Last year the deer almost killed my Ghislane de Felgonde

I piled two fences ---one on top of the other to protect her tiny buds---I'm anxious to see her blooms??

This won't work when she gets taller .
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Florence

Last year the deer almost killed my Ghislane de Felgonde

I piled two fences ---one on top of the other to protect her tiny buds---I'm anxious to see her blooms??

This won't work when she gets taller .
{{gwi:270332}}

Florence

Florence, I have been using Liquid Fence for 3 to 4 years with good success. You would need to apply after it rains. I also hang cd's on the roses to frighten the deer.
Carol

Florence, a rosarian from the local club had her roses found by the local deer even though she is in a heavily traveled area. She and her husband set some seven foot poles into the ground and ran fruit tree netting from pole to pole. They used little clips in certain areas so they could get in to prune the roses. After they put the netting up the deer stopped eating the roses. The roses are completely visible to passers by and can even be smelled but the deer leave them alone. When the deer reach out to take a bite their nose hits the invisible netting and it scares them because they do not know what just happened.

Lance

Fencing is always your best bet, and it can take many forms. I had a "deer proof" border (mostly deer resistant plants), that included some delicious roses. To protect the roses, I used a single strand electric fence around the bushes. I baited it with peanut butter smeared on aluminum foil. They never bothered the roses. I put it on a timer so it was off during the day and I wouldn't have to worry about getting shocked myself. I also put up a few isolated electric loops attached to a pole with the same bait (modeled after a similar product on the market). No deer tracks were seen in this border or in my yard. They even left the pansies alone. May not work in an area with heavier deer pressure or if they were starving.

I have had good luck with smelly herbs like mint, basil, oregano, and rosemary. My La Reine got chomped the other night - time to rescue her with some herbs!

Florence I hope you get those blooms this time. My whole garden is fenced except for a small area in front. The deer don't bother there until July when they get hungry. I had an idea about a removeable fence. I want to put a series of trellises with their legs in concrete that I could set up for the rest of summer that just lines the bed.
I have had good luck with liquid fence but one must be religious about it or they will make ruination in a night.

My brother-in-law has beehives which were regularly bothered by bears. He put up a motion sensor that triggers a loud radio - it works. Do you think deer would be scared away by that?

I think the fruit tree netting would be the best option short of a fence. Barriers are best. When the deer get really hungry, nothing but a barrier really works.

I remember reading somewhere on this forum where one egg mixed with one gallon of water will behave much as the Liquid Fence does. I have just started experimenting with this method after some deer chomped my plants. So far so good, but I think I will re spray every week or so, just to be safe. By the way, I used one egg to one quart, because my spray bottles are 16 ounces each and I do not have that big of a container. I hope it is not harmful to the insects.

I use Plantskydd (blood) spray, and they won't go near it. You can spray it on (but do NOT get it on you), or you can pour a line of it around your beds, and they won't touch them.

I've also mixed my own Liquid Fence instead of paying $100 a gallon or whatever ridiculous price, with good results.

Here's the recipe I use:

Blend two eggs with 1/2 cup of water for 2-3 minutes on high, add some garlic (I get a little mean with the garlic). Add 2 more cups of water and 2 TB of Tabasco or hot sauce. Strain into spray bottle and spray on plants. It did seem to burn my tulips a bit one year when it was sunny, but they quit eating them...

I just recently bought a bottle of the Liquid Fence, but it rains every weekend, so I haven't gotten a chance to spray it yet! I read the label, and it only will stand up to approximately 1" of rain per week for three to four weeks, then needs to be reapplied. In my environment, this is going to get pretty expensive with the number or roses we have.

I keep hearing that the LF brand is more lasting than the home made products. Please let us know how often you are applying it, and how many deer seem to be in your area? We have quite a few here, but my husband the hunter can't shoot them--- too many houses now, too close by.

Allison