Until we had a sturdy deer-proof fence, we never had a single pumpkin or squash reach a useful size. The deer would even eat part of the vines. Please keep in mind that I don't live where you do and my deer are white tails and not mule deer. That might make a difference.

I really think I might try in the spring. Pumpkins are so fun for little kids. The area underneath my cherry tree has never been bothered (it is around 200 feet from where past behavior would indicate the deer and elk prefer to be) and Veilchenblau is the star there and it would be past its flush by the time the pumpkins do anything.

That area also has Tangerine Skies, a clematis and phlox but I wouldn’t be devastated if they were nibbled. I WOULD be devastated if they ate to nubs the rest of the climbers on the fence.

GG- I dont really know anything about what type of deer and elk inhabit my area. Do you? I’m right on the edge of Maple Valley, Covington and Black Diamond, if you’re familiar with that area.

Deer will be mule deer and black tailed deer. Elk are Roosevelt elk.

And I can make no comments about the appetites of elk :-) There are none on Bainbridge Island (thank goodness) but a friend living in the Fall City area had elk all over her garden and even up on her front porch. They are like twice the size of deer and not too delicate on their feet :-)) Very destructive!

Yes, they are big! They came in a few weeks ago and their hoofprints were as big as my husband’s outstretched hand-it was how I knew they elk came visiting not the deer since it always happens in the middle of the night when the dogs are inside

We have mule deer in our arid environment in the desert hills outside Boise. I grew pumpkins for years, and as the vines got bigger and grew down the slope toward the gully, the deer began taking interest in the pumpkins. They never succeeded in actually breaking a pumpkin open or eating it. They left tooth marks (green or orange--it didn't matter) on some pumpkins which were easy to hide in our displays. If I'd continued growing the pumpkins, I would have just ignored this damage, but I think my deer repellent is pretty effective, and is not made of any poisonous ingredients. If you're not going to eat the pumpkins, I'd use the repellent. It washes off, so you could eat the pumpkins or not. It won't harm you. Diane

I just want the pumpkins so the littles can watch them grow and then paint them. I do use the repellant spray sometimes so am not averse to that…I just think if you’re battling deer/elk the most important thing is not to get into their memories.

Occasional feedings are ipsetting but my yard won’t survive if they determine my plants are theirs for the taking on a regular basis

I get into their memories all right with my hose sprayer, my hollering, and yes, barking at the devils. I ran off a male with full antlers not long ago. My noise is awful. I was in my robe and slippers, too. When you get old, nothing embarrasses you. I can't say the same for my family. I know they come at night, and there's not much I can do about it, except repellents. My pumpkins were not growing near roses, but near other vegetables. They were in a very accessible area where the deer made their way up the slope and directly into the pumpkins. If your deer haven't already been attracted by the roses and fruit trees, I don't think the pumpkins will be a major attractant. The deer here are focused almost 100% on the roses. They "sample" the tomatoes occasionally and the pumpkins in the past. Diane

You may need to build a wood framed enclosure over the pumpkin patch with chicken wire. Maybe about 28 inches high. With a top along with one wall side that can be pulled off.

The deer here love eating the rose leaves, they might like pumpkin leaves even more.

It sounds cool socal but I can’t build anything on that side of the fence. They would have to live or die on their own.

It’s funny your deer like the leaves. Here they eat the buds. They might rip and tear the rosebushes apart but they leave the canes/stems on the ground.

Absolutely their favorite thing to eat is the hosta. Then come the roses, daylilies and hydrangea.

I don’t have any hosta on the other side of the fence-too sunny and I very rarely water over there.

They don't really bother the roses in my garden. But they sure do love my hydrangeas! And my clematis. But only the flowers or buds. They munch on other plants as well but generally only bother with the flowers. Except for my tomatoes....they will prune back the leaves if they can get to them. Or if I don't spray. I make a lot of use out of Plantskydd, which I find to be the most effective deer (and other critter) deterrent around. And perfectly safe to use on edibles (wash thoroughly before eating, though, unless you like the taste of dried blood and vegetable oil :-)).

I essentially have given up growing certain plants because of deer, don't get me wrong, we really enjoy the deer year round and I still grow hundreds of tropicals, subtropicals and hardy plants in my yard, but some things are near impossible. Anything I really like and need to grow, has to be containerized and on a protected deck (hydrangea, gardenias, HIBISCUS, Euonymus, a few potted chili peppers or tomatoes, and of course my sugar cane.) Also dealing with white tail deer and ours did eat the roses, they discovered that camellias were tasty and started recently to eat those. Strangely, they completely avoid a lot of the tropicals (bananas, bamboo, aroids), but I had a containerized orange tree rutted recently. In terms of squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers (chili peppers include), eggplant...., they find those and eat them all, leaves, fruit, everything). I've grown to accept the limitations of gardening within a deer crossing (literally).

I've grown hibiscus (several plants) for 13 years in my flower beds, and the deer have never bothered them. They weren't particularly interested in my veggies, just the occasional tomato. Theses plants are very easily accessible by our year round deer population in the desert hills outside Boise. I grow many hot peppers which are in pots on the patio, not because of deer, but for lack of space. They and the other stuff like basil have never been bothered. It's the roses! Diane

Our deer eat most everything so we have an 8 foot fence around about 2 acres. We do have some planting spaces outside the fence along the driveway. They don't bother the rhodies, the bee balm and most of the conifers. Though I did plant a variegated yew and they loved that. Had to move it inside the fence. Every once in a while a tree will take the fence down and I learn of it by finding things have been nibbled and foot prints if the ground is soft.

Deer love hosta, euonymus, yew, tulips, certain dianthus, apples, some veg, and, of course, roses. Diane