I am just starting my garden. I really have almost nothing in my yard. I want to have natives but I also love deer and love to watch them come into my yard. I know they do eat things and was wondering if planting only natives and no invasives would deter them. They are beautiful majestic animals.
Deer
This thread should get you started:
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/401531/
Equilibrium
Mar 14, 2007
Interesting.
Just a comment. We just moved a small beech tree from the edge of the woods to the edge of the yard. (100 yards or so) We have many little beech growing along the trails in the woods. Figured after 10 years of living here and never saw one eatten they were safe. Last night we looked and the tree is stripped of all its branches, deer tracks all over. I guess they thought if it was worth the bother of moving, it must taste good.
Equilibrium
Apr 11, 2007
I know the feeling of believeing one's plants are going to be safe. Really sorry about your beech tree.
It was doomed anyway. While the Emerald Ash Borer is eating away at our Ash trees Beech Bark disease is killing our Beech trees.
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/beechbark/fidl-beech.htm
The Michigan DNR has closed a U.P. campground because of the danger from falling dead Beech trees. This disease is not confined to the U.P. It was first detected in Ludington.
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10369-128400--,00.html
Oooooh, did not know this. We have many large beech trees on the property that appear healthy, and many, many babies. It may just be time, huh?
We have had deer near our deck. They have not bothered my garden yet. They do come to the front yard to get the pears as they fall. Here are some of them.Enlarge to see them better. I have a blueberry I thought they had eaten but found out it was rabbits.
Equilibrium
Sep 25, 2007
I received this in an e-mail a while back and about had a heart attack. I don't think this lovely couple has any idea how many diseases deer carry. I was in shock when I saw the video.
Here it is-
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=67160&fr=yvmtf
gn63, here's an article that was written a while ago that somewhat sums up the issues with the numbers of deer we are seeing these days-
http://discovermagazine.com/2003/mar/featdeer/
Just another perspective from a public health standpoint.