Landscaping in Deer Country

by traci

by Matt Watts

We all love to see their young fawns with their cute little spots in the spring and their daddy’s huge rack in the fall.  We also enjoy their meat in our freezers all year round.  On the flip side, deer can be a gardener’s worst enemy. The fact is we like them until they eat our trees and shrubs.  The following are a few horticultural tips that will help you have a lush, sustainable landscape while living in deer country.

A major factor of landscaping involves horticultural, which would be your trees, shrubs, and perennials.  There are many concepts to explore while choosing the right plant for the right location, knowing how many deer visit your site is one of them. There are few things we can do to grow plants in deer country.  A 6ft high fence is the best deterrent when dealing with deer.  However that might not be an answer for a variety of reasons.  There are many kinds of repellants from sprays, to ultrasonic, to witchcraft your mamma used to do, but I consider those temporary at best.  Landscape design and plant choices go a long way to combating browsing deer while creating a sustaining, a visually appealing landscape.

There are 3 types of categories that plants fall into when dealing with browsing deer.  Frequently Damaged, occasionally damaged, and seldom damaged. Planting seldom damaged plants in high deer routes keeps deer moving and not looking at maybe some colorful frequently damage plants you have close to the house or in the backyard. Landscaping in deer country is possible!

Deer damage is typically seasonal, choosing a bloom time that is during the time when deer are not around is a way to enjoy more color in your landscape through the seasons.  Also protecting your trees or shrubs with fencing, during the fall and winter, especially in the first couple of years after planting, is important for long term survival. 

The following are plants that are on the seldom damaged list but provide color and interest in our gardens. First on the list will be our ornamental grasses. There are a wide variety of grasses to choose from that will add interest while keeping the deer uninterested.  A great choice for fall color and winter attraction is, Schizachyrium scoparium, common name Little Blue Stem. Little Blue Stem is a native American prairie grass with outstanding drought and cold tolerance. Little Blue Stem grows 2ftx2ft tall and wide. It has great color in the fall as it changes color from green to orange with reddish tones.

Iris germanica and Iris sibirica are great springtime additions that are durable and stand the test of time.  Both varieties grow throw rhizomes and have similar flowers and height, but the Siberian has a smaller flower and tends to spread less. Both grow to be 2ft high.

Paeonia lactiflora, the peony plant should be loved by everyone with their late spring to early summertime flowers that range in size from 3”-10” wide.  These are long lived perennials, that make great cut flowers that are very fragrant. Try out the tree peony variety for some added interest in your garden.

Perovskia artriplicifolia Russian Sage is a graceful, aromatic, perennial with silvery, grayish green foliage, topped with lavender blue blossoms that bees love.  The flowers last for months, and they make great cut flowers. That brings up the incredible, stress relieving, bee loving, Lavandula.  This is a fun plant that is used in sleep time sprays and culinary practices.  Lavender creates a stunning border that will add color to your garden from summer until fall. In wrapping up my last shrub that can be used in borders or patches of green color throughout the landscape.

Boxus sempervierns is a compact, evergreen broadleaf shrub that can tolerate a wide range of sun from all day sun to in the dark shade.  They typically grow to be about 3x4ft in size.  A great shrub to provide substance to any landscape.

Living in deer country is awesome, but landscaping in deer country can be frustrating, but remember deer eat all plants at some point during the year! It’s part of living in deer country. Working around them by using plants that they hardly eat keeps their routine travel pattern out of your yard.

Landscape Maintenance

Stop Raking, Start Mulching. Here’s Why: 

by michelle

Every autumn, we break out the rakes, garbage bags and tarps. But did you know that raking leaves can actually hurt your lawn and the ecosystem?  

It’s true. Plants, including grass, require nutrients from the soil to grow. As leaves decompose, they release nutrients back into the soil. By removing the leaves every fall, you are denying your soil those necessary ingredients. Additionally, small critters such as butterflies and beetles use fall foliage as winter nesting grounds. If you let the leaves rest as they land, however, they can create a thick barrier that smothers your grass. So, what to do? Save yourself the trouble of raking and mulch instead! Your lawn (and your lower back) will thank you. 

  Mulching is simply a process of shredding the leaves into smaller pieces, so the break-down process happens even faster. It is a simple and straightforward way that you can create a healthier and more ecofriendly green space while still preparing your lawn for winter and spring.  

The most common approach to mulching is with a lawn mower. There are many varieties of mulching blades and mowers available, but any type of mower and blade can chop the leaves up for you. For thick layers of leaves, you may want to make multiple passes or try spreading the leaves out into a thinner, more even layer.  

Begin by setting the blade to its highest setting. Next, remove the bag from the mower. Now you are ready to begin mulching! Simply pass the mower over the lawn as if you were cutting the grass. You want the leaves shredded to roughly the size of a dime, which may require a second pass. If you have accumulated more than 6 inches of leaves it will be more difficult to mulch with this method. To avoid that, consider mulching a few times throughout the autumn season. 

After mulching, the leaf fragments should be small enough to settle down into the soil. You will now be able to see mostly grass – it may even look as if you have raked! If your leaves are concentrated in one area, you can always re-attach your mower bag, fill it with mulched leaves and then spread that over garden beds or add it to your compost. 

We hope you try this new method of fall clean-up. It is sure to enhance your soil and ecosystem while saving you time and effort! 

Landscape Maintenance

‘Tis the season to winterize sprinklers!

by michelle

Irrigation Blow Outs

Why it’s important:

When water freezes, it expands. Expanding water can put undue pressure on your irrigation system which can lead to cracking or damaged pipes and sprinkler heads. Damaged or leaking underground pipes are expensive to repair as they require excavating, replacement and then ground cover restoration. Broken sprinkler heads may cause water to pool around your home, driveway, or sidewalks which can cause further damage or safety hazards.  

 Avoid those unnecessary issues by winterizing before the first hard freeze! It is recommended that you have a trusted professional blow-out the sprinklers before the temperatures fall to or below 28 degrees Fahrenheit.  

How it works:  

The irrigation system is hooked up to an air compressor which blows all the water out of the lines. There are safety risks involved and this process must be carefully conducted so that there is no damage to the sprinkler system.  Most lawn care companies offer this service. Call to get your fall blow-out scheduled today!