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Korean Fir Devastated

17 years ago

So I was just out in the yard when I noticed that the deer have destroyed my beautiful 8' tall Golden Korean Fir. They tore the bark and about 12 branches right out of the middle. What was once a tree well on its way to grandeur is now a twig.

I'm really beginning to wonder if it's worth the effort to plant here in NJ if the deer are going to destroy everything not grown behind a 10' fence (I have a corner lot so it's impossible even if I wanted to). They've destroyed kerria, cornus, even nandina and pieris, supposedly deer resistant shrubs. I fear I'm fighting a losing battle.

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Comments (2)

spruceman
17 years ago
You have my complete sympathy. I don't know what you can do. Elsewhere in this forum and in the trees forum, I have expressed my views about the refusal of anyone who has the authority, to do anything about the deer problem, even to the extent of launching into what many might consider intemperate rants. I have talked to the people in state wildlife departments, forest services, etc. etc. I have just run out of gas on this one, at least for now.

Of course you can take steps to protect individual trees, most of which involve some compromise with aesthetics. And when a tree as large as your Korean fir is so completely devastated, it leaves one completely exasperated. Every year the deer population increases and I see new varieties eaten, which were never eaten before. This last year, for the first time, I have seen at least one of my Norway spruce damaged by browsing, a hitherto very deer resistant species.

Of course your tree was destroyed by buck rubbing, and nothing is resistant to that until it is so big that the rubbing is physically impossible. It used to be that anything over two or three inches in diameter was not rubbed. This last year I saw a tree 5 inches in diameter rubbed. I have even heard about deer eating the bark off much larger trees (a reliable report from a forester). To tell you the truth, I don't see any end to the ever increasing problems with deer. Those who are in a position to do anything about it won't, and these people are not subject to any election or public review.

With all my sympathy,

--Spruce
lyn_r
17 years ago
So sorry about your Golden Korean Fir. A few years ago I stumbled upon a method that has been 100% effective for me keeping the deer away from my trees, shrubs, and flowers. I LIGHTLY sprinkle them with powder carpet deodorizer about once every three weeks. Rain does not wash it off, but you might want to sprinkle every two weeks just to be on the safe side. It does not harm the plants, and since a very little amount is sprinkled there is no problem with what ends up on the soil. I buy it at the Dollar Store, and the stronger the odor the better it works.

Good luck!!

Lyn
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