Deer are eating my beans!!!

[Yukongirl]

I was so proud of my garden and it is doing amazing....until yesterday.

I went out to look at my hard work and do a little weeding and I discovered that the deer (they live in the unmowed part of my way back yard. ) have taken a liking to my green beans.

Any good ideas on how to keep the deer out of my garden?  


I don't own a gun.

Slinger?   

• Tweet
• 

[AlphaDog]

Piss off hoofpik and mow the area where the deer live.

Either that, or a cyanide saltlick.

[hoofpik]

Deer will come to feast on beans (and other plants) no matter if the area is mowed or not.  There are several ways to try to keep them out, but none are always successful.  Here is a fact sheet from Cornell that could be helpful....
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/gardening/factsheets/deerdef/

[Serendipity]

I've had problems with deer and rabbits in the past, so I chicken-wired the entire perimeter of the garden and attached metal U-shaped hooks at the bottom of the chickenwire to keep the rabbits out.  I covered the top with netting to keep birds and deer out.  The netting is easy to remove when I need to weed and I can water the garden right through it (so I don't need to remove it often).

I have green beans, peas, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, melon, watermelon, carrots, squash, Brussels sprouts, brocholi, zucchini, chives, cilantro, peppers, celery, and cabbage in the garden.  And despite being very near the wooded area of the property.....not one rabbit or deer has yet to get into it.  Then again, the gray fox that lives right behind the garden may be helping.   

[Yukongirl]

I think that is what I am going to have to do.

My daughter was upset that the deer or rabbits were eating her beans!!

Off to the farm store tonight.

Do you think I need to cover and fence everything?  I have tomatoes, beans, peas, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers,red onions, mint, corn and potatoes.

[hoofpik]

Fencing can be expensive, but if it works for you, may be worth the investment.  This year I put up a fence around my vegetable garden to keep my dogs out.  They played in it and crushed everything.  I have not had any deer visit the garden but they like the pastures near it.  I have never used netting but it should also keep out insects.  Some are nasty insects and some are benificial. 

[jayleefrick]

Hanging strong smelling bar soap on posts around the garden will keep deer away.  We've had luck with Irish Spring.  Also, you could have your husband or some other willing man, urinate around the perimiter.  That will keep deer and rabbits away. 

[Yukongirl]

Hanging strong smelling bar soap on posts around the garden will keep deer away.  We've had luck with Irish Spring.  Also, you could have your husband or some other willing man, urinate around the perimiter.  That will keep deer and rabbits away. 

Maybe I can just go out there and squat my way around...lol.  Or I could ask my neighbor in the yellow shorts. I bet he would be willing. 

I am thinking that I may try the soap....

[jayleefrick]

Hanging strong smelling bar soap on posts around the garden will keep deer away.  We've had luck with Irish Spring.  Also, you could have your husband or some other willing man, urinate around the perimiter.  That will keep deer and rabbits away. 

Maybe I can just go out there and squat my way around...lol.  Or I could ask my neighbor in the yellow shorts. I bet he would be willing. 

I am thinking that I may try the soap....

Good plan.  I was a little skeeved about the whole urinating thing, but it does work. 

[Lockster]

You could also try one of those motion detector sprinkler systems.  A friend who has an island house uses one to keep deer out of his beds when he's away.   

The first time I saw one it scared the #### out of me.  Got a good soaking too.

[crazyray]

We put up that orange plastic snow fench around the whole thing.   Have not had one near
it.  It looks ugly.  It works.

[Serendipity]

Fencing can be expensive, but if it works for you, may be worth the investment.  This year I put up a fence around my vegetable garden to keep my dogs out.  They played in it and crushed everything.  I have not had any deer visit the garden but they like the pastures near it.  I have never used netting but it should also keep out insects.  Some are nasty insects and some are benificial. 

100' chickenwire, 6 fence posts, and 100'x20' netting cost approximately $80.00....but it can be stored and reused in the future. 

Unfortuntely (or maybe fortunately), the netting's openings are more than wide enough to permit insects to get in (as is the chicken wire).  My only fear is that because the netting is hard to see, a bird might get stuck in it.  So far, that hasn't happened.

[Terri]

We had a couple of rabbits this year...so we fenced in my whole garden...I also planted marigolds around it...so far I've had good luck and everything is growing great...
Good luck...its no fun...

[Wendel2]

Try dog hair.  Give Rover a good combing and then spread the hair all over the garden. 

[inspector71™]

Our garden is only an 8' x 16' raised bed, but we fenced it with some page wire and some ripped down 2x4's. Then I made a mixture to spray around the garden and our separate strawberry patch. Take 2 teaspoons each of garlic power, cayenne pepper and chili powder. Place them in a coffee filter and then give a couple shakes of Tobasco or any other hot sauce (we used the dollar store cheapo). Then tie up the coffee filter and place in a quart jar. Fill with boiling water and let it brew for several hours. Remove and toss the filter and then pour the brew into a spray bottle. Spray where needed. Do not saturate your plants or the root areas (although I have sprayed it onto some new trees to keep deer off them.)
We also use the dog hair trick whenever we brush and/or trim them.

[catnap]

I can think of three options:

1.  A fence - probably the most practical.

2.  Security watch force deployed around the parameter of the garden - 24X7  - a little expensive

3.  A couple of wolves.  They are very effective in controlling dear.  The only problem worth mentioning is that you would need a fence to contain the wolves.

[CowLessDude]

 Give up on the beans. Let bambi have them they'll help fatten him up a little. I'll be up the 3rd Saturday in October to fill your freezer for you.

[Yukongirl]

So, I was going to stop at my local hardware store to get some fencing.....but they were closed. At 6 o'clock on a Friday?  

Next stop was my Dad's.  He had some of the orange snowfencing, so I snagged it. As of right now, my beans and peas are surrounded with bright orange fencing, held up with two soccer nets at the ends, metal marshmallow sticks, and a piece of small plastic pipe and some small narrow pieces of lumber. It looks pretty interesting...lol.

I'll know in the morning if it kept my hungry critters away from my veggies.

[hoofpik]

Well you certainly are giving it a lot of effort!  Good Luck!

Did you ever look at the Cornell fact sheet?  It discusses many methods. 

[Yukongirl]

Give up on the beans. Let bambi have them they'll help fatten him up a little. I'll be up the 3rd Saturday in October to fill your freezer for you.

Thanks, CD.  I love venison!! 

Do you have a silencer?  I live right in the village.  There are at least 6 white tails in the back field.

If they eat any more of my food, I'll might just have to return the favor.  

[Radagast]

   Try making a mirror mobile (I'm not kidding). They are mobiles made from a coat hanger, with several little square pieces of 1/8" plexiglass mirror. Put the mobile and each piece of mirror on monofilament fishing line & swivels, so they spin with the slightest breeze. Hang two or three in the back yard, or wherever your garden is. At night, they catch the ambient light (street lights, back yard spot light), and they reflect. Drives the deer nuts, because they can't figure out if it's a predator or not.
   It also drives the rabbits and squirrels nuts. The crows, they could give a shit less. Since the City started the "crow abatement" program, they have all moved to my neighborhood, darned flying rats that they are!

[Yukongirl]

  Try making a mirror mobile (I'm not kidding). They are mobiles made from a coat hanger, with several little square pieces of 1/8" plexiglass mirror. Put the mobile and each piece of mirror on monofilament fishing line & swivels, so they spin with the slightest breeze. Hang two or three in the back yard, or wherever your garden is. At night, they catch the ambient light (street lights, back yard spot light), and they reflect. Drives the deer nuts, because they can't figure out if it's a predator or not.
   It also drives the rabbits and squirrels nuts. The crows, they could give a shit less. Since the City started the "crow abatement" program, they have all moved to my neighborhood, darned flying rats that they are!

That is a very cool idea.  I will put that on my weekend to-do list.

Where do I get the mirrors?

[Wiener]

For birds I guess, I saw some Mennonites or Amish up near Dekalb using what looked like the silver Christmas tree tinsel stung on string over the rows. Who knows !

[inspector71™]

Supposedly there is some type of flower that the Amish plant around the perimeter of their garden areas that repel deer. I can't remember exactly what it is but hopefully someone will chime in here.

[tree68]

I pass a place on the Moose River Road (on my way to the railroad) that has fence 6' high, and covered on the top.  Its a small garden, but it's well protected.

[crazyray]

  Mine field.   You can grow veggies and hunt all at the same time.

[CowLessDude]

Give up on the beans. Let bambi have them they'll help fatten him up a little. I'll be up the 3rd Saturday in October to fill your freezer for you.

Thanks, CD.  I love venison!! 

Do you have a silencer?  I live right in the village.  There are at least 6 white tails in the back field.

If they eat any more of my food, I'll might just have to return the favor.  

 No silencer needed. All you need is a 2 liter soda bottle. It realy quiets down my .270.

[Serendipity]

Deer will come to feast on beans (and other plants) no matter if the area is mowed or not.  There are several ways to try to keep them out, but none are always successful.  Here is a fact sheet from Cornell that could be helpful....
http://www.hort.cornell.edu/gardening/factsheets/deerdef/

Wow I just surfed your link for an hour.  There's some great information on all aspects of gardening in addition to deer defense. Thanks.



P.S.  YG:  I'm still laughing about the double take I did when you first posted the thread.  I thought it said "Deer Are Eating My Bears."   

[hodad]

Deer are eating my beans!!!

You might as well put this out for them too then ...

[gunslinger]

Any good ideas on how to keep the deer out of my garden?  

I don't own a gun.

Slinger?   

Oh, darlin' - I'm sorry I missed this earlier!  Ol' Slinger can help, yes he can - and we don't need any guns, either.
I happen to own and operate a wonderfully quiet bow, which can be used long before the 3rd Saturday in October. 
Now, this doesn't mean that I think you should pass up on the opportunity to perimeter pee.  I'll be happy to stand guard over you during this process!