Cautious optimism

13 years ago

I have been trying the Vicks Vaporub experiment to see it if it really works to keep the deer away, and so far......even though we saw a fawn not 10' outside the gate, and deer in the field Out Back, there have not been deer in the woods garden.

I smear the stuff on the gates, the fences, the logs and rocks around the beds, and a little on the plant leaves, Even on the tree bark and some bamboo stakes at random in the beds.

I've been cautiously removing the hosta cages one at a time, and nothing has been eaten since I started using it. Even the rabbits seem to be leaving things alone now. I reapply it every couple of weeks, just to keep it fresh, and it only takes me a few minutes as I'm walking my daily rounds.

I'll keep doing it all summer, and see if it continues to work. Sure hope so! It's a heck of a lot easier than all the sprays and repellents and waaay cheaper!

Sandy

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Comments (8)

jan_on zone 5b
13 years ago
Way to go Sandy! Visitors to your garden will be asking for a division of 'whatever plant that is that smells so interesting'.lol
Jan
User
13 years ago
Maybe I can try it to deter dachshunds from digging holes in the mulch and landscape fabric? Little Dolly discovered MOLES yesterday, caught one to play with, and she is now known as MOLE DOG. Hope she doesn't bring them inside like she does her grass and leaves and twigs.
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leafwatcher
13 years ago
I wonder if you could buy some little cheap birdhouses,drill lots of holes in them, hang them all around the garden...and put a bottle of vicks in them? leave enough roof to keep rain from washing the vicks out,(or maybe that would be good). Anyhow the scent may stay strong quite a long time possibly?
mosswitch
Original Author
13 years ago
I think the Vicks needs to be at nose level for deer to be effective, and even lower for rabbits. The little birdhouse idea might be cute, tho, put on the fence posts with the Vicks facing out at regular intervals. Maybe....just a piece of wood shaped like a birdhouse with a hole drilled in it where the opening would be, and filled with Vicks. Just a thought.

Sandy
User
13 years ago
I'm not sure if deer see in color. But, if you can get some fabric strips of all the same color, and tie those to the sections of your fence after soaking them in Vicks, they will soon realize that the cloth signifies the Vicks. Then if that seems to keep them out, try tying the same color cloth to the name tag for your hosta. Or to a stick at spots along the pathways in your garden.

Love such experiments. BF Skinner would be proud of you.
WILDernessWen
13 years ago
So, let me get this straight. We're feeding beer to the slugs, rubbing Vicks Vapo Rub all over the garden, and walking around with Bounce dryer sheets hanging off our clothes to repell mosquitoes. Ummmm, okay! :) WW
mosswitch
Original Author
13 years ago
Not sure if deer see in color, either. I do know they don't see well at all in the daytime, just blurry movement is all they can see. They see pretty well at night tho unless there is a light in their eyes, then they are blind. Their noses are what are good, according to an article on PBS their sense of smell is like 80 times greater than a dog. Or maybe it was more than that. Astounding.

So its the nose that has to be catered to, not their sight. Guess it wouldn't matter what color it was.

Sandy
don_in_colorado
13 years ago
Pardon me, I just got an idea for the 'How Would You Improve Hostas' thread...

Don B.