Norma finally reached her breaking point the other day when the deer ate about $50 worth of freshly planted flowers in her garden while she was downtown for a haircut. She has tried everything including bottled blood, expensive sprays and me peeing in various corners of the gardens (that caused quite the flurry amongst the ladies in the condo next door)! Nothing worked! The deer were dining at will and the food just kept coming. Norma's Free All Night Deer Diner is open for business, everyone welcome.
Brooks and Linda were up on the weekend and she got them to install an electric fence! The parts cost a little under $200 and they ran three strands all around three sides of the property. She wanted him to continue across the driveway but we talked her out of electrocuting the early morning newspaper delivery woman so that is left open for now. I don't think many deer come in from the highway side anyway but she is trying to think of a way to block it off at night. I think Brooks and Linda might be back to install a sliding chain link gate sometime soon.
The morning after the electric fence was installed Linda was awakened by the sound of a deer screaming outside her back bedroom window so the fence seems to be working! We have gone three days now with no flowers being munched so the smell of victory is in the air. Or is it burning deer flesh? That would put a smile on Norma's face!
Deer are as common in Lethbridge as in Campbell River. Gardens have a good solution: plant flowers that deer won't touch with a ten-foot pole. End of problem. :) http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/deerplants.shtml
ReplyDeleteI'm with Norma on the deer. In Marin they were everywhere and they seem to prefer eating expensive, named roses to just plain weeds. After one ate my Sterling Silver just as it was full of buds but before I'd seen a single bloom - I could have shot Bambi myself. I think I would have enjoyed that squeal of pain as deer met electric fence!
ReplyDeleteAs for plants that deer don't like, have you looked at many of them? A gardener can not be happy with oleander alone. The deer in California would eat more than half of the plants on that list above.
She has tried the "deer proof" plants and they got eaten just as quickly as the roses. I don't think the Vancouver Island deer have the latest list of plants they are not supposed to eat.
ReplyDeleteAh, well, Norma's retired and I guess she needs something to do. ;)
ReplyDeleteYes, it keeps her busy alright!
ReplyDelete