Is it the stupid deer again?

[TheChickenCameFirst]

I am really getting sick of my garden being eaten!!!!!

This year I have had a small garden, with mostly squash, pumpkins and tomatoes. I knew my tomatoes would need a fighting start against the HORDES of deer we have come through our yard every evening. (Unfortunately, my garden seems to be right in their path.) So I sprayed them down with some "Liquid fence" That has worked in the past. But, I wonder if my bottle is old because all the tops were eaten off. I know this isn't caterpillars either... I have had those before. This is something BIG!

I HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS with something eating MY PUMPKIN PLANTS! I go out to weed my garden last night after the baby was asleep, and ALL the large rather spiky leaves were eaten!? I didn't know anything would eat those. Now I am depressed because my measly garden that was just starting to actually produce something has been ravished.

Is it the deer? Would they eat my pumpkin plants? Does anyone have any ideas on how to keep the deer away? (Preferably not something I have to spray on my plants) I would love to have as many ideas as possible, as my husband and I are planning on having a large garden next year.

Thanks!!!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Only thing I can think of is a fence around the garden.

 

[sgtmom52]

Sorry you are having this problem

Do you have access to a game camera? It is always helpful to know your enemy when fighting a battle!

We planted several peach trees last year and when they were just starting to get ripe last month they started to disappear and we were finding the peach pits on the ground by the trees. We put up a game camera expecting to find deer eating the peaches, but instead found a masked bandit with a ring tail climbing our tiny trees eating all the peaches!

The tree is just to the right of center in the pictures and the peach thief is in the tree! Look for the ring tail and glowing eye!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've never had deer eat squash, cucumber, or gourds. I don't grow pumpkins but I'd think they would be similar. I have had them kill squash plants by breaking them off as they walk through my garden.

There have been books written on this subject. You can read them at your public library. You could also talk to your county extension agent, in the phone book under county government, to see if they have any recommendations. They have access to university research projects on amny subjects and also have good contacts with experts. They may be able to find out if deer will actually eat pumpkin leaves.

There are a whole lot of things that deter deer for a little while, spreading dog hair, hanging Irish Spring soap in fruit trees, spraying everything with egg whites, spreading mountain lion or wolf urine, putting windmills or something that moves in the wind in the area, playing talk radio stations, stringing monofilament fishing line about a foot off the ground so they feel it but don't see it, whatever. Many of these work for a week or two, but deer are very adaptable and soon learn that whatever it is will not harm them. The only thing I have found to actually work long term is a fence. I built one 10 feet high to keep them out of my garden. You can probably set up an electric fence easier and cheaper, but it requires more maintenance. I have not done it, but the type of electric fence I would have set up had I gone that route had three electrified strands, one about 8" high to keep them from crawling under, one about 4 or 5 feet high (can't remember exactly) to keep them from just walking through, and one about 3' back from the others and about a foot high to zap them as they position themselves to jump the other two.

Good luck!

 

[Mattemma]

My mom has issues with the groundhog more than the deer getting into the garden.That hog would just climb up and over the fence and munch away.I offered to dispatch it but I guess that was to much for her,so she continues to battle it. The hog was eating the zuke leaves.

 

[TheChickenCameFirst]

Wow, So many good suggestions! I have heard of coyote urine, and the Irish Springs soap, but haven't tried them. The camera looks awesome! I see the little thief lol! That would be cool to have for my garden AND just for fun

My grandmother has battled ground hogs, but she has had no problems disposing of them

 

[Southernbelle]

I can't get any tomatos this year - I had some young green tomatos growing well and one day I went out and every single tomato was gone, plucked neatly from the vine. Rotten deer.

I had to wait for another entire round of growth and I finally picked my first tomato this past week!

The aphids are destroying my squash, not the deer.

 

[The Chicken People]

I used a trick that my Dad in Minnesota uses! And it worked for us! I put up a fence with t post and twine then tied plastic bags from the grocery store around the twine at various places on the fence! When the wind hits the bags it makes noise and the deer are scared away! I usually poke a hole in the bottom of the bags so it fills with air better! I hope you at least try it! If not you can try playing a radio out there at night! Brush your dogs or cats or get human hair from a stylist and spread that around your garden!
Good Luck! I found something was munching on my tomatoes the other day but we found while working in the garden that its my German Shephard Dog! My grandson taught him to love tomatoes! Lol!

 

[michickenwrangler]

The deer ate my canteloupe vines and canteloupe are in the same botanical family as pumpkins.

I've been running out with a broom every time I see them, but the dang deer are used to me now and don't run. DH had to get out the pellet gun last night. He just shot into the ground near them.

We don't have a fence because we keep expanding the garden every year, but I think this fall I'll buckle down, till what I need to and get a fence up.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

They have been munching on our asain pears this year. I hope they keep coming for about another month when Black powder hunting season starts. Is it considered lazy hunting if you shoot them while sitting on a chair on the porch?

Steve