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My Deer Don't Read -- can I save my plants ?

11 years ago

Ooops ! There goes another addiction.

With all of my research these last few weeks, I've found that some huecheras are deer resistant ... nothing is deer proof .. and decided to test for deer resistance before permanently planting my new heuecheras in the ground by planting them in containers and putting them out in deer territory.

My deer haven't figured out that they are not supposed to prefer heucheras to other plants. When I came out this morning, every leaf has been removed ... the flower spikes remain. I've prepared a bed in the protected area in back and will move the containers, but now I have to figure out how to save the plants. I like them.

Do I cut off all of the leaf spikes and expose the crown so that the plant can generate new leaves ? The containers will be located in partial shade. How much shade will be determined by whether or not they get leaf burn in high temps.

The three plants are all hybrid villosas ... said to be heat tolerant ... and I've found that the species h. villiosa can take high heat, but in nature is located in the south eastern part of the US where it is humid. My high heat is in an arid climate. I am guessing I will have to mist them during the weeks when we have triple digit temps.

But back to rescue ... what's the best way to save the plants?

Smiles,

Lyn

Comments (2)

ginny12
11 years ago
Liquid Fence. I was stunned by deer eating my heucheras for the first time ever last year. The plants did throw out new leaves this year but I sprayed w Liquid Fence and so far, so good.
roseblush1
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for responding, Ginny.

I found out how to save my heucheras from the lady runs the garden center at our local Ace Hardware store. She said the the deer actually watch her when she plants something new in the garden and just have to taste it.

She found that if she sprayed liquid fence at the time of planting, it lasted long enough for the deer to forget that they were new plants and the deer left them alone long after the Liquid Fence wore off.

She taught me how to save my new plants and the are starting to fill out quite well. When they are a little bigger, I'll give them the deer test again using Liquid Fence. If it works, I'll go ahead and put them in the ground.

Smiles,
Lyn
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