Archive for the ‘Animal Control & Repellent’ Category
How Can I Prevent Deer Damage?
Monday, November 21st, 2011
We all know deer feed on trees and shrubs, a scary thought when the deer population is increasing and the resulting damage can permanently disfigure your plantings! Even worse, this damage is more likely to occur in the winter when other food supplies are limited. Luckily, there are proven-effective cultural practices and organic repellents for control!
“They must be starving! Maybe if I feed them, they’ll stay away from my plantings.” Sound familiar? As tempting as it may be, do not feed foraging deer. Feeding the deer trains them to think of your yard as a reliable source of food and they won’t stop at handouts, your landscape plantings will become their tasty treat!
Deer-X protective fencing is a more direct method of cultural protection against browsing. Whether used to erect vertical fences (to prevent access) or simply draped over shrubs (to interfere with chewing), this simple, rugged mesh can provide seasons of control!
An application of a deer repellent, such as Liquid Fence or Deer Scram, on and around landscaped areas will also help stop deer from making a winter meal of your trees and shrubs. Because they work by scent, repellents stop damage before any feeding occurs:
Liquid Fence is available as a liquid concentrate and in a ready-to-use spray bottle. Simply apply to plants and their perimeter to discourage foraging by scent. The active ingredients dry odorless to humans and do not need to be rotated with other brands!
Deer Scram is available as a granular formula with no mixing necessary. Simply apply in a 16 inch strip around plants to discourage browsing for up to 100 days!
Always remember that it’s much easier to prevent feeding damage than it is to stop a foraging cycle that has already begun. Call or stop by the Nursery to discuss your cruelty-free options with our knowledgeable staff!
-By Andy Archer Thayer Nursery
Hungry Deer? Keep your plants off this year’s menu!
Monday, September 28th, 2009
If your hostas, or any other plants, looked like this during the summer then chances are you have hungry deer close by. This picture is of a hosta that is displayed near the back of our property line where deer have been known to wander in and graze wherever they please. There is nothing more frustrating than spending time making your garden look nice, only to have wandering critters make a meal out of it. The best way to avoid this is to apply a repellant on regular intervals to prevent damage before it happens. Plants can also be netted with bird netting to keep deer out and still let sunlight in. This protects year round and only needs to be done once (though it will need to be reset each year to allow for new growth). Either way, we have what you need and now is the time to take start acting.
When all the deciduous trees and shrubs are leafed out during the summer, deer damage is much less concentrated because there is more for them to eat. However, once fall has caused all of their leaves to drop and all of the perennials to die back there are much fewer food options. As a result deer frequently strip an entire evergreen shrub of its foliage which will not grow back until spring and severely harm the overall health.
This is why we recommend applying deer repellant once a month, especially during the fall and winter months. We carry several different brands that work from different approaches so they can be rotated every couple of months to prevent the deer from becoming immune to their scent. Stop in to check out our stock and keep your plants off this year’s menu!
-By John Prettyman Thayer Nursery
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