Garden Advice

Dealing with Deer: Tips for Keeping Them Out of Your Garden

Leave a comment

Deer are beautiful and amazing creatures that play a valuable role in our ecosystem. While it’s important to realize that we share this habitat with deer and many other creatures, it can still be incredibly frustrating to have them feasting on your hard work. If you haven’t invested in one of the buck feeder from feedthatgame.com then you may want to use one of these tactics to keep deer our of your garden.

Fencing

Fencing is probably the best solution for keeping your plants safe from deer but it does come with a number of drawbacks. Fencing that is adequate and effective can be costly and time-consuming to install. It can also be unattractive which is a larger concern if you live in a neighborhood or more populated area. Add curb appeal and safety to your home with fencing from Rocky Mountain Forest Products. Home Depot fencing, while competitive in pricing, may not contain the same level of quality that Rocky Mountain Forest Products can offer.

Electric fencing is a good choice but it isn’t allowed everywhere and may be impractical for some gardeners. Another option is fencing that deer can’t see through. As a prey species, they’re hesitant to jump into an area if they can’t see what lies within. For the same reason, double fences (two rows of fencing) are often effective. Deer won’t risk being trapped in between fencing even if they can jump that height. You can use more attractive fencing for the outer layer and cheaper fencing like chicken wire for the inner part.  

Many people use the “invisible” thin black plastic deer netting and find it cheap and effective. Unfortunately, this netting creates quite a bit of waste because it is plastic and isn’t made with longterm durability in mind. It can also be extremely harmful to other animals including birds, small mammals, snakes, and other amphibians which can become trapped or entangled in it while trying to move through your garden. Check out this ultimate guide about morphs for ball pythons and how to use them.

If by any chance you unfortunately have snakes on your yard , do not try to catch them by yourself snake catchers brisbane provides professional services and will take control of the situation.

Sprinklers

In some cases, sprinklers on motion sensors have proven to be effective at scaring deer out of the garden. Not all sprinklers are created equal though, so be sure to check reviews and look for one with a strong, spray that will reach the edges of your garden.

Deer Repellent

Many companies offer deer repellent sprays that can be effective at keeping deer from eating your plants. Unfortunately, they don’t work long term and will need to re-applied many times throughout the season especially if it rains or your use overhead watering. It’s also worth noting that most of the effective ones are egg-based and you can create your own at home with eggs, water, and a spray bottle.

Deer Resistant Crops

If you cannot add fencing or other deer deterrents to your yard whether you’re dealing with an HOA or local zoning laws or simply because of time or financial constraints there are some “deer-resistant” plants you should be able to grow without too much trouble.

Vegetables

  • Asparagus
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Rhubarb
  • Eggplant
  • Artichoke

Herbs

  • Lemon Balm
  • Chives
  • Mint
  • Sage
  • Fennel
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Catnip
  • Anise Hyssop

Flowers

  • Poppies
  • Marigolds
  • Lavender
  • Yarrow
  • Calendula
  • Coneflower (Echinacea)
  • Daffodils
  • Bee Balm
  • Bachelor’s Buttons
  • Zinnias

Some plants will also yield decent harvests when grown in containers on a porch or patio where a small bit of fencing can easily keep them out of deer’s reach. Try growing lettuce, cherry tomatoes, peppers, or swiss chard in pots.

Every gardener faces their own set of challenges. If keeping the deer from eating all your plants has been a problem for you in past years implementing a couple of these ideas can help protect your garden this year.

Pin it for later.

Garden Advice

Organic Pest Control: Squash Vine Borers

Leave a comment
Early White Bush Scallop Summer Squash

Squash vine borers are a type of clearwing moth. They’re a bit unusual because unlike other moths they’re active during the daytime. The adults resemble wasps, are about 1/2 inch long, and have an orange abdomen with black dots. The adults lay eggs near the base of squash plants. These eggs take only about a week to hatch and then they bore into the base of the squash plant and up inside the stem, preventing the plant from getting water or nutrients from the soil.

Signs of their presence include the plants wilting, holes at the base of the plant, and of course spotting adults flying around plants. If your plant has vine borers present you can slice into the stem and kill the insects. If you carefully bury the wounded part of the stem with moist soil and keep it well watered your plant may survive. While this is an option, the best methods for combating vine borers are preventative.

Plant late.

Depending on how long your growing season is you may be able to avoid vine borers by planting your summer squash at the end of July. Adult vine borers typically lay eggs in late June or early July so your late planting of squash won’t be mature until after vine borers are finished laying eggs.

Use crop rotation.

Once squash borers feed for 4-6 weeks they burrow into the soil where they spend the winter pupating. Rotating crops can help minimize the pressure on your plants.

Choose resistant plants.

Some cucurbits are much less likely choices for vine borers. Try planting squashes in the moschata and argyosperma family as well as watermelons and cucumbers.  Check out the post below for how to use young winter squash like summer squash.

https://blog.southernexposure.com/2014/08/winter-squash-as-summer-squash/

Invest in row cover.

Covering your squash with row cover before late June can prevent vine borers from reaching your plants to lay eggs. This method needs to be used in combination with crop rotation as vine borers hatch from the soil.

Plant a trap crop.

You may be able to eliminate some of your garden’s vine borer population using a trap crop. Wait until your plants have vine borer larvae present and then pull and burn the plants. You may never get all of them this way but it can help reduce the problem next year provided you don’t have close neighbors also growing squash.
If you struggle with squash vine borers in your garden consider trying one of these preventative methods this summer. They can help you combat squash vine borers in without resorting to pesticides.

Garden Advice

Don’t Let Downey Mildew Get You Down!

Leave a comment
DMR 401 Slicing Cucumber

A few weeks ago we asked our Facebook followers what their biggest gardening challenge is. While there were a variety of answers (and we hope to address many of them here on the blog), one common one we’d like to start with is downy mildew.

It may look like a fungus but downy mildew is actually a parasitic organism closely related to algae that can affect a variety of plants including basil, lettuce, spinach, melons, cucumbers, and squash. It causes pale green and yellow spots to form on the upper surface of the leaves. Spots of blueish or white fuzz may also form on the underside. As it progresses the leaves will turn brown and fall off. It rarely kills the entire plant but can cause a significant reduction in crop yields.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many organic methods available to treat downy mildew. Some studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that copper or neem oil may help in some cases but they both seem to be far from reliable. Instead, we’ll discuss ways to prevent downy mildew in the first place.

Use trellises.

Downey mildew loves moist conditions so providing your plants with good airflow is an excellent way to prevent the disease. Getting vining plants up off the ground is a great way to accomplish this. Many cucurbits can be grown on a trellis.

Vertical Gardening: The Beginners Guide to Trellising Plants

Water carefully.

Another way to prevent downy mildew by controlling moisture is to water with care. This means watering in the morning so the plants can dry throughout the day and/or using drip irrigation or soaker hoses rather than overhead watering.

Prune your plants.

If appropriate, prune your plants to increase air circulation.

Space your plants properly.

While it’s sometimes okay to space plants closely together if you struggle with downy mildew, give them room. Following spacing instructions is another way you can increase airflow around your plants and avoid moisture. It also helps ensure your plants have adequate nutrition and are less susceptible to disease.

Be vigilant.

Downey mildew can spread from plant to plant so diseased individuals should be removed as soon as you notice them.

Try disease-resistant varieties.

While there are many different strains of downy mildew there are some downy mildew resistant varieties. We carry DMR 401 cucumbers from Michael Mazourek’s breeding program at Cornell University that offer good resistance and excellent flavor.

Choose short season varieties.

Due to the fact that downy mildew thrives in humid conditions, you may be able to avoid it by growing short-season varieties and avoiding the bulk of the wet weather in fall and spring. Short season watermelons like Blacktail Mountain and winter squash like Burpee’s Butterbush or Table Queen are great choices.  

Unfortunately, there is no organic cure-all for downy mildew. However, following these tips can help you keep it from wreaking havoc on your garden.

Saving the Past for the Future