Just because you enjoyed “Bambi” doesn’t mean you’re ready to welcome deer to the landscape! While they are beautiful to look at, they can wreak havoc in your landscape.
We’re getting lots of reports of deer this year, making themselves at home in the landscape and gardens. The potential damage is significant. They feed on garden and landscape plants, rub their antlers against trees, and scrape the soil around trees as well. While their dining preference is young tender plants, remember that hungry deer will eat almost anything! Fortunately Evergreen of Johnson City offers some products that are truly effective at discouraging deer from them making themselves at home around YOUR home.
Deer do NOT like small penned-in areas. You might say they are claustrophobic! For small garden patches, four feet high fencing around the area works great. For a larger lawn or garden, though, you have to go bigger! Deer will hesitate to jump over something they may get caught up in, so wire fencing instead of wood is preferable. A wire fence about six feet high, at a 30 degree angle, will create a good psychological barrier for the deer; where as a straight wooden fence as high as eight feet tall is something they will easily and readily jump over. So use wire fencing and angle it for good results.
For those times when fencing is not a reasonable option, we have a great product that may do the trick!
Deer Gard Electronic Deer Chaser uses high frequency sound waves that irritate the deer and drives them away, yet is not audible to human ears. One unit will protect a 4,000 square foot area and it is motion-activated. It is humane, easy to use and VERY effective, in addition to being safe, non-toxic, and water- and weather-resistant.
Another option for repelling deer comes in the form of a repellent called Deer Ban, offered here at Evergreen of Johnson City. It is made with concentrated coyote urine that comes in the form of a non-messy easy-to-use capsule. When deer smell the odor, they believe that a predator is near and therefore will avoid the area. We have had many successful reports using this!
Finally, when deer are almost knocking at the door, come talk to one of our experts about different ornamental shrubs and perennials that are known to be resistant to deer munching or at least are not typically sought out by deer.
If deer are on ongoing problem for you, tread lightly because we promise, the deer will not! From fencing to electronics, from repellents to choosing specific plants and shrubs, we will find the right product or combination of products that will be most effective for your circumstances!
