I have finally had to admit it . . .something is eating my plants . . .and it is something big.
Over the past 10 days or so I have begun to notice plants shrinking rather than growing - (well I thought it is transplanting in the hot weather, what do you expect?) - lots of stems without flowers - (well, I thought, how untidy, I really must get better at deadheading down to a branch in the stem) and a few decidedly short roses - (even I couldn't think of a suitable excuse for that).
I tried to blame rabbits for a few days- we even bought a humane trap - but today I have had to own up to the fact that WE HAVE DEER.
This is such a big deal because when we moved here I looked at the houses in Aberfoyle with their 12 feet high prison like fences and said "I am NOT having a deer fence", we will find another way. We put up a short fence 4 feet in from our boundary fence to the north - where the deer can be seen - the idea is that they can't jump over the full 4 feet and they can't land in the middle either. We just sort of ignored the rest of the boundaries and crossed our fingers - or more accurately put our fingers in our ears to drown out the sniggering of more experienced farmer neighbours.
I am still walking around saying "I am NOT having a deer fence" - a bit pointlessly as to be honest as we can't AFFORD a deer fence - I have spent the evening neglecting the children and draping netting around the plants which might expire if eaten any more while I think of a more attractive solution.
Neighbours say a gun and a freezer full of venison! I think that the deer are walking along the road and coming in the front gate. They love delphinium, euphorbia and white willowherb.
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3 comments:
You might have some luck sticking bamboo poles or something else out of the clumps of plants. Position them at such an angle that they will walk into it as they approach to eat... of course, if they're hungry they will just go to the next thing, unfortunately. :(
That's a great idea - My emergency attemtps included covering one bed of sea holly seedlings with scattered bamboo canes like pick up sticks in the hope that they wouldn't like standing on them - well it worked for one night!
We've got little muntjacs that are so cute and you see them so rarely - that it is such a pleasure and somelthing to be savoured.
Not that I'd be too impressed if I found them wandering at will across the garden.
I know about the expense of fencing - with an old g*t of a shetland pony who has an enormous backside that he uses to batter down fencing, posts and gates - aided and abetted by two naughty (and weighty) sheep - we are forever worrying over the saftety of and expensive of keeing these animals put.
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