Fall Gardening With Deer
Posted on September 04 2019
The start of Fall is around the corner; and the season is considered a last hurrah for many gardeners before early frost and snow covers crops.
In late summer, gardeners begin growing fall vegetables including leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and beets. They will need to pay attention to the zone they live in (check out the zone mapping from USDA) and see when frost warnings will take effect. Crops may need to be covered with blankets for insulation and to stay protected away from deer browsing and other garden critters. Although, there are other solutions for garden protection against deer. Keep reading to find out...
Deer will continue to pursue gardens in the autumn season, as they also know that they will soon only eat fallen leaves and twigs instead of homegrown plants. To avoid chilly windy guests, deer will approach gardens in the early morning and late evening hours to go unseen by homeowners.
To protect plants this fall from deer damage, gardeners will need to be proactive in installing a deer fence around plants. Having a deer fence is a wise choice for growers that are serious about gardening and wish to use the fence as a long-term investment for deer management. Deer fencing can be used for up to 30 years! While there are many types of yard fencing on the market, the best types of fence for deer control are made from a polypropylene or metal material. The type of deer fence to be used will depend on a number of factors:
- Level of deer pressure - light to moderate or heavy.
- Chewing animals? Rabbits, groundhogs, coyotes, wolves, foxes.
- Temporary/seasonal or permanent use of fencing?
Deer are a year-long nuisance that produce year-round problems for gardeners. They will continue to drop ticks in the yard in the fall and crate health hazards for people, pets and other wild animals.
