By David Ray
When I first moved to this area from Chicago in 1999, I was joyful about many things. I had moved into zone 7 from climate zone 5. My home was on a lake with a mountain view – and with a ½-acre empty garden below, which had a backdrop of beautiful mountain laurels. The palette of plants to choose from for my garden was greatly expanded due to a milder climate.
I had never seen a deer in Chicago and I had no idea that they are actually scavengers when it comes to gardening. I kept wondering why the deer were running around loose rather than in a zoo!
I’m a “get’er done” kind of guy, so I quickly ran to Lowes and several local plant nurseries. My work van was full of hostas, daylilies, rose bushes, pansies and geraniums. All my favorite plants. I quickly learned after planting them, that they were actually deer candy. All of the plants deer love to eat.
Shortly thereafter, I began talking to neighbors about gardening in Western North Carolina. After many tours of neighbors gardens, I began to realize that there are lots of deer-resistant plants – just none of which I had planted!
I had worked in a large nursery in the Chicagoland area. I had the basic knowledge to become a gardener and a landscaper. Some of my neighbors liked my garden and they began to ask me to work in their garden. This lead to me opening my landscape business called “The Natural Gardener.”
I quickly learned that there are three important factors in “deer gardening.” You should choose deer-resistant plants, protect non-resistant plants with a good quality deer repellent, or build a nine foot fence around your garden. I also learned that the best choice is deer-resistant plants. If you want to add “deer candy” just be sure to apply deer repellent powder or spray every two to three weeks. Most people don’t want to view their garden through a nine-foot fence, so that choice is pretty much not a good one.
I have used and tried many different deer repellents including Repels-All, Safer Garden Animal Repellent and Green Screen Deer and Rabbit Repellent. The best one is an organic powder which you apply every two to three weeks. I buy the 50-pound bulk bags. You simply walk around your garden and sprinkle it on plants that are not deer-resistant. If used properly and in a timely manner it is almost 100 percent effective. One word of caution, do not leave the box of Green Screen powder outdoors. Bears and racoons like to eat it.
You can order Green Screen from Green Screen-Envirodyne, Inc.
P.O. Box 451
Manistee, MI 49660
or call 231-723-5905
My next article will contain a plant list of annuals, perennials, bulbs and trees and shrubs that are deer-resistant. I hope you enjoy gardening in God’s perfect Sunlight.
