Buying Land Without Building Right Away - Did You Know This?

Good advice on wildlife-resistant landscaping. Another thing I've found helpful is putting in temporary fencing around young trees or shrubs - nothing fancy, just some basic wire mesh. It doesn't look amazing, but it keeps deer and rabbits from turning your investment into breakfast. Once the plants mature a bit, they're usually less appealing to wildlife anyway. Learned that the hard way after losing a whole row of saplings overnight...

Temporary fencing is definitely a smart move, especially if you're planting young trees. I've seen deer strip saplings bare in just one night - it's pretty frustrating after all that effort. Wire mesh isn't glamorous, but hey, it's practical and relatively inexpensive. Another thing I've tried is using wildlife-repellent sprays on vulnerable plants. They're hit or miss, but sometimes they can buy you enough time for the plants to toughen up a bit.

Funny story, I once had a client who insisted deer wouldn't touch his new shrubs because he planted supposedly "deer-resistant" varieties. Well... the deer didn't get that memo. A week later, his fancy shrubs were chewed down to twigs. Lesson learned: "resistant" doesn't mean "proof."

Anyway, good call on the fencing - better safe than sorry!

Temporary fencing is definitely worth the hassle, even if it doesn't look great. Learned that the hard way myself. A few years back, I bought a small piece of land with plans to build eventually, but figured I'd get a head start by planting some fruit trees early on. Thought I was being smart - give them a few years to mature before we moved in. Well, turns out deer and rabbits had other plans.

I tried those wildlife sprays too, and you're right, they're pretty hit or miss. One brand seemed to work for a couple weeks, then suddenly the deer decided they didn't mind the taste after all. Another one smelled so bad I couldn't stand being near my own trees, let alone imagine eating fruit from them later. Eventually, I bit the bullet and put up some wire mesh fencing around each tree individually. Not exactly pretty, but it did the trick.

Funny enough, I also fell for the "deer-resistant" plant marketing once. Planted a whole row of supposedly deer-proof shrubs along the property line thinking they'd be safe. Nope... within days they were chewed down to sad little stumps. Lesson learned: never trust marketing hype when it comes to hungry wildlife.

Honestly, if you're buying land and not building right away, it's easy to underestimate how quickly nature takes over. Temporary fencing might seem like an unnecessary expense at first, but it's way cheaper than replacing plants or dealing with erosion issues later on. Plus, protecting your investment early just makes sense - kind of like checking your credit report regularly instead of waiting until there's a problem (sorry, couldn't resist the analogy). Better cautious than regretful later.

I feel your pain on the deer-resistant plants. I once planted a whole bed of "guaranteed deer-proof" hostas, and the local deer herd treated it like an all-you-can-eat salad bar. Temporary fencing isn't pretty, but you're right - it's effective. I've also found that combining fencing with some strategic planting (like thorny bushes or prickly shrubs) can help discourage wildlife. Not foolproof, but every little bit helps...

Temporary fencing might work short-term, but honestly, deer adapt pretty quickly. I've seen them jump surprisingly high fences or even squeeze through gaps you'd think impossible. Maybe investing in repellents or motion-activated sprinklers could be a more sustainable solution long-term...

Totally agree about deer adapting quickly - it's pretty amazing (and frustrating!) how determined they can be. When we first bought our land, we tried temporary fencing too, and it worked...for about a month. After that, they figured out how to jump right over it. Eventually, we set up motion-activated sprinklers, and honestly, they've been a lifesaver. Just make sure you position them strategically around your garden or trees, and adjust the sensitivity settings so they don't go off every time the wind blows.

Haha, those sprinklers can be a double-edged sword...had one set up near our driveway and forgot about it completely. Let's just say the pizza delivery guy wasn't thrilled. Deer are way smarter than we give them credit for - temporary fencing was a joke for us too. Ended up planting some deer-resistant shrubs around the perimeter, and surprisingly they've helped quite a bit. Still, nothing's foolproof when you're dealing with wildlife.

"Ended up planting some deer-resistant shrubs around the perimeter, and surprisingly they've helped quite a bit."

That's a smart move - I've heard mixed results about deer-resistant plants though. Did you find certain shrubs worked better than others, or was it more trial and error?

We tried something similar a few years back when we bought our land and weren't ready to build yet. Deer-resistant shrubs seemed like the perfect solution at first, but honestly, it felt more like a guessing game than anything else. We started with boxwoods because everyone said deer wouldn't touch them...and for the most part, that was true. But then came winter, and apparently hungry deer will munch on just about anything. They didn't destroy them completely, but definitely left some noticeable damage.

Next, we experimented with junipers and barberry bushes. The junipers held up pretty well - maybe the prickliness helped - but the barberry bushes were a mixed bag. Some survived untouched, while others got nibbled down to sad little sticks. I still can't figure out why certain bushes were targeted and others weren't. Maybe location or exposure mattered?

Funny enough, the one shrub that surprised me most was lavender. We planted it mainly for aesthetics and fragrance, not really expecting it to deter deer. Yet somehow, it ended up being one of the few plants that stayed completely untouched year-round. Go figure.

I guess my takeaway is that "deer-resistant" doesn't always mean "deer-proof," especially if they're hungry enough. Did you notice any seasonal differences in how effective your shrubs were? I'm curious if your results line up with mine or if you've had better luck overall.

Interesting observations about lavender - I had a slightly different experience. We planted lavender too, thinking the strong scent would keep deer away, but ours got nibbled pretty badly during a particularly harsh winter. Maybe it depends on how desperate the deer get or even regional differences in deer behavior?

One thing I've noticed is that deer-resistant plants often work better when they're combined with other deterrents. For instance, we had decent luck pairing shrubs like junipers and boxwoods with motion-activated sprinklers. It wasn't foolproof, but it definitely reduced the damage significantly compared to relying solely on plant selection.

Also, location definitely matters. Shrubs closer to wooded areas or deer trails seemed to get hit harder than those near open spaces or closer to our driveway. So maybe it's less about the shrub itself and more about placement and additional deterrent methods? Just something to consider...

We tried lavender too, but our deer must've missed the memo - ate it like a salad bar. Honestly, best budget deterrent for us was a cheap wind chime...guess they're picky eaters who prefer silence with dinner?

Interesting about the wind chime...but honestly, I'm skeptical. Deer around here seem totally unfazed by noise. We tried hanging CDs (remember those?) thinking the reflections would scare them off - nope, they just admired themselves while munching away. Maybe your deer are just more refined diners? Anyway, I've heard good things about Irish Spring soap shavings scattered around plants. Cheap enough to test out, and bonus: your garden smells fresh after rain.

"We tried hanging CDs (remember those?) thinking the reflections would scare them off - nope, they just admired themselves while munching away."

Haha, now that's an image! Honestly, deer seem to adapt pretty quickly to our little tricks. I've heard about the soap thing too, but never thought it'd actually work. Curious though - doesn't the soap just wash away after a good rain? Or do you have to keep reapplying it every few days? Seems like it could get tedious, even if it smells nice...

"Haha, now that's an image! Honestly, deer seem to adapt pretty quickly to our little tricks."

Yeah, deer are way smarter (or maybe just more stubborn) than most people give them credit for. I've tried just about every DIY trick out there - soap bars, human hair clippings, even garlic spray. The soap actually holds up better than you'd think, especially if you hang it in mesh bags, but after a few heavy rains, you've gotta reapply. It gets old fast.

One thing that surprisingly worked for me was planting certain shrubs and flowers deer naturally avoid - stuff like lavender, boxwood, or daffodils. Doesn't always look exactly how you'd planned your landscaping, but at least you won't wake up to a garden massacre every morning. Has anyone tried fencing just a smaller portion of land temporarily until you're ready to build? Wondering if that's worth the effort and cost...

Temporary fencing can actually be pretty cost-effective if you do it right. I had a client who fenced off just their veggie garden area with simple T-posts and deer netting - worked surprisingly well, and didn't break the bank. Worth a shot, at least until you're ready to build.

"simple T-posts and deer netting - worked surprisingly well, and didn't break the bank."

Did something similar last year when we bought our plot. Just fenced off a small area for fruit trees and herbs. Cheap, quick, and kept the wildlife out until we figured out our long-term plans.

Did pretty much the same thing when we got our land a few years ago - just fenced off a small garden area to test things out. One tip I'd add: keep an eye on maintenance costs. Deer netting is cheap up front, but it can tear easily, especially if you've got curious wildlife around. We ended up replacing sections more often than expected. Still a good short-term solution, but budget a bit extra for repairs and replacements down the line.

"Deer netting is cheap up front, but it can tear easily, especially if you've got curious wildlife around."

Yeah, learned that one the hard way myself. Switched to metal fencing after a season or two - cost more upfront but saved me headaches later. Have you found any other affordable options that hold up better over time? I'm still experimenting with different setups, especially for larger areas...

Yeah, learned that one the hard way myself.

I've had decent luck with welded wire fencing - it's sturdier than deer netting but not as pricey as full-on metal fencing. Picked some up at a farm supply store, and it's held up surprisingly well against deer and even a nosy raccoon or two. Only downside is installation can be a bit of a pain if you're doing it solo...but hey, that's what weekends are for, right?

"Only downside is installation can be a bit of a pain if you're doing it solo...but hey, that's what weekends are for, right?"

Haha, true enough. One tip I'd add is renting a post driver - makes setting the fence posts way easier, especially if your soil is rocky or compacted. Saved me hours and some serious frustration.