.
You should throw more parties in the back yard, that will keep them away. Not to worry even Martha Stewart struggles with the dear. She too recommends the Egg&Water mixture because deer don't like the odor of eggs.
Worse case: bag then and freeze them for next winter's meals. DOH!
The only deer close by to where I live is in a park. The never stay off the road, so it's a bit dangerous at night, but they are so beautiful.
We had an echidna in the garden once. I didn't mind, as it was only eating ants.
Dere Dakota
Puleze bring bak the tupip buffet
thank u
Bambi
Hi,too bad what they have done to your plants,nut they are so cute,really think that's a pretty animal,how can you don't forgive Bambi?:)
Their beauty & their destructiveness--an awful conundrum.
I should stop complaining about the slugs in my garden.
The bit about never having the lighted deer ornaments at Christmas made me laugh!
I'm sorry for your flowers.
Oh, and VE's comment is hilarious!
He's got great camo!
Really? They don't like eggs? Is that like some cultural thing or a kind of poison? Well, who knew?
Hello Dakota!
Your poor plants- I feel for you, that is so disappointing.
We have deer here- i know our more rural gardeners have problems with their vegetables becoming deer fodder.
Oh Dere ! Hope you did nothing to the one with a red nose !!! :oP
Deer are so destructive and yet so beautiful. During the rutting season last year a big stag ran into a local produce store and did some damage. Another bashed himself to death against a large window at another store. God help anyone who hits one in a car, you'll almost always have terrible damage.
Deer have big appetites! Great photos.
i will try the egg water with the squirrels that pester me here.
oh the lovely deer..i wish we could see more of these animals here !
tell me about your tag, is it 6 things of real importance or of no importance ?
:-)
LaLa- it is six things or habits of no importance. If you look at my blog Tagging is Going Around, you will see the sis rules.
Something so much nicer about a deer eating your plants than the dang squirrels who eat ours! Rats with fancy tails, I tell ya!
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