THE DAYS OF THE “FREE LUNCH” ARE OVER!
Who can blame them, really.
You plant rows of leafy greens, delectable petals and tasty trees. You fertilize them, keep them watered and then you line them up in a free buffet, right out in full view with easy access. You are providing a smorgasbord of munchies…for the local deer population.
What is one to do??
Your resident Bambi’s are so cute and those little fluffy tails…seriously, just adorable! But wait a minute, you didn’t spend your hard earned time and money picking out the perfect shrubs, flowers and trees only to have them ravaged but those adorable creatures.
Over development of rural areas forces wild deer into urban areas, leading to unexpected and unwelcome problems and conflicts. Deer can ruin landscaping, trees, seedlings and gardens. Deer parasites carry Lyme disease, Tularemia, Rocky Mountain Fever, etc. Deer can transmit diseases and parasites to you and your pets Deer vs. auto accidents kill and injure thousands of people every year. Increasing populations of deer in some suburban areas has resulted in more aggressive food finding behavior.
To add to the feeding issue there is a second way that deer can damage your landscape. Each year they rub the felt off new horns which can severely damage or even kill young trees and shrubs. Male deer, or bucks, damage young trees by rubbing and scraping against them during the mating season, in an attempt to show their dominance. Rubbing against trees removes the velvet that covers their antlers during the summer. Once this is accomplished, the buck will polish his antlers and continue to mark his territory by thrashing his antlers up and down against tree trunks and branches. This shreds and tears bark and may break branches or the trunk itself. Small, smooth barked trees such as apples are more attractive to bucks as rubbing sites than larger trees and trees with rough bark.
Inevitably homeowners in will be forced to come to terms with the deer problem if they want to enjoy a beautiful or productive landscape.
So, how can you deter your local deer from your property and reduce their damage?
In other words how do we close down the ‘Bambi Salad Bar’?
In areas where deer are a problem, our Lawn & Plant Health Care Division, Green Sphere recommends Deer Repellent & Deer Fencing. In our experience we have found these two methods to have the greatest impact in deterring the cute but landscape devouring deer.
Deer Repellent
A hungry deer will find almost any plant palatable, so no plant is “deer proof.” The two types of deer repellents are contact repellents and area repellents. Contact repellents are applied directly to plants, causing them to taste bad or remove the taste of the plant that the deer are looking for and area repellents are placed in a problem area and repel by their foul odor. To our goal of providing environmentally conscious lawn and plant health care solutions we use an All Natural Deer Repellent that will not harm the deer and will provide a safe environment for your family.
Deer Fencing
A deer fence enclosure provides a humane and discreet barrier that keeps deer out of sensitive areas. Very simply, a deer fence is a fence specially designed to keep deer out of an enclosed area, often referred to as a deer exclosure. Deer fencing can be as small as the back yard tomato garden or as large as the entire farm or estate. Deer fences are designed to keep your property safe from deer and unwanted wildlife. Whether you live in the woods or are simply in an area where lots of deer are present, you can benefit from deer fencing. We take the time to construct and install each of our fences in a thorough, meticulous fashion.
The point is you shouldn’t have to fight to keep deer out of your yard. Use an effective fence around your prized plants, wherever possible feature plants low on the list on the deer menu, and if possible combine a deer fence and deer repellent Your yard may become so much work or of so little interest that the deer won’t bother trying to come over for their “free lunch” or dinner for that matter.