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Deer Proofing Your Property
Nothing is more disheartening than putting
in a lovely new garden only to
have it destroyed
by feeding deer. The deer population
in the
United States has increased rapidly
in the
last few decades, even as the
growth of housing
has expanded into countryside
that was once
free to roaming deer. The damage
that deer
can do is not limited to ravishing
attractive
and expensive landscaping and
flower and
vegetable gardens. Now humans
also face the
prospect of catching Lyme disease
from the
ticks that deer carry. If you
want to protect
your yard from deer, there are
a number of
tactics you can use:
- The most effective way of keeping deer out
is by installing a high fence around the entire perimeter of your property.
A successful fence must be
8 feet high to
prevent the deer from jumping
over it.
- Solid fencing is the most effective, but
this can be a costly solution.
- Prefabricated deer net fencing usually works
very well. This heavy grade black plastic
netting visually blends into the landscape
and can be installed in several different
ways, making it convenient for a variety
of locations. It is lightweight enough to
be strung on support poles that are 10 to
15 feet apart, and it easily covers uneven
ground.
- Electric fences also work well. These use
low impact, harmless jolts of electricity
that will zap the deer, encouraging them
to stay away. Electric fences are less expensive
to install than other fencing material, and
they can be put up on a temporary or seasonal
basis. Just be sure to check your local ordinances
before installing an electric fence.
- Other fencing solutions include double row
fences, consisting of side by side vertical
fences, or extending existing fences that
are not high enough by stringing wire on
post extensions.
- Another tactic is to use bad tasting or smelling
concoctions that are sprayed
on the plants
the deer like to eat. These
can be purchased
from companies that specialize
in manufacturing
them. Recipes for homemade
brews are also
available on the internet.
Be aware that
many of these need to be applied
on a regular
basis and after every rainfall.
Other solutions,
such as hanging scented soaps
or human or
animal hair stuffed into netting,
can sometimes
work but are generally not
as effective.
- The easiest and cheapest way to keep the
deer from destroying your garden is to use
only those plants most deer don’t like. Daffodils, alliums, herbs, ferns, and boxwoods are all excellent deer resistant choices.
Lists of other trees, shrubs and plants the
deer don’t usually eat are available at garden
centers and on the internet. Make sure that
any plants you buy are suitable for your
climate, and be aware that deer will sometimes
eat even things they don’t normally like
if they are hungry enough.
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