There’s something about babies. You know that feeling, when you see a new infant and can’t help but gush, “How cute and tiny!” It’s universal to be drawn to new life. That applies to other babies in the animal kingdom, too. Last Tuesday morning, I was delighted when I saw two tiny fawns in my driveway with their mother.
Actually, it was my cat, Jasmine, who saw them from inside. They were so tiny that she thought they were invading neighbor cats and let out a low growl from her perch inside the window. I had to laugh when I saw the little fawns. Boy, was Jasmine confused for a couple of minutes.
Despite the fact that I have no groundcover on my slope, I still enjoy sharing my surroundings with wildlife. But what are good methods to protect the landscaping you have paid for with good, hard cash? And are there really plants that are “deer resistant”?
At this time of year, last year’s youngsters are being chased away by their mothers. In heavily wooded areas, their territory may be only the square mile right around where they were born. Since they eat about 5 pounds of food per day (this would fill a large garbage bag), your garden is their smorgasbord.
Eating mostly semi-woody plants, deer supplement this with soft foliage and, as we all know, our beloved flowers. They browse, moving from place to place seeking plants that taste good and have high protein content.
Knowing their habits can be your advantage. Don’t let them make a habit of eating in your garden. Employ some of the following techniques before they print out a menu of your plants.
There are many barriers you can use to keep deer out of your garden — mesh fencing, deer netting, chicken wire, fishing line. Two short fences a few feet apart can keep them out. Frightening devices that hook up to your hose work well, too.
If you can’t fence your area, then the following tips might help.
Protect young fruit and nut trees by encircling the trunk with fencing to a height of 6 feet. You can remove it after the tree has grown taller and can be limbed up.
Plant deer-resistant plants, as well as plants that deter deer. Make sure deer find the entryway to your garden unattractive by concentrating deer-repelling plants there.
Highly fragrant plants jam the deer’s predator-alert sensors and make them uneasy. Try planting catmint, chives, lavender, sage, society garlic, thyme or yarrow around your favorite plants that they usually eat, and you may have better luck this year.
You can get the same effect using repellents made with fermented egg solids and garlic. These are sold in ready-to-use forms and in concentrates, and they are very effective. The idea is that you spray the scents directly on vulnerable plants and the surrounding area two weeks in a row and then monthly after that. They stay on the plants through rain, but keeping the repellents fresh during the peak spring browsing period is a good idea.
Soap bars are effective for small areas for short periods of time. You would have to use 450 bars per acre for a large area. Also, deer get used to the smell of hair real quick, so it isn’t effective for very long. Blood meal and sprays are effective also but can attract predators.
Taste repellents must be sprayed directly on the plants you want to protect — but don’t use them on food plants. You can buy hot pepper spray or mix it yourself: 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, 1 gallon water and 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap. Another spray you can make up yourself is 5 tablespoons cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon cooking oil and 1 gallon water.
My personal list of deer-resistant plants that flourish in the shade are philodendron selloum, all ferns, liriope, mondo grass, Queen’s Tears hardy bromeliad, aspidistra or cast iron plant, bamboo in containers, podocarpus, carex grass, Japanese maple, fragrant sarcococca, clivia, calla lily, sago palm, douglas iris and hellebore.
There are many deer-resistant plants for the sun, too. The main thing is to start using one or several of these ideas now, before deer establish feeding grounds for the season.
Jan Nelson, a landscape designer and California certified nursery professional at Plant Works in Ben Lomond, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. E-mail her at
ja******@ao*.com
, or visit www.jannelsonlandscapedesign.com to view previous columns and pictures.
