All Or Nothing

Isn't this pretty?  It's one of those ingenious hanging berry pots, I bought from Cynthia's organic farm stand a few weeks ago.  This is how it looked right after I brought it home.   I love it and have been fussing over it since, moving it around to various sunny spots on the patio, perhaps hanging it a little too low at times, but I was keeping a close eye on it.  Or, um, I thought I was.  Yesterday it was really loaded with juicy ripe strawberries and as I passed by it, I was gleefully thinking to myself that I would finally pick them.  Unfortunately, I got busy with a few things first and put it off just a few moments too long.  Big mistake.  Every berry was gone, (along with half the plant) when I went back.  Yep, you guessed it.  We had visitors when my back was turned.  The deer, (two bucks) even had the gall to lounge around on the grass after wards gloating, patting their bellies and licking their chops and would not leave.  (And why should they?  We hand out free strawberries here afterall.) Talk about wearing out your welcome.  First the purple lupine, then the strawberries.  Boo-Hoo-h--o-oo.  If it sounds like I'm whining, I SO am.  (You should hear the pitiful sad sounds I'm making behind the scenes here just re-living this in the telling.)  pooh.

But, (sniff), there's still a bit of GOOD NEWS:  the roses have not been touched.  Not a single bud or flower has been munched.  So it's not all bad. And that can only be attributed to the Mister's Magic Concoction.   I truly hope so anyway, because several folks have been asking for the recipe, which we are happy to share, I just don't want to make any wild claims.  Ya know, just in case. 

Deer Repellent Mixture

To 1 quart spray bottle add:

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup milk

1/4 teas. dish soap liquid

1/4 teas. vegetable oil

5 drops clove oil (available at craft or health food store)

Water to fill container after all ingredients have been added.

It's recommended to spray this mixture once a month, but I have been misting a few times a week, because I'm still not totally convinced this is all it takes.  So far it does seem to be working though.  Just for fun, I'd love for anyone else to give it a try and tell us what your experience is with repelling deer, bugs, slugs, aphids, or whatever you discover it's good or bad for. 

So dear ones, that concludes our garden tour for this week.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Thanks for coming along.  I'll be back tomorrow with another FAQ Friday, which includes a sneak peak at my latest mini-quilt WIP. 

Comments

[Kat]

Ohhhhh you have pink ROSES. I love strawberries, but I'd totally trade them for pink ROSES!

[Alicia H.]

Awww...geez. Sorry about your strawberries. Thanks for the recipe. I'm battling cats here, so I wonder if the magic mix will work for that. I've already tried citrus peels without success. They're still digging up my beds. Grrrr.

[sarah]

okay.
confession time.
I've been reading your blog for quite some time and I've never commented.
But...I think you must live in my town someplace near my parents. They spent a fortune ($200+ at the nursery buying "deer resistant" plants. Yeah, right. Those darn deer will even come right up on their front porch and eat the flowers. Nothing is safe from them.

SO, long story short. I thank you for this repellent mixture. I'm going to type up the recipe for them and have them try it. Maybe my mom can have her gerbera daisies on the front porch after all! :)
THANK YOU!

[laureg]

Those are some brazen deer! Thank you for posting your recipe. I have been reading your blog for a while, and I feel your pain about the deer situation. At my place, we have deer and moose who have become real gourmands, and the neighbors tease me that the deer and moose must have the best complexions around, because they strip my 18 rosebushes completely clean. They've also gotten very brave over the winter, as they come right up to the house (even if there's noise, or we're outside, etc.) and between our cars, and stand there munching away with a "are you looking at me?" look about them. I will be mixing up some of your brew tonight, and crossing my fingers! Thank you!

[Rosemary]

That is so sad, about your strawberries. I really did not know that deer eat strawberries. I knew that they liked flowers and plants. You learn something everyday.
We have had a lot of bunnies eating things this year.
Glad the roses are OK.
Rosemary

[Kim Sherrod]

The roses are gorgeous but those naughty deer, they are looking better and better up on the wall mounted and stuffed! (Did you get any package yet from Florida?????) I can't wait!! I put up some pictures of your wonderful time for tea on my blog and at Flickr- I also started a Doll Quilt Crazy Group! come see- can you tell I feel better?!! I do! I actually feel healthy- I never thought I'd get over that horrible bug. Anyway- hope you get it soon! k.

[joy]

I will be trying your recipe. We have a deer problem too. Having a dog helps but he belongs to my grandchildren and could be taken home at any time. (They are renting a no-pets house at the moment).

[Kim Sherrod]

Oh, I like your new banner too!

[Anina]

Oh no! It almost sounds like my fight with the moles. I'm getting ready to go set a trap today. They drive me nuts, but at least they're not eating my fruit. I unfortunately do not have any advice for the deer problem. Good luck!

[willzmom]

Well, your dear deer seem to be as brazen as mine! I read this recipe for deer repellent last year and I wondered "how bad does it really smell"? Our deer around here even ate the indian corn off a friends door last fall!

[sara, the wine makers wife]

Not to rain on your rose parade, becuase I love you and think your fab, BUT... they have not touched the roses becuase you have been handing out too man y other wonderful goodies to much on. ^_- No I'm kidding, I hope the rose spray works! My dad should try that for our roses at home... I think it is only a matte rof time before they deconstruct the fence we rigged up along the side of the hill on our property.

[Morgan]

Lovely, lovely photos! And the deer repellent recipe? That's a hoot! Which I lived close enough to deer to repel!

[Sarah]

what cheeky deer you have!!!. Apparently putting Pistachio shells around Hosta's to stop the slugs and snails helps!

[Natalie]

I have enjoyed the garden tour. You have deer, I have an overzealous landlord and he pulled up almost all of my sweetpeas! Garden tragedies and heartache. I am looking forward to seeing your wip quilt.

[Jackie]

Oh, I feel your pain on the berries! We have a fig tree and the squirrels always eat them before we get to them (and they leave parts of the figs along the fence - to feed the ants!). Your roses are lovely. We just planted some new carpet roses and other plants, so I'll be giving your deer repellent recipe a try (I've already found hoof prints around the new plants!). Thanks for sharing it!

[Blair]

Those strawberries are just more than Martha Stewart gorgeous (is that a legit term?). We don't have deer here, but you wouldn't believe the racoons parading in our back yard...during the day...stopping to play with the kid's toys....sometimes wrecking the toys...

xoxo

[Siri]

Oh, so, so sorry about those strawberries. I find myself at times like that mumbling that gardener's mantra: "Well, there's always next year."
Next year, you'll have that fence! Why not make some room in there for some hanging pots of strawberries?
Thanks for the deer repellent recipe. I'd forgotten about things like that. I'll have to give it a try at least on the pots by the front door.

[Linda]

Why the egg and milk? Well, I am ready to try anything. Two of my honeysuckles are completely covered with aphids. :(