Three weeks ago I arrived at the farm to discover that deer had gotten under, through, or over our electric fence and had quite a feast on the large planting of tulips at The Farm at St. Joe’s. This is unacceptable.
Down on The Farm at St. Joe’s we love the deer and the rabbits. After all, they are God’s creatures and serve an important role in the ecosystem. However, we don’t like them eating the plants that we lovingly tend in our gardens. Those plants are meant to make it to you in the form of delicious food and lovely flowers.
We don’t want to hurt the animals and we don’t want to use any toxic products on the farm. That is why we employ the help of some natural ingredient based products to help steer these critters clear of our farm. I picked up some large volumes of Plantskyyd and Liquid Fence at Downtown Home and Garden and gave it a try. I sprayed the Plantskyyd, which is cow and pig blood, directly onto the tulips, and followed up with a perimeter of Liquid Fence, putrescent eggs, along the entire length of my electric fence. The scent of the eggs and blood should keep the critters away.
If you purchase either of these products wear gloves and plug your nose. Both smell terrible and the Plantskyyd is blood and will stain. (Rest assured that the smell isn’t detectable to humans shortly after application.) These products aren’t pleasant to use, but anyone who has ever gardened knows that desperate times call for desperate measures. Plantskyyd and Liquid Fence are available in small and large quantities. The salesman at Downtown Home and Garden recommends both products, and using them in alternating years so the little animals don’t get wise. Multiple applications throughout the season are recommended too.
Two weeks have passed and so far so good.
Too bad you had to choose a product that isn’t friendly to animals, afterall they are “God’s creatures”. Maybe you can find something else that is better for our planet and the ecosystems, and then advertise that. The man down at the store selling products doesn’t care about animals, but maybe you can.
That’s a good point Sheryl. I do prefer to use physical barriers in the garden.
I tried bloodmeal to keep the bunnies away, my beagles ate it all!! I could use something to keep the dogs and especially the neighborhood cats out of my garden – any suggestions?
I would recommend deer/bird netting or chicken wire to keep the dogs and cats out. I’d put the beagles to work on keeping the cats out.
I don’t have to deal with deer where I live so I don’t know if it works, but I read an article recently about using fishing line to keep deer away. They don’t have the article online, but the article says that deer can’t see it so when they walk into the garden they walk into the fence and it scares them. Plus, they won’t jump over anything they can’t see.
He spaced his lines 5 inches apart up to five feet high, then crisscrossed the lines between the poles. He used 2 spools of 8lb test line for a 24’x40′ garden. It cost him $16.
He said it doesn’t keep the bunnies out but they don’t eat much and that it’s fun to watch the birds try to balance on the line.