Sad! I had some like that in the beginning of the season. Deerout has worked better than Liquid Fence or any other things for me. I tried ammonia, Irish Spring soap and others.

I am sorry to see your loss. I imagine I would be angry too. But tell me something country people....and I don't mean this harshly....me, a city girl doesn't understand why you're so upset when this happens because didn't you know moving into rural areas you would encounter wildlife? Many people are thrilled to have deer walk past or through their yards. That's why they left the city? Of course they may not have hostas.....most respectfully submitted!

That's such a shame. Bad Bambi!

Well, where I live is suburban Kansas City and we have all kinds of wildlife.... I don't think you have to be out in the country to encounter these problems. I haven't seen deer right in our subdivision, but they are definitely in the golf courses - two of which are within walking distance of my house. And although my yard is fenced, I have foxes and coyotes. They hop over the fence like it isn't even there. We have possums, skunks, raccoons, chipmunks, hawks, owls, an occasional eagle, and lots and lots of destructive rabbits.

Lynn - it is so frustrating! I've been struggling with rabbits for some time. They ate my fothergilla and deutsia shrubs down to the crowns the first winter after I had planted them. They have eaten my hostas, epimediums, daisies, clematis, you name it.... Maybe you can figure out some kind of barrier to keep them out.

I've given up on the stuff you spray. It only works until you water, or it rains... then you're out there spraying it on again, cussing, trying not to stand downwind of that terrible-smelling stuff....I've used Milorganite - which was the most helpful, in my experience, but still only helps until the water comes and it soaks in, and the smell dissipates. Lots of $$$ for all the stuff! Now I have chicken wire on the inside of my fence, all around, and occasionally one of those little buggers finds its way into the yard, then my DH and I go out and chase it out, and try to block its re-entry (this provides a lot of entertainment for the neighbors). So I feel like I've gained quite a bit of ground in this battle, but I'm sure they will continue to try to get in and it will be an on-going war.

OH SO SORRY!! I had this happen once and hung up the Irish spring soap for a few months and never had them back. But I did get a spray I think deer out just in case. I heard that was good. They were indeed beautiful!! ;-(

Ugh!! And they were so pretty!!!

They've not found my hostas..... yet.

What is that purple plant you have in the 1st pic?

Yes - they were very pretty hostas! Lynn, maybe you can find some way to keep them out.... or, if you do happen to be in a more rural area, take up hunting? ;-)

pudgeder -- I'll bet that purple flower in 1st pic is a columbine...

Wow. I have heard hosta referred to as "deer salad" and this sure supports that nickname. I have a friend with deer issues. She puts tall stakes around her peony garden and strings fishing line between them at about a 1' and then 3' level. The fishing line seems to disturb the deer, keep them away, and isn't too obtrusive.

thank you Roxana!

Great contrast to the green hostas!

Thanks for the sympathy. I am feeling defeated from a gardening perspective this year. The hostas were the last straw. I've lived here over 40 years and this was the worse year ever for deer damage. Below is a photo of what they have been doing to the arborvitae the last few years - eating them as high as they can reach. They are eating most of the deer resistant plants too.

Pudgeder, Roxanna was correct, they are columbine.

I have had a bad year also. First it was bunnies that ate the hostas when they were coming up. Then a bad hail storm punched them full of holes. Lastly was the deer eating them. Oh and the raccoon that ate all our corn.

I am so sorry! We have been lucky, but I doubt that will last next year. The woods behind us are home to a family of deer (eight point buck! He is a beauty), but that property is slated for four homes on the three acres (three will be 6,500 sq. ft and one 9,500 sq.ft). We are heartbroken both for the loss of the old growth forest and probably impact on the wetland as well as for the deer, foxes, hawks, family of American black vultures who have lived there for decades, and at least one coyote-all in our little bit of forest in our small city (really a town which was called a city in Colonial times, but which is developing into a real city rapidly). As their habitat is destroyed, I expect they will visit our yard.

I worry about the whole balance. Too many deer bring predators and then what? When I moved here originally there were no other houses and the deer were really not a problem. I was happy to see them as djacob6 mentioned. But not, now. I do not have a dog which seems to help back them off for my neighbors, but even though my 10 pound cat attempts to hunt deer (pretty amusing to watch), the balance of nature change can be disturbing. My cat won't last the age of coyote. But then what, who wins when the predators run out of things to eat.

I live up against a state park that probably needs to have controlled hunts. The deer would not be in my yard if the population had an adequate food supply in their natural habitat.

Spray, spray, spray! We have lots of daylilies and hostas and we spray at least once a week. We alternate different types of sprays. We also have deer in our area but they don't bother the plants if we keep up with the spraying. Dogs don't help - we had a 130 pound mastiff that did not deter the male deer--they know exactly how far the dog can go and then adjust their eating habits accordingly. In my suburb, you can't just let a dog go and chase the deer, either the deer or the dog would run into traffic. Deer can jump fences so you have to put a tall enough barrier to deter them.

Lynn I feel your pain! Your pics could be my pics. I call mine celery stalks. My hedge was trimmed up (way up) by them decades ago.

I am rural and there is plenty for them to feed on but they like variety. Their fawns have been raised to hit the salad bar. Every time I hear coyotes I am relieved but they soon go silent as some feel they are a threat. So short sighted. The balance is way off.

I went without a dog for two years and my new one helps but only when he sees them and he sleeps in the house. He only chases them out of the garden and does not ever harass them which is perfect.

I spray too but sometimes they are so determined they just don't care....

I would need to erect a 12 ft. fence all around my garden to effectively keep the white-tailed deer out. The cost would be prohibitive. Fishing line makes them extremely uncomfortable but will not keep them out in the long run. Two 4 ft. fences 4 feet apart will help because they have depth perception issues but not doable for most of us.

Unless all the deer that have become accustomed are wiped out I will continue to have issues. It is much easier to deal with a new herd.

Oh my! That is a picture I could have taken. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks. I looked it up. It looks interesting. This unit is backing off deer, correct? How many Enforcers do you have? Do you move it around your property to confuse them?

Correct they stay outside the spray perimeter. I have 2. One for veggies. And one for my breeder bed. You may need more to cover your whole property but you will need good water pressure to have many units.

it looks like yours are pesky. i also got a game cam to find out how many and how often. I only had to ward off one doe and 2 fawns

i also bring it inside the house for winter storage To make the plastic last longer. Long Subzero temps makes some plastic brittle

I have a cam and I, unfortunately, have a herd - usually 6 to 8 at one time. I ran a wire powered by a solar unit around the gardens one year and it backed them off for awhile but then the cam showed them walking down the drive way.

I might try an Enforcer. It will be on my Christmas list. :)

NOT THE GUACAMOLE!!! Sorry to see that, Lynn. A true bummer.

We have to remember the world around us is changing drastically due to climate change. The earth is three degrees warmer than just 100 years ago. This may not sound like much but it's causing the extreme weather from coast to coast. Fires, droughts, flooding extreme storms.....these are impacting wildlife pushing them more and more into our lives especially rural areas. This is not to mention how we are pushing them out of their homes by cutting down those environments to build more houses, more, malls, more of you name it.

Whenever I see damage like this, I am reminded how lucky I am that the deer around here don't seem to know hostas are edible. They walk right by my hostas all the time, but it's frustrating how much they like any kind of flower buds. They regularly like to deadhead the flowers before they've opened. They also like the birdfeeders for the seed.

It helps that we still have a lot of natural food for them. Even though I'm in a neighborhood it's hills and mountain sides so there's lots of wild growing weeds and trees they like to eat first. I think my flower buds are for dessert.

When we first started our flower beds the deer were not so plentiful nor did they visit so often so naively we planted lillies. That's when my husband started shaking his head after waiting for one to open and saying "all buds before their time". They are particularly fond of lillies.

Get even!

JERKY!