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Deer and legumes

Foxse2001Foxse2001 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
hi folk, deer on my allotment have destroyed climbing beans and sweet peas this year. Last year they destroyed chick peas (an experiment that failed). During the winter they stripped a couple of large hebes! And those are just their favourites! Any thoughts to deter them? Feeling very disillusioned ... 😞

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I'm afraid that good deer fencing is the only really effective way of protecting your garden. 
    @chicky has visiting deer ... maybe she'll be able to advise further ...

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • chickychicky Posts: 10,410
    Deer are a menace in a veg garden - they’ll eat pretty much anything.  I should think other allotment holders would feel the same.  Can you all club together for some fencing round the whole site ? (It needs to be about 8 foot tall - they can jump pretty high). Alternatively we make quite effective defences using chicken wire and bamboo canes round things.  If you make the enclosure small enough that they can’t jump into it, then you can get away with this being a bit shorter.

    Good luck 🤞🏻
  • Foxse2001Foxse2001 Posts: 2
    hi, thank you for the comments. I don't think my fellow allotment-holders are in the business of clubbing together for the common good (sadly)!! I have protected some things with canes/chicken wire, which is working. the allotment is starting to look like some sort of prison camp which makes me sad but c'est la vie. and what they don't eat, they tread on or break!! oh well - I shall persevere!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    There's always venison stew Foxse.... ;)
    It's tricky - the only thing that works is fencing. It's not cheap, but then again, it is 'deer' fencing....

    Sorry - couldn't resist. The old jokes are the best   :D
    Good luck with it. I think you have to be imaginitive, as chicky says. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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