Maggie, I have for years, and am right now keeping deer off with an egg yolk spray. I use 2 egg yolks and one white (acts as a sticker spreader even through some moisture if given a chance to dry), mixed in a little water to blend well, *strain* (because there are clumps) into a hand sprayer (about a 2-cup sprayer), spray it on everything. Repeat in 3 days, and then only after it rains. You won't smell it, but they will. It stops most mammals, it keeps the raccoons off my tomatoes. You should refrigerate it, although you don't have to. It will smell terrible, and might clog up the sprayer, but it still works.

At the end of the summer where I am and it's dry, the only greens are my gardens, and I up the yolks to 3-4.

For those that don’t want to pee in the garden here is something else that I am told works but I have not tried it myself. Go down to the local barbershop and get human hair clippings. Put the hair in little bunches in bags made from old nylon stockings and hang those around the garden.

Sweetpea, I use liquid fence in the front on the ornamentals, which has egg, garlic, meat by products, but don't want to use it on the food, nor egg products, as they could be a vector for salmonella.

I just now got home from school and noticed a ground squirrel on the back deck snatching bird food that fell from the feeder. I took the boys out to chase it away (cute, but they eat fruit and veggies) and what did I see in the backyard, but the golden shine of Mildred's torso. Sent Hubble down to get her, Merlin was too lazy. Once Merlin saw that Hubble was after Mildred, he ran down barking, but Mildred had already jumped into the neighbors then away off into the fields.

One thing I did notice was that as soon as the darn deer was gone, Hubble peed at the fence line where she probably entered. So, the dogs, at least, have no qualms about that. Must keep eyes peeled....

Maggie

Yeah, like raccoons, they never forget!!


There actually isn't an issue of salmonella from the spray because it dries, and it can't survive. I do wash everything anyway, because they get dusty, and where I am there's salt from the ocean, but it's never been a problem.

At the Master Gardeners meeting tonight.. one guy offered to send his Bow Hunting friend over to eliminate my problem. I figure that killing one deer will only lead to another deer coming in.. let's say.. her daughters..

I have sort of kinda thought that the urine in the rabbit manure/cage debris heped detour the deer. Let's face it.. rabbit manure probably smells like deer poo.. Maybe I should make a tea of rabbit manure and spray it on the leaves of my tomatoes...

Does anyone have any ideas about making a "manure/urine tea" from any manure to spray on plants to deter deer?


Perhaps.. I'm on to something new..

Pet rabbits are our friends!