Help the deer are taking over my garden

[Radar687]

Hello I just recently started my garden a few months back and the deer have found it. I have it partially fenced don't have the finance's to finish it. Just got all my tater's out and was thinking of pulling the rest of the fence over to get more coverage. They have eaten the tops to all my beans, the blooms are still on them along with the bottom leaves, they have taken out one cucumber plant but they have not touched my squash, mater's and corn. I have a lit up scarecrow in the garden that I have been re-positioning often, I had the hubby and son pee out there along the line of the garden that worked for one night but them it poured all day the next day, I tried aftershave last night but that didn't work, I have onions and garlic out there but that's not keeping them away. I am willing to try anything to keep them out so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[AustralorpGirl]

If you're in a very rural spot human hair clippings might be the way to go. The closer to town you are, the less it works. Also if you don't mind not having birds about, you can hang reflective and shiny things about your garden. Any slight breeze will move them and startle the deer.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I've heard of people hanging soap - believe it's Zest they use. Human hair. Dirty underwear laid on bushes. Aluminum pie tins and CD discs strung up and hanging from everywhere.

I live in the woods and I can tell you that maybe one deer or two might be deterred from such but they'll get used to whatever you put out there and will still get into your garden.

A dog is good, the odor of the dog deters them. BEST is a fence. I know you said you couldn't afford to finish the one you started but I'm thinking of a temporary fence of the green metal spikes and either plastic poultry netting or deer netting. Deer netting is hard to work with, you need two people, but it's effective. I use it on top of my run to keep hawks out.

You could do a temp fence that can be removed at the end of the season for a lot less than a real fence.

 

[Fred's Hens]

We've not found any of the tricks to work. The deer just get used to them and that is that. Mowed off crops.

We fence in a half acre and we use cheap $2 poles and they last about 10 years. The poly deer fencing from Home Depot or similar lasts about 4 years. We do take it down and put it back up every year to save it wear and tear. We must have 1300 feet of it. We've never had a failure with it.

 

[Radar687]

Thank you for the advice. We had pulled up out potatoes so I'm thinking off moving that part of the fence over and another part where my tomatoes died and that should just about cover it and then do the temporary thing. One more question are beans still good? All the top leaves are gone but the blooms are still there and the bottom leaves. Thanks.

 

[redneck farmer]

All I'm gonna say is 'hunting season is coming'

 

[Tiller]

We've not found any of the tricks to work. The deer just get used to them and that is that. Mowed off crops.

We fence in a half acre and we use cheap $2 poles and they last about 10 years. The poly deer fencing from Home Depot or similar lasts about 4 years. We do take it down and put it back up every year to save it wear and tear. We must have 1300 feet of it. We've never had a failure with it.

Pretty much what Fred said. Also, I'm not sure what your game laws are, or if you would consider it, but in some sates if you can show crop damage and prove it to a Game warden, CPO, or whatever they are called in your state, you can get a kill permit, or several. Keeps them out of the garden in a legal way and adds a little more meat stock to the freezer.

 

[AustralorpGirl]

The beans are still fine. As long as you have blossoms you'll have beans ^_^

 

[creekrocket]

Try Putting Out Milorganite. It Keeps The Deer Of My Food Plots Enough For The New Growth To Come Up And Mature. If I Continue To Put It Out, They Seem To Stay Away Through The Growing Season.
Millorganite Is A human Waste Bi Product. Its Perfectly Safe To Handle And Does Wonders On Plants. I Use It Through The Growing Period For My Own Person Garden At My Home,And It Works Great. Its Smells Horrible,But The Smell Dissipates AfterYouWater In Good .
Give This A Try And You May Have Found A Solution To Your Problem. You Can Find It Almost Anywhere.

 

[Radar687]

Thank ya'll so much for the advice. So far we moved the fence around since I have pulled all the potato's out and just have to buy 25 more feet and it's all fenced in. They didn't get into it last night which is good, if they continue I'll try the Milorganite or put my dog out (might be hard to tho she loves sleeping in the house)