Garden Myth #1, Deer Don't eat Potatoes...

[thistlebloom]

First of all I have never considered my property to have a deer problem. They do pass through, but other than some damage on some aspens and fruit trees, in 13 years they haven't made themselves repugnant.

My front garden, which can't be seen from the house is where I usually plant my potatoes, because like I tell everybody, deer don't touch potatoes. Tonight I went up to check it over (it suffers from absentee gardener syndrome) and the deer have decimated my potatoes and almost all of the Jerusalem artichoke and rhubarb. I'm breaking out the spray tomorrow before they discover my loaded apple trees. I'm pretty ticked right now...

Do you have any myths that have been broken in your garden?

 

[journey11]

Oh, that is weird. I've never seen them touch the potatoes (although they do like the sweet potato vines). Wonder if they're desperate for forage since it has been so dry?

 

[thistlebloom]

It has been dry, but it seems like there's plenty of forage in the woods. There's willows and buck brush and wild grasses and weeds. A lot of it is still green enough.
I've had a few rhubarb leaves nibbled in the past but this week they've stripped of the leaves down to just a bunch of bare stalks. I hope they have a bellyache.

Just a minute ago my little mule started blowing hard. He's a dependable moose alarm. Then Wren started barking so dh went out to see what was going on. We have a big bull in the trees behind the pens. I'm off tomorrow, maybe he'll show himself and I can get a photo.

I wonder if he's the one eating on the garden?? I'll have to check for tracks in the morning.

 

[digitS']

I've had deer damage my potatoes, Thiistle'.

This was years ago and in your neck of the woods. If they got a bellyache, they have forgotten that lesson.

Giving advice ... Probably the worst thing I ever told people was that cotton string decomposes so it can go in the compost pile. Yeah well, what a mess! Must take about 3 years ....

Steve

 

[Nyboy]

Can you tell the difference between deer and moose damage ?

 

[Smart Red]

I can! I can!
If it is in my garden it is deer damage. We don't have moose(s) around here.

 

[Carol Dee]

Can you tell the difference between deer and moose damage ?

I am sure they left foot prints and probably droppings so she can figure it out. A big difference in both!

 

[digitS']

I so very much don't want to try to identity the difference in my garden !

I have seen moose within two miles of the garden. The only sign of deer in my current gardens have been tracks left in late winter or early spring. During that time of the year, there is often a herd of elk about 4 miles away.

No, Benjamin Bunny doesn't need the competition.

Steve

 

[Carol Dee]

I so very much don't want to try to identity the difference in my garden !

I have seen moose within two miles of the garden. The only sign of deer in my current gardens have been tracks left in late winter or early spring. During that time of the year, there is often a herd of elk about 4 miles away.

No, Benjamin Bunny doesn't need the competition.

Steve

Our lot is 2 miles from the house. The deer have so far left the garden alone and only browsed the lower branches of the fruit trees. After waging war on groundhogs we have not had a problem with them. But.... your Benjamin Bunny must have MANY cousins out our way. They are so thick this year and a real pain.

 

[so lucky]

The bunnies are plentiful here, too, Carol Dee. I thought they were getting too big to fit through the garden fence, but apparently they can squeeze their fat little tushes through, as evidenced by yet another planting of bush beans missing their leaves.
I have been using blood meal around the beans. Hoping it works while the bunnies grow a bit. I haven't heard coyotes yipping in the mornings lately. Maybe people have been shooting coyotes. Throws things out of balance.