Multi-deer-mentional and Bambi-dextrous (not tonight deer)

By on Jul 25, 2018 in Deer resistant plants |

It’s the animals with healthy diets that create problems for me. The ones that eat vegetation. As people we are told to have a healthy diet we should eat more plants. For some animals that’s all they eat, and our yards are one big delicious buffet. It’s the healthy vegetarians that drive me crazy…Deer, Rabbits, Woodchucks. Even the possums are a problem with their healthy diet choices as they munch on my grapes and terrorize my neighbor’s protein rich chickens. I live on the lakeshore and the animals with junk food trashy diets don’t cause me much trouble. The seagulls love French fries though their food of choice is Doritos. The raccoon’s entrée of choice is the garbage can and the skunks stick to lawn insects like grubs. Lately it seems the deer are numerous, emboldened and less picky about where and when they dine. It seems where ever you live now more than ever. Their only natural...

The Big Three List

By on May 7, 2014 in Deer resistant plants |

By popular demand here is my “big three” list. What is the big three list you say? It is a list of plants that meet  today’s landscape criteria of popular demand. I’m simply sharing my favorites that meet the following criteria: 1) I want it to be colorful or bloom a long time (more than just a week or two). 2) I want it to be deer resistant. 3) I want it to be relatively easy to grow. The people have spoken making it clear these are the characteristics they are looking for in a plant. With that in mind and without further ado….and I mean “ado” because “adieu” means goodbye….here are my favorites! Rick’s favorites for long lasting bloom or color easy to grow deer resistant plants Agastache (Perennials also called Hyssop with long lasting blooms) Allium (Bulb) Baptisia (Perennial known as False Indigo) Begonia (Annual…..today’s...

Not tonight Deer

By on Jun 5, 2013 in Deer resistant plants |

Those who listen to my radio show or watch my television segments have asked me for a list of MY favorite deer resistant plants. I live in an area with a fair amount of deer pressure. I use repellants, however I have found that incorporating deer resistant plants in my landscape helps minimize the browsing. Bambi’s appetite can cost me “deerly” as in “bucks” not to mention the frustration of spring foliage munched just as they were putting on a show. That’s why in my landscape I incorporate plants from my “Not tonight Deer” list of favorites to discourage the deer from using my yard as a buffet. Rick’s “Not tonight Deer” favorite plants (Note: this is not a complete list of rarely damaged plants but are plants I try to work in throughout my landscape to reduce deer browsing) Alliums Achillea Ornamental Chives Anemone...

Superior Firepower

By on Oct 28, 2011 in Deer resistant plants |

With the predictions of heavy snow this winter, by the time spring comes along deer pressure will be significant on your emerging hostas and tulips….that’s where you need superior firepower in your garden….Milorganite. Bill Murray may have used bags of Milorganite as furniture in his hangout, but Milorganite is the trademark of a biosolids Fertilizer produced by theMilwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. It makes a great lawn fertilizer and can aid as a deer deterrent from browsing on your prized landscape plants while feeding at the same time. I have a friend on the east coast who slits open bags of Milorganite in late fall and leaves them setting out all winter. In spring he scoops the slimy sludge out of the bags and spreads it around his emerging hostas as both a fertilizer and deterrent. He claims it works like a charm, Hostas treated in this manner are...

Not tonight Deer!

By on May 5, 2011 in Deer resistant plants |

After a long cold winter followed by a late cold wet spring, deer are good and hungry for any blooming taste treats that might pop up in your yard. A perfect example is tulips which taste better than candy to Bambi. For some early blooming perennials that don’t end up being a snack it’s “Not tonight Deer” when it comes to these early bloomers….all favorites of mine……… Deer resistant Early blooming Perennials

Deer….let’s go someplace else…..

By on Sep 28, 2010 in Deer resistant plants |

It’s bulb planting season….or as some would see it time to set out a buffet for the hungry deer next spring. True….spring flowering bulbs like tulips in flower are tastier than candy for Bambi….especially when planted in a bed of Hosta. You don’t however have to throw in the “trowel” on spring flowering bulbs. I would suggest the following deer resistant flowering bulbs in your landscape before your effort and money are “deerly” departed……. In addition to these suggested deer resistant bulbs, I recommend you inter-plant some deer resistant perennials….try plants from the following list: Hellebores Ornamental grasses Bergenia Achillea Lamium Sweet Woodruff Russian Sage Lavender Lambs Ear Carex Mountain Garlic Japanese Anemone For additional plants, click on “Deerly Departed” at the top of my home page...