DEALING WITH HUNGRY DEER
One of the more interesting facts about deer is that about the time (September or October) their coats turn from brown to gray, their stomachs change from being able to digest grasses to digesting only shrubbery, nuts and conifers. Feeding hay to starving deer in winter does nothing to save them. In the absence of acorns (for which they have to compete with wild turkeys), deer will happily dine on our prized plantings. I fear that evolution’s next trick may be to give them hands, so that they can simply open our doors and empty our refrigerators!
HOME DEER REPELLENT
My homemade brew is an excellent deer repellent. Here’s the recipe:
Mix in a blender with two cups of water:
8 Habanero chilis (remove stems and wear gloves when handling)
4 large garlic cloves
2 eggs
1 tablespoon ground ginger
Blend until very finely pureed. I let this mixture sit overnight. Then strain it twice so it doesn’t clog your sprayer. First strain it through a strainer. Then the second time use either two layers of cheese cloth or a very fine sieve that you can get at a kitchen shop.
Mix one cup of this mixture in one gallon of water.
Add 1 oz. of Wilt-Pruf* in summer.
Add 3 oz. of Wilt-Pruf* in winter.
*Wilt-Pruf helps it to stick on the leaves so it doesn’t need to be reapplied after each rain.
It’s effective for 60 to 90 days. I have absolutely no deer problems.
Carole Williamson, Columbia, Ct.