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...
