Comments on: Gardens, Carnivals, and Deer Oh My!

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:31:57 +0000

Hi Kerry, being a hunter, I find if I go somewhere with a gun, the deer disappear. I could rent myself out for the summer? Oh and by the way, those deer in your picture with the white RUMPS, are mule deer, not whiteTAILS. Dan.

By: Ann

Ann — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 23:41:26 +0000

I used to live in Austin, which has a pretty big deer population.
Hang bars of soap, preferably some kind of deodorant soap, from the trees. The deer find things (presumably the scent) unpleasant and will avoid the area.

Garden safe, deer unharmed, readily available and cheap solution.

Good luck.

By: Frugal Dad

Frugal Dad — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:41:14 +0000

Does the human hair trick really work to repel deer? I’ve heard of people rounding up cut hair from a barer and sprinkling it around the property they want to protect. Apparently, the deer don’t like the scent of human hair and keep away.

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:06:59 +0000

There’s a fabulous permaculture book called _Gaia’s Garden_ by Toby Hemenway that has some great suggestions on how to stave off other animals like deer while still respecting that it’s their land too. One of the main suggestions is to find something cheap and attractive to plant on the perimeter of your land that will act as a more attractive food supply for your deer than your tomatoes. One or two raspberry canes (those spread pretty quickly) should keep them satisfied. That having been said, aren’t nightshades poisonous to deer?

By: Chief Family Officer

Chief Family Officer — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:16:50 +0000

Not that you’d want to use it (then again maybe it would make good fertilizer), but apparently lion dung is extremely good at keeping deer at bay. My in laws used to get it for their property, until their source went out of business. Now they pretty much rely on their sprinklers and loud noises.

By: Canadian Capitalist

Canadian Capitalist — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:45:16 +0000

Thanks for the link Squawk. Even our tiny suburban garden is relentlessly attacked by groundhogs, skunks, squirrels and birds. I can’t imagine how it’s in the country

By: Frugal Babe

Frugal Babe — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:17:50 +0000

At least they’re cuter than slugs and “pincher bugs” (I think they’re earwigs, but whatever they are I don’t like them). We don’t use any chemicals on our garden, and despite all of our lady bugs, and plants that ward off bad bugs, we still get a pretty good crop of creepy crawlies every year. But I suppose the deer do a lot more damage in a very short time! Hope the squirt guns work

By: Momma @ Tales From The Road Less Traveled

Momma @ Tales From The Road Less Traveled — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:16:21 +0000

Greener Pastures featured a post last week on frugal and environmentally friendly ways to keep pests from your garden. It was a great read with good information in it. Give it a read here: http://tinyurl.com/5ylsol

By: Emily

Emily — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 12:19:56 +0000

I, too, think it’s great you’re using a water gun. You know, I have my own little garden growing but have a few little bugs to worry about and that annoys me. I would not be happy in your shoes. I hope your new idea works. It sounds very creative!

Thank you much for the mention. Writing that post was important to me so I am thrilled it’s been mentioned.

By: fathersez

fathersez — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:52:25 +0000

At least you are using a water gun. That’s very thoughful of you. Here people pay money to go to parks and see deer!

Cheers