[Nepeta]

HELP!

I need help. This past season, the wretched deer kept the tomato plants munched down so that I got very few tomatoes. The plants grew well, but the deer kept at them.

A fence is not an option. Money is tight. I live in a city on a heavily traveled street, so putting Bambi into my freezer is not an option although I would like to.

What can I do to avoid sharecropping with the deer???

[greeneyes]

I really have to defer to others on this issue, as we have no deer in our neighborhood. Thanks goodness - I know it’s a challenge.

The almanac has an ad for www.GardenDefenders.com and indicates a sale. Might be worth checking it out. Good luck.

[gorush]

We make approximately 4-5’ dia. WWF tubes around each plant and drive a fence post in to attach it to. It might work in your situation, maybe not. Good luck.

[trisham]

I don’t know what to tell you. We have herds of deer here but they’ve never sampled our tomatoes. Are you certain that it’s deer?

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Nepeta:".. deer kept the tomato plants munched down so that I got very few tomatoes."

A couple of weeks ago (9/5), there was an offer of Moruga Scorpion Peppers (hotest scovill units)here on the forum from Ladysforest .
I plan on making a "hot pepper tea" to deter deer,rabbits, woodchucks,squirrels, etc. and other browseing critters.
Probably will need to be reapplied after rainfall.
Tea Recipie: One gallon jug,water ,3-4 hot peppers split with seeds, 4-5 drops of Dawn dishwashing soap (as surfactant), let it brew in sunlight for 4-5 days.
Strain tea to keep out solids , and place in hand sprayer for manual application.

This will be an experimental deterant, as I haven't yet made the tea yet this year.
Moruga Scorpion Peppers alledgedly have 180,000- 2 million scovill units, varies according to maturity and method grown.
The 'heat' is throughout the pepper, but concentrated in the seeds.That is why peppers are split.
Use gloves and protective eyeware-its not for the faint of heart, or for the careless !!

[IMR 4350]

Take 4”-6” strips of rag, hang them around your garden and soak them with a cheap cologne or after shave, the cheaper the better.

Reapply about ever week or 2 and after a rain.

[Ellendra]

Why is a fence not an option? If it’s the cost, I made a “fence” by stringing fishing line between poles to keep the deer out.

If they’d run at it, they would have gone right through it. But instead they approached it slowly. They can’t see well enough to make out an 18Lb fishing line, but they could feel something was there. It makes most creatures nervous when they can feel something but can’t see it, so they avoid the area.

It worked at my garden, at least. There were tracks where they went around it.