GardenSMART :: Deer Dangers You Don't Know and What to Do About Them
Deer Dangers You Don't Know and What to Do About Them
By Bobbex, Inc.
Photographs courtesy of Bobbex, Inc.
It's hard to live in suburbia these days and be unaware of the difficulties deer can cause homeowners. They lunch on your landscape and brazenly cross busy roads at the worst possible times. But did you know that deer can carry parasites that transmit diseases to people? Or that nationally, deer versus car collisions claim about 200 lives per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?
Bambi is less beautiful when you consider the deer dangers you don't know. While damage to bushes, blooms, shrubs, trees and gardens can be annoying at best and costly at worst, deer can pose other risks to the safety of your home and family, including:
* Disease dangers – Deer can carry ticks that transmit disease, like Lyme disease and brucellosis. Lyme disease can cause headaches, fever, fatigue, joint pain and rashes, and is often hard to diagnose. Left untreated, Lyme can damage the nervous system and even cause memory loss. Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that causes flu-like symptoms, including fever and headaches. In addition to affecting the central nervous system, it can attack the heart lining, too.
* Pet threat – Direct injuries to people caused by deer may be uncommon, but deer that dwell in suburbia often come in contact with pets. Even a small doe can cause injury to a dog or cat if the deer feels threatened and cornered. Bucks with antlers can be even more menacing to pets, especially during rutting season.
* Real estate reductions – Everyone knows that curb appeal is king when you're trying to sell a house. Deer eat 6 to 10 pounds of food daily, tearing leaves from plants and bark from trees. Their foraging can weaken and even decimate plants. Deer damage to landscaping, especially trees, can seriously spoil curb appeal, sometimes causing potential buyers to think twice before purchasing a home in an area known for deer damage.
* Perpetual predation – Deer are prey animals and an abundant population of them in a small area can draw other predators, like coyotes and even bobcats looking for an easy-access meal, to your house.
To protect your home from deer damages – both known and unknown – it's important to be proactive. If you act before the deer do you may be able to prevent the destruction altogether. Once deer settle into an area, it can be difficult to convince them to leave. Since no one wants to unnecessarily harm deer, it's important to try safe, preventive measures such as:
* Deer repellent – It's possible to deter deer without the use of harsh chemicals. Bobbex Deer Repellent, a topical foliar spray, uses taste and smell-aversion ingredients to deter deer from browsing on foliage, flowers, shrubs and trees. All-natural, it's safe for use around sensitive plantings, your children and pets. It works in any climate, won't wash off in heavy rain, and it has been found to be 93 percent effective – second only to a physical barrier – in testing by the Connecticut Department of Forestry and Horticulture. To learn more about testing, visit Bobbex's website.
* Fencing – While fencing is considered a sure-fire way to keep deer out, it's not always desirable or practical to fence your entire yard. Many communities restrict the height of fences, some are unsightly and deer have been known to jump fences as high as 10 feet.
* Devices – Noisemakers and lights that are motion-activated may scare deer away for a short time, but deer will eventually learn there's no real threat and return to an area where deterrent devices are in use.
* Unpalatable plantings – Hungry deer will eat almost anything, but it is possible to plant some vegetation that deer are less likely to eat. Interspersing plants like yarrow, fuzzy lamb's ear, catmint and hellebore may offer some protection for plants that deer find desirable.
The easiest way to deter deer danger at your home is to start using a proven effective, ready-to-use deer repellent and thwart the problem before it becomes bigger than you bargained for. For more information on Bobbex Deer Repellent, and other animal repellents, please visit www.bobbex.com
All articles are copyrighted and remain the property of the author.
By Delilah Onofrey, Suntory Flowers
Photographs courtesy of Suntory Flowers
Planting annual beds of flowers, especially those that are bred to take the summer heat, thereby extending their glory into fall makes a lot of sense.
Click here for an informative article that discusses an economical strategy along with design ideas that can provide color like - a living highlighter. To learn more click here.
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