There’s a thief in my neighborhood.
Actually, there are at least 1000, according to Rochester Hills’ City Naturalist Lance Devoe.
Deer. We all love them. Watching Mama Doe and her babies meander through the yard is nature at its finest. On one snowy day last winter, we had 10 deer frolicking through the back forty. One deer, nicknamed “Gomer” visited us so often, that my husband almost got him to take a pear from his hand. Almost. It’s one of the main reasons I love living in Rochester Hills.
But the havoc they have wreaked on my garden this year has even this nature-lover begging for relief!
Exactly two tomatoes have been harvested from my nine tomato plants. The beans, cucumbers, strawberries, watermelon and bell peppers are long gone. The carrot seeds so lovingly sowed never stood a chance. The only vegetables left standing are the jalapenos, broccoli, romaine, basil and celery. Apparently deer don’t care for those, like some children I know. Those plants have been mauled in the pursuit of the “good stuff”.
Even my trusty Liquid Fence spray, so effective in past years, was no match for this year’s herd.
It’s enough to make an avid gardener throw in the trowel!
With Rochester Hills reporting record numbers of deer and deer-car crashes (217 in 2007), City Council is researching methods to thin the herd. None of the options are particularly appealing to residents, and most are ineffective or cost-prohibitive. Some of the choices being considered by City Council include hiring sharpshooters (at $350/deer), lifting the three-year moratorium on bow-hunting, a ban on wildlife feeding, raising public awareness and increased signage in high deer population areas. State law prohibits trapping, relocating and contraception of the deer.
Rochester Hills’ Mayor Bryan Barnett doesn’t know what the answer is. Neither do I. Do I want hunting to be allowed within 450 feet of my home and family? Absolutely not. All I want is one more home-grown tomato for a BLT before autumn strikes.
To quote many Tigers fans, “Maybe next year.” In the meantime, those of us afflicted with our beautiful, majestic, hungry deer will have to make do with the Farmer’s Market and roadside stands. Sigh. . .
Go Tigers!
Written by Marianne Sweet
Home Sweet Home Staging, (586) 212-8400
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Jill Wente 08.20.08 at 1:29 pm
Marianne: My father who is a master gardener has been having a terrible time with deers this summer. Since my father is retired, he spends a lot of time doing what he loves and that is gardening. You can imagine how upset he was when he discovered that deer have eaten the buds off is 20 rose bushes. He tried several things but nothing was working until… He sprinkled chili powder all over the rose bushes. Now the deers won’t touch them. Apparently deers do not like their food hot and spicy. Give it a try. Hopefully it will work for you.
Marianne Sweet 08.21.08 at 6:44 am
That makes sense Jill, since the deer avoid the jalapenos. I’ll try it next year. I think this year’s harvest is a lost cause.
Maureen Francis 08.21.08 at 11:12 pm
Marianne,
My tomatoes are driving me crazy this year. I built lovely raised beds to baby them. Had beautiful soil/compost delivered. Laid down a drip watering system. Mulched. Fertilized. Staked and tied. Nipped the suckers. But the darn things just won’t turn red. I have a ton of them out there and I have not eaten one big red tomato yet. Next week we are heading out of town for a while and I know I am going to miss the first ‘maters of the season. My neighbors are happy though…
We don’t have deer here, but we have other pesky critters that get at my harvest before I do. I feel your pain.
Marianne Sweet 08.26.08 at 6:56 am
Hopefully those ‘maters will be ripe and red by the time you get back!
We also had an infestation of gypsy moths this year. Did you get those? Or is that a Rochester Hills thing too? And the usual Japanese Beetles, who did a number on my impatien and rose leaves. It was a bad year to be a gardener.
Maureen Francis 08.26.08 at 7:37 am
I am not sure if we got gypsy moths. I thought what I got was whitefly. Still not sure what it was, but it was bad. I kept spraying the plants with soapy water. I burned some of the leaves as a result of over zealous soaping!
Our Japanese beetles were here this year, but way down. I did not have my zinnias in early enough and that is what they have loved in my yard in the past. I do see them on the roses, but not too bad.