More on deer predation --- Here in rural western Washington deer are prevalent and it seems they'll eat most anything eventually. Just when I think I've found something they won't touch, my AH HA! changes to OH NO! They won't even nibble on something for years, even decades, and then they suddenly decimate it. Also, in my experience, they are especially attracted to just about any newly planted plant. The only thing I've found that works for me is to fence everything within reach of the little (or big) gluttons. However, fencing, at least mine, is not effective on elk. They act almost as if it's not even there. Black bears also climb over the fence (to my surprise) that surrounds the orchard to feast on ripening apples, though they seem to have a preference for the pears. I haven't tried a dog yet, but think it would be effective with frequent patrolling. A friend, a professional grower of alpine plants, places rat traps (the common spring type) baited with slices of apples on the perimeter of his growing area. He says it's very effective for him in deterring deer. One sharp rap on the nose seems to prevent their return. I've tried it and it does seem to work, although I just as often find the traps sprung by the large native slugs. A slug in a rat trap is not a pretty sight - not for the faint of heart. I'm sticking to fencing. The *only* things I've found that the deer don't touch here are galanthus and leucojum. I was beginning to think all irids were safe from deer predation, but no; some they nibble, some they chew to the ground, some they pull up and drop, half eaten. Paradisea that has seeded in the meadow outside the fenced area also appears unmolested, at least for the time being. Deer have a way of breaking your will and breaking your heart (They are NOT cute). Be safe, Mike Zn 7, cool mediterranean On Thu, Jun 25, 2020 at 8:32 AM Sylvia Sykora via pbs < pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, adjacent to a 30,000 acre regional > park, the deer much prefer our gardens to the wide open park lands. > Happily, our property was enclosed in a brick wall by a former owner (no > deterrent to raccoons, however, who are very destructive) and only > occasionally has been breached by a spooked deer. The relatively small > garden plantings outside the brick wall - all California native shrubs and > perennials - are protected with a 3.5' decorative metal fence on one side > of the walk, but open to marauding deer on the other side. At most the > deer nibble the unprotected plants, nothing more. A much larger > unprotected slope now planted with native shrubs also is left untouched by > deer. The deer wander the streets and occasionally walk up the slope, but > eat nothing. I wonder if planting natives as a barrier around decorative, > non-native plants may be a partial solution to deer munching. > > Now, if someone can suggest a way to deter raccoons and wild turkeys, I’d > be very interested! > > Sylvia in the Oakland Hills > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/…