Maybe a stupid question, but do deer eat Azaleas?
squirrellypete
18 years ago
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morz8 - Washington Coast
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Stupid newbie questions.
Comments (3)Thanks for the replies. I hadn't been planning on heating my hoophouse as I'm guessing it would cost a small fortune. Which is guess is another 'Stupid Newbie Question'.....what DOES it cost to heat a small hoophouse and what temperature should it be heated to? Our current plans for our new lakefront cabin are to live there during the warmer months and then head south (probably to Baja) for the more frigid months....so I won't be trying to keep plants happy during the winter. I really only want to get a head start on planting veggies and I'm still trying to figure out how to outsmart pesky mule deer that still think this land is their land! I'm currently thinking of planting seeds in a cold frame (maybe I'll add some heating cables sometime) which will be nearer to the house so I can keep a watch on them. Then I'll transplant them to a (unheated)hoop house (up on our penninsula). When all danger of frost is over, I'll replace the plastic with netting (which I'm hoping will keep the deer from feasting and yet still let bees in and it won't get too hot for the veggies). And another 'stupid question'... If last year is any indication of what we can expect weatherwise in Republic, WA....it is very cloudy in the Winter/Spring. With little or no real sunshine, will a hoophouse still provide any freeze protection? Should I add some fluorescent lights? Thanks! Sandy...See MoreDeer eating azaelas
Comments (11)Here's another one of those tall tales I am famous for: Years ago while attending a zoo conference (remember I was a zookeeper in my past life) at a sizeable zoo in a neighboring state, I took a tour of their brand new animals of the prairies exhibit. We were confined to an elevated walkway that winded its way through grassy meadows and small stands of trees. The fences to keep various large animals under control were hidden from view by the trees. In one extra large enclosure they had a small herd of elk and some pothole/buffalo wallows to show how migrating waterfowl used these islands of water to travel across miles of dry rangeland. They confessed that they had a problem - something was getting into the cage and killing the ducks. They placed bait, they set traps, they couldn't catch the culprit no matter what. Knowing that a bunch of zoo professionals were coming soon for the convention they even slept in the enclosure with loaded rifles to solve the problem. On the night before I arrived the keeper stumbled upon a very odd sight. Their mystery predator was NOT a carnivore after all - it was a female elk (which are a type of deer. See how I tie this story to the thread?). Somewhere in her past she had developed a taste for duck meat and learned to corner the poor ducks while they tried to sleep at the ponds edge. She would then trample them and gobble them down feathers and all! The keeper was amazed to watch as she ate two prized specimens while staring at him in the beam of his high powered flashlight. What am I trying to tell ya with this story? It don't matter what the books say - the animals can't read! They don't know that they aren't supposed to eat meat when they are herbivores! Now a deer eating bush,,, that would solve so many problems....See MoreWhats your deer eating! LOL, and other reasons to hate them!
Comments (23)I am probably jinxing myself, but I don't get a lot of deer damage. I am literally three blocks from the county park and I get hoofprints all the time but not too much nibbling. In the spring my phlox gets a free pruning and my centurea montana (bachelor's button) gets eaten down to the ground (that might be rabbits), but once I start spraying with Deer Solution I don't seem to have much of an issue fortunately. It helps that my echinacea is planted right under a low hanging birch tree - the deer get a face full of branches and move on I suspect. Other parts of my town I have literally seen 10 or more deer just standing around on people's lawn, thank goodness that isn't me....See MoreDo deer eat melons and squash?
Comments (19)Armymom, NONE of those little tricks (lifeboy soap, swatches of human hair, predator urine, white swatches of cloth, rattles, motion activated sprinklers, hot pepper sauce, etc.) work for long or at all I'm sorry to say. I've tried just about all of them. They might have worked way back when deer were shy and scared of humans, but those days gone. Some of the deer retardent scents (most of them smell like something dead) work only for a while, and have to be applied every couple of days or they will eat the new growth, plus they are not recommended for vegetable gardens. I wonder if floating row covers would work? It's a light weight fabric that keeps insects out. Does anyone have any experience with that to keep deer away? The only thing that will keep them out of the garden for sure is a high fence or a single wire of electric fence. The latter works amazingly well and is not that expensive or hard to install. There is a plastic deer net you can buy and use bamboo or similar poles for a temporary fence, but it has to be tall and perhaps lean in so they won't try to jump over it. Good luck with your garden! I hope you find a way to grow melons and squash. Keep us posted. Here is a link that might be useful: About floating row covers ......See Morerhodyman
18 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
18 years agorhodyman
18 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
18 years agorhodyman
18 years agosquirrellypete
18 years agonanapam02
18 years agomorz8 - Washington Coast
18 years agocalcbhunter_hotmail_com
12 years agohesterix
12 years ago
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