Post by Woody Williams on Aug 7, 2005 15:16:55 GMT -5
WW - Vanderburgh county is a "deer reduction zone"...
Humid weather, hungry deer are summer challenge
By JULIE MALLORY, Lady Gardener
August 7, 2005
Weather conditions and deer can wreak havoc in gardens. This summer, Evansville residents have experienced examples of one or both of these situations. Gardeners ask what can they do.
Weather has been unfavorable. Many perennials are either blooming earlier or having a very short bloom cycle, producing seeds, dying back and disappearing. Don't confuse the natural die-back of yarrow and spring varieties of Shasta daisies, colum-bines or hardy geraniums such as "Johnson Blue."
With high humidity, moisture doesn't evaporate, creating a climate for fungus, mildew and molds. Mushrooms may pop up, stems may turn black, spots may appear on Rudbeckias such as black-eyed Susans, mildew may appear on Monarda (bee balm), and stems may rot at ground level with the entire plant eventually turning black.
Annuals are not immune to humidity. Several of my hybrid impatiens seemed to have rotted at the base overnight while the tops were still green. When moisture in containers doesn't evaporate, routine watering will add to the problem.
Adjust or turn off automatic watering systems during humid weather. With humidity in the high 90s, the surface of my gardens remained moist for six days after an inch of rain. Test the soil below the mulch. If watering is necessary, avoid overhead sprinklers. Use a soaker hose, or hand water with a hose and nozzle.
Deer have been overly aggressive this summer, coming within several feet of the house. Faye Wortman, a North Side resident, lamented that deer ate a beautiful hibiscus plant in a container 10 feet from her front door. Master Gardener Barbara Patterson also has a deer problem at her North West home. She surmised from complaints that the deer on the east side of U.S. 41 seem to be more prolific and cause greater damage.
In my yard, the deer prefer the greener hostas to the blue varieties; phlox and other perennial blossoms disappear overnight. Deer compete with raccoons to empty open bird feeders. Two bunnies nibble on tender foliage.
With long, dry periods between rainfall, wild foliage deteriorates, causing deer to roam beyond woods and fields. With the care and attention gardeners give the landscape, deer will naturally gravitate toward healthier, greener plants.
A large, aggressive dog will probably keep deer at bay.
I tried a small bottle of hot sauce mixed with a gallon of water and sprayed hostas along the driveway. This worked for several days before rain washed the spicy residue off. Any spray will have to be repeated often. A friend placed a radio in the garden, but after a few nights the deer returned.
In the American Horticulture Society publication "The American Gardener," Carole Ottesen suggests creating zones with one zone designed with plants they love, and other zones throughout the yard filled with deer-resistant plants. "When you plant a clumping bamboo, a leatherleaf mahonis or bluestar, deer taste the gastronomic equivalents of rancid cheese and cardboard, literally laced with castor oil."
The one method that does work is an 8-foot-tall black mesh deer fence that is flexible enough to curve around the garden perimeter. If you have helpful suggestions, please let me know.
Garden dos this week:
· Collect seeds, dry, and store in labeled envelopes.
· Do not apply fertilizer to in-ground plants.
· Keep up routine maintenance - water, weed, remove dead foliage, stake large plants and inspect for insects.
Flowers blooming this week:
· Phlox, coreopsis rosea, butterfly bush, roses,
lavender (second bloom
Humid weather, hungry deer are summer challenge
By JULIE MALLORY, Lady Gardener
August 7, 2005
Weather conditions and deer can wreak havoc in gardens. This summer, Evansville residents have experienced examples of one or both of these situations. Gardeners ask what can they do.
Weather has been unfavorable. Many perennials are either blooming earlier or having a very short bloom cycle, producing seeds, dying back and disappearing. Don't confuse the natural die-back of yarrow and spring varieties of Shasta daisies, colum-bines or hardy geraniums such as "Johnson Blue."
With high humidity, moisture doesn't evaporate, creating a climate for fungus, mildew and molds. Mushrooms may pop up, stems may turn black, spots may appear on Rudbeckias such as black-eyed Susans, mildew may appear on Monarda (bee balm), and stems may rot at ground level with the entire plant eventually turning black.
Annuals are not immune to humidity. Several of my hybrid impatiens seemed to have rotted at the base overnight while the tops were still green. When moisture in containers doesn't evaporate, routine watering will add to the problem.
Adjust or turn off automatic watering systems during humid weather. With humidity in the high 90s, the surface of my gardens remained moist for six days after an inch of rain. Test the soil below the mulch. If watering is necessary, avoid overhead sprinklers. Use a soaker hose, or hand water with a hose and nozzle.
Deer have been overly aggressive this summer, coming within several feet of the house. Faye Wortman, a North Side resident, lamented that deer ate a beautiful hibiscus plant in a container 10 feet from her front door. Master Gardener Barbara Patterson also has a deer problem at her North West home. She surmised from complaints that the deer on the east side of U.S. 41 seem to be more prolific and cause greater damage.
In my yard, the deer prefer the greener hostas to the blue varieties; phlox and other perennial blossoms disappear overnight. Deer compete with raccoons to empty open bird feeders. Two bunnies nibble on tender foliage.
With long, dry periods between rainfall, wild foliage deteriorates, causing deer to roam beyond woods and fields. With the care and attention gardeners give the landscape, deer will naturally gravitate toward healthier, greener plants.
A large, aggressive dog will probably keep deer at bay.
I tried a small bottle of hot sauce mixed with a gallon of water and sprayed hostas along the driveway. This worked for several days before rain washed the spicy residue off. Any spray will have to be repeated often. A friend placed a radio in the garden, but after a few nights the deer returned.
In the American Horticulture Society publication "The American Gardener," Carole Ottesen suggests creating zones with one zone designed with plants they love, and other zones throughout the yard filled with deer-resistant plants. "When you plant a clumping bamboo, a leatherleaf mahonis or bluestar, deer taste the gastronomic equivalents of rancid cheese and cardboard, literally laced with castor oil."
The one method that does work is an 8-foot-tall black mesh deer fence that is flexible enough to curve around the garden perimeter. If you have helpful suggestions, please let me know.
Garden dos this week:
· Collect seeds, dry, and store in labeled envelopes.
· Do not apply fertilizer to in-ground plants.
· Keep up routine maintenance - water, weed, remove dead foliage, stake large plants and inspect for insects.
Flowers blooming this week:
· Phlox, coreopsis rosea, butterfly bush, roses,
lavender (second bloom