Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Douglas Willhite" <drwillhite@earthlink.net>]

Hi Harvey,

We have deer running around here too. They're too cautious to enter our orchard though. Probably too many folks firing guns around here -- myself included! (My veggie gardens are in large raised-bed containers which are mostly inaccessible to the critters.)

I made a decision about five years ago that if the deer became too hard on the orchard I would just eat venison instead of fruit. Haven't seen a deer in the orchard since! Firing a warning shot at the crows about once a year appears to help them remember to keep their distance too. A lot of these critters are amazingly smart and have good memories. Unfortunately I have to trap and kill gophers and squirrels (much as it breaks my heart) otherwise they wreak havoc. I tried transporting them elsewhere with live traps but that just dumps the problem on someone else.

Take care,

Doug

 

Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:55:35 -0400
From: Harvey Ussery <boxwood@nelsoncable.com>
Subject: [Livingontheland] Dealing with deer?
To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
Message-ID: <47F29337.5020001@nelsoncable.com>
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Hi All,

I'm up against the Big Munch. Any advice?

Up until last year, insignificant problem with deer in garden/orchard
here. Last year very serious problems in the garden--sweet potatoes
devastated.

This year the season is beginning with routine tramping thru the garden
every night. Recently transplanted brassicas and lettuces are getting
eaten/trampled on.

Have been poring thru online sources--fencing alternatives, repellents,
etc. Are there home solutions, not too expensive or time-consuming, that
are working for you? I'll be glad to circulate ideas that are
particularly useful.

Many thanks.

~Harvey