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CRITTER-PROOF YOUR FRUIT GARDEN

© Connie Krochmal

When I moved to upstate New York six years ago, the deer weren't so numerous. They've edged closer and closer. And found things they like to nibble.

Deer seem especially fond of fruits. Moravia Falls, N.C. is apple country. But its also deer country with maybe 50 deer per square mile in the county. So growers have real problems.

Am I willing to share my fruits with these creatures? No way. What can we do to fight back?

Paul Curtis, a wildlife specialist at Cornell University, is studying deer sterilization and contraception. Eventually he hopes to come up with methods that work, but this probably won't be available for some years. Hunting isn't a solution. Once deer were an important source of meat. I just finished reading "The Forest," an engrossing, historically accurate novel by Edward Rutherfurd, published by Crown Publishers about The New Forest, a royal forest in England. For years, the English monarchy depended upon the deer in the forest for their meat, which they salted for winter use.

In some states, commercial growers can get special permits to kill deer out of season. But these permits aren't that easy to get, so don't count on it.

Repellents do work. Curtis and other scientists tested them. But they must be reapplied often, depending on the weather. Not all repellents are labeled for edible crops. Read the label before using. Deer-Off works great for fruits. It is made of egg solids and hot pepper. It also deters rabbits, who graze on my cantaloupe plants.

Even home remedies like soap, unwashed human hair, fabric softener dryer sheets, predator urines, and garlic work fine. So do homemade sprays using eggs. Some folks swear by Milorganite. This sludge product is sold as a natural fertilizer. I wouldn't spread it on strawberry beds where it might come in contact with the fruits. Instead, use it around the edge of the bed. Dried blood or similar animal products can be used the same way.

A Swedish recipe on the Internet uses dried blood, ammonia, and water. This mixture was then put on Oasis cubes, attached to stakes placed around the garden. Yes, it's works. But it is so smelly.

Some folks put strands of monafilament lines around garden beds. Deer then avoid the area because they apparently don't like getting tangled in it. Place the strands about three feet above the ground. Tie streamers to it to make it clearly visible to deer and humans.