Yesterday I noticed some tracks heading from the driveway to the side of our house. Looks like that rabbit is back looking for something to eat in the perennial beds.
This morning I noticed tracks in the fresh snow headed to the right in the photo below straight for the native bed-most likely deer who seem to enjoy nibbling on the sumac bushes.
When I take a closer look at the damage next spring, I'll try to figure out what deterrents I might try in the future. With the neighborhood being located close to High Cliff State Park, the deer tend to wander through the area often, so we can only hope they find more appealing options at the neighbors.
Damage
Animals that do the most damage to herbaceous plants include: deer, rabbits and woodchucks. Deer damage is distinctive because deer only have teeth on their lower jaws, so when they bite down, they must tear the plant to pull off leaves. Thus, deer damage to plants is rough or shredded-looking. It may also be several feet off of the ground. Plus, if a large amount of plant material is damaged overnight, you should suspect deer. Rabbit damage looks like someone used a pruner to cut the plant off at a clean, 45-degree angle. Woodchucks will mow down plants, or sometimes just nibble on succulent material. They are diurnal, so keep on the lookout.
Cultural Controls
Anticipate deer problems, especially in suburban or rural areas. Use deterrents such as fencing, scare devices, and repellents. Apply repellents at the first signs of damage to deter deer from establishing a feeding pattern. Deter rabbits by surrounding their favorite plants with small diameter mesh fencing; fencing off the growing area (if possible) with a 2-foot high chicken wire fence tight to the ground, or buried a few inches; and using chemical repellents. Most repellents depend on thorough coverage and may need to be reapplied after wet weather. Exclude woodchucks with heavy-duty chicken wire fencing buried 10-12" below ground and extending at least 4' above ground. There should be an outward pointing lip at both the top and buried bottom of the fencing.
While attempts to prevent deer damage in the garden by installing physical barriers and applying odor- and taste-based repellents, choosing plants generally thought to be less palatable to deer and other mammals is also recommended. Favorite foods, often destroyed by deer, include:
Cherries
Daylily
Dogwood
European Mountain Ash
Evergreen Azaleas
Garden Lilies
Hardy Geranium
Hosta
Hydrangea
Impatiens
Linden/basswood
Plums
Sea Holly
Strawberry
Tulips
Wintercreeper
Yews
American Arborvitae
Instead the following are choices to consider:
And this last set of tracks running down the neighbors hill and along the back of our property is a new visitor to our yard this year.
While attempts to prevent deer damage in the garden by installing physical barriers and applying odor- and taste-based repellents, choosing plants generally thought to be less palatable to deer and other mammals is also recommended. Favorite foods, often destroyed by deer, include:
Cherries
Daylily
Dogwood
European Mountain Ash
Evergreen Azaleas
Garden Lilies
Hardy Geranium
Hosta
Hydrangea
Impatiens
Linden/basswood
Plums
Sea Holly
Strawberry
Tulips
Wintercreeper
Yews
American Arborvitae
Instead the following are choices to consider:
Trees
Botanical Name
|
Common Name
|
Amelanchier
|
Serviceberry
|
Betula nigra
|
River Birch
|
Betula papyrifera
|
Paper Birch
|
Cotinus obovatus
|
American Smoke Tree
|
Crataegus
|
Hawthorn
|
Fagus
|
Beech
|
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
|
Green Ash
|
Ginkgo biloba
|
Ginkgo
|
Gledistia triacanthos
|
Honey Locust
|
Ilex opaca
|
American Holly
|
Juniperus
|
Juniper
|
Liriodendron tulipifera
|
Tulip Tree
|
Magnolia
|
Magnolia
|
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
|
Dawn Redwood
|
Picea abies
|
Norway Spruce
|
Picea pungens
|
Colorado Blue Spruce
|
Pinus nigra
|
Austrian Pine
|
Pinus resinosa
|
Red Pine, Norway Pine
|
Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa'
|
Corkscrew Willow
|
Sassafras albidum
|
Sassafras
|
Taxodium distichum
|
Bald Cypruss
|
Shrubs
Botanical Name
|
Common Name
|
Berberis
|
Barberry
|
Buddleia
|
Butterfly Bush
|
Buxus
|
Boxwood
|
Clethra alnifolia
|
Summersweet Clethra
|
Daphne
|
Daphne
|
Forsythia
|
Forsythia
|
Hibiscus syriacus
|
Rose of Sharon
|
Juniperus
|
Juniper
|
Lindera benzoin
|
Spicebush
|
Mahonia
|
Mahonia
|
Myrica pensylvanica
|
Northern Bayberry
|
Potentilla fructicosa
|
Potentilla
|
Rhus aromatica
|
Fragrant Sumac
|
Sambucus racemosa
|
Red Elderberry
|
Spiraea
|
Spirea, Meadowsweet
|
Symphoricarpos albus
|
Common Snowberry
|
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
|
Indiancurrant Coralberry
|
Syringa vulgarus
|
Common Lilac
|
Viburnum lentago
|
Nannyberry
|
Perennials
Botanical Name
|
Common Name
|
Achillea
|
Yarrow
|
Aconitum
|
Monkshood, Blue Rocket
|
Aegipodium podagraria
|
Goutweed, Bishop's Weed
|
Aegopodium podagraria
|
Snow on the Mountain
|
Ajuga reptans
|
Bugleweed, Ajuga
|
Allium
|
Allium
|
Amsonia
|
Bluestar
|
Anemone
|
Anemone
|
Aquilegia
|
Columbine
|
Artemisia
|
Wormwood, Artemisia
|
Asarum canadense
|
Canadian Wild Ginger
|
Asclepias tuberosa
|
Butterfly Weed
|
Astilbe
|
Astilbe
|
Baptisia
|
False Indigo
|
Brunnera
|
Siberian Bugloss
|
Cerastium tormentosum
|
Snow-in-Summer
|
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
|
Plumbago
|
Chelone glabra
|
Turtlehead
|
Chelone lyonii
|
Turtlehead
|
Convallaria majalis
|
Lily-of-the-Valley
|
Coreopsis
|
Tickseed
|
Dianthus
|
Dianthus Pinks
|
Dicentra
|
Bleeding Heart
|
Digitalis
|
Foxglove
|
Echinops
|
Globe Thistle
|
Epimedium
|
Barrenwort
|
Eupatorium purpureum
|
Joe-pye weed
|
Euphorbia
|
Spurge
|
Gaillardia
|
Blanket Flower
|
Gentiana septemfida
|
Crested Gentian
|
Geum
|
Avens
|
Helleborus
|
Hellebore, Lenten Rose
|
Heuchera
|
Coral Bells
|
Hypericum
|
St. Johnswort
|
Iberis sempervirens
|
Candytuft
|
Iris
|
Iris
|
Lamium
|
Spotted Deadnettle
|
Liatris spicata
|
Gayfeather
|
Ligularia
|
Ligularia
|
Lupinus
|
Lupine
|
Monarda
|
Bee Balm
|
Pachysandra terminalis
|
Japanese Pachysandra
|
Paeonia
|
Peony
|
Papaver orientale
|
Oriental Poppy
|
Penstemon
|
Beardtongue
|
Physostegia virginiana
|
Obedient Plant
|
Podophyllum peltatum
|
Mayapple
|
Polemonium caeruleum
|
Jacob's Ladder
|
Polygonatum
|
Solomon's Seal
|
Rudbeckia fulgida
|
Orange Coneflower
|
Salvia
|
Sage, Perennial Salvia
|
Sedum
|
Stonecrop
|
Solidago
|
Goldenrod
|
Tiarella cordifolia
|
Foam Flower
|
Tradescantia spp.
|
Spiderwort
|
Veronica
|
Speedwell
|
Annuals
Botanical Name
|
Common Name
|
Ageratum houstonianum
|
Ageratum
|
Antirrhinum majus
|
Snapdragon
|
Begonia semperflorens
|
Wax Begonia
|
Calendula officinalis
|
Pot Marigold
|
Capsicum annuum
|
Ornamental Pepper
|
Cleome hassleriana
|
Spider Flower
|
Dahlia
|
Dahlia
|
Heliotropium arborescens
|
Heliotrope
|
Hypoestes phyllostachya
|
Polka Dot Plant
|
Lantana
|
Lantana
|
Lobularia maritima
|
Sweet Alyssum
|
Matthiola incana
|
Stock
|
Mirabilis jalapa
|
Four O' Clock
|
Salvia farinacea
|
Blue Salvia
|
Senecio cineraria
|
Dusty Miller
|
Tagetes
|
Marigold
|
Verbena
|
Verbena
|
Zinnia
|
Zinnia
|
Bulbs
Botanical Name
|
Common Name
|
Allium
|
Allium
|
Eranthis hyemalis
|
Winter Aconite
|
Galanthus nivalis
|
Common Snowdrop
|
Leucojum
|
Spring Snowflake, Summer Snowflake
|
Muscari
|
Grape Hyacinth
|
Narcissus
|
Daffodil
|
Scillia siberica
|
Siberian Squill
|
Herbs
Botanical Name
|
Common Name
|
Allium
|
Chives
|
Anethum graveolens
|
Dill
|
Foeniculum vulgare
|
Fennel
|
Hyssopus officinalis
|
Hyssop
|
Matricaria recuitita
|
Chamomile
|
Melissa officinalis
|
Lemon Balm
|
Mentha
|
Mint
|
Ocimum basicum
|
Sweet Basil
|
Origanum vulgare
|
Oregano
|
Petroselinum crispum
|
Parsley
|
Rosmarius officinalis
|
Rosemary
|
Salvia officinalis
|
Common Sage
|
Satureja montana
|
Winter Savory
|
Thymus
|
Thyme
|
Grasses
Botanical Name
|
Common Name
|
Calamagrostis
|
Feather Reed Grass
|
Carex
|
Sedge
|
Chasmanthium latifolium
|
Northern Sea Oats
|
Erianthus ravennae
|
Tall Ravenna Grass
|
Festuca cinerea
|
Blue Fescue
|
Miscanthus sinensis
|
Miscanthus, Silver Grass
|
Pennisetum alopecuroides
|
Fountain Grass
|
Sisyrinchium striatum
|
Blue-Eyed Grass
|
Vines
Botanical Name
|
Common Name
|
Campsis radicans
|
Trumpetcreeper
|
Celastrus scandens
|
American Bittersweet
|
Lonicera sempervirens
|
Trumpet Honeysuckle
|
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
|
Virginia Creeper
|
Parthenocissus tricuspidata
|
Boston Ivy
|
Wisteria macrstachys
|
Kentucky Wisteria
|
And this last set of tracks running down the neighbors hill and along the back of our property is a new visitor to our yard this year.
The likely culprit spotted out on the lake in the distance, heard long before he was seen zipping by.
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