Newbie from the Eastern Shore

Being that I got a copy of the SFG book as one of the many preparedness books for Christmas I thought I would do some looking around. Thats how I found this site ... looks great so far ... especially since I will need all the help I can get.

I am about to close on a nice new house in a planned housing area here on the Eastern Shore of VA. I look forward to growing a variety of fruits, vegies, and herbs here I do have one big question I hope to find in these forums. That question is "How do I keep the deer from eating my harvest?"

Well off to see what you all have to say ...

If you don't mind, this is one way. Hello there, I'm from the old cath. schools, so I can have fun with this-- right???

Now for the serious answer-- first, welcome to the square foot gardening site! You will find lots of great help and kidding around too. The deer - you can look in your All New square Foot Gardening Book and see what the critter cages look like. You can build fencing, there are deer repellent granules, etc. I have used the granules and critter cages with 100% success. I am sure others will chime in with ideas that worked for them too. Enjoy the site and the fun!

a six foot welded wire fence.

When I fired a couple 12 gauge rounds into the ground, they walked about 10 feet away and resumed eating. Spoiled troublemakers!

kesugeo,

I don't have a problem with deer, but just wanted to drop by to say welcome to the forum! I'm sure these other folks who have problems with deer will steer you in the right direction! You also could try searching the older posts (see the search box below the "Latest Topics" to the left). I think there have been a good many posts about different ingenious ideas to foil the critters.

I hope to see you around the forum!

One of the bad thing about this HOA is that since it is still pretty rural around here they really do not allow fences breaking up the free roaming of animals ... namely deer

Do they allow hunting?

Even if they did allow hunting the houses are getting pretty close to not allow for the safe discharge of firearms.

I may try chicken wire around individual beds. Easy enough to remove if the HoA complains. If that happens I would have to look for a chemical way to keep them away ... or scatter "Deer Rage" away from my gardens

Hi Kesugeo !!!!

to the SFG forum. I am the new host for this region. I didn't know until googlin' your locale that it fits into the middle south region. I'm still learning about our region myself. I'm sure you have a slightly milder coastal feel than the more interior parts of the middle south and I'd like to hear from you when get a chance about the micro climate where you live. As new host of the region I am here to help you out any way I can but you'll find that very helpful folks from all over the country and indeed the world, will chime in to help. If you have any questions pls don't hesitate to ask

Check out the middle south and some of the posts and topics there, it might help decide what to plant and when (although you'll be well on the way after reading the book).

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/f9-middle-south

I periodically post videos from my youtube channel and that might help you visualize a SFG. You will see them linked in the middle south region link above also.

When you are ready to build and set-up, we can help guide you through the process as best we can and help you avoid some of the pitfalls we may have encountered along the way, not that are many!

However, as for the deer problem, lets get to that AFTER we build the SFG . It can be done (humanely ) and I'm sure a solution can be found.

Check out this thread, in particular the Irish Spring method.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t8546-how-should-i-keep-the-deer-out



Kay

They are located in Round Hill, VA (I know it's quite a ways away, but I think he ships.

Garden Commander

I just saw this online, I have no idea if it works...
Powder Milk <~~~click


And then this fella had some good success.

kesugeo, Welcome!

I am from the Northern VA area, orginally, but am now happily retired on the Southern Oregon Coast.

We have lots of deer here and for myself, the most effective deterrent is fencing. While you may be unable to fence your yard, deer netting around the garden is fairly easy to use, inexpensive and it sort of disappears when installed. It can be laid over your hoops or wrapped around fence posts.

There are some inconveniences, such as deer netting is very fine and if it is windy, the netting can get snagged on other things (including the buttons on your shirt or hair clips) and you must plan for being able to get to the things growing in the garden.

One of my neighbors just put posts on each end of her raised (non sfg) garden and draped the deer netting from one end to the other. She then lifted the sides of the netting to access her veggies.

I have also used Irish Spring Soap, cut into chips and enclosed in nylon netting. The deer do not like the scent and it is very effective. In my area, the soap has to be replaced every few weeks. This may be due to the frequent rain here which may reduce the scent of the soap.

Again, Welcome and please keep us updated on your progress.

Just bought the boards for my first 2 beds. Now as the time gets closer I am getting a bit wrapped in the details I believe and feeling overwelmed. I know the perfect soil is 1/3rd each compost, vermeculite, and peat moss.

So far I have found at my local Lowes a small partial bag of vermeculite and have no idea what to get for compost until I make my own.

And knowing me if I continue to feel overwelmed like this I will completely not start the project at all.

Please give me a hint as to at the very least what I am supposed to get for compost to even start this thing.

Another idea is a nicer (pretty wrought iron?) fence around the garden area. Or plants that act as a barrier (things with wicked thorns) or motion sensor water spray.

Have you tried Southern States? The one near me carries vermiculite, peat, and compost and will order what they do not have. It is a sort-of farmer's co-op; I find them very helpful. They have a store locator on their website.

If that doesn't work for you - have you checked with a local garden shop? It might be more expensive, but they will probably order whatever you need if they don't have it on hand.

Good luck! I am a few hours north of you, in Maryland.

We ended up getting all of our ingresients at a local place here. Had to fight em to NOT send back the 4 cuft bags of coarse vermeculite they had mistakenly gotten

So far having fun trying new things for these gardens. Even found the adult Erector set called PVC pipe for 1 of the cages.

I am also having fun - I have wanted to garden for years, but have been an apartment dweller until recently. Now in the midst of renovating my 110-year old house, I took the time to start my first foray into growing things! I have a brand new berry hedge (each tiny guy covered for tonight with a little grocery store bag "blanket" against the frost), two 4 x 4 sfg for veggies (also covered against the frost) and am starry-eyed with plans for the future (no need to protect them from the frost).

I was nervous about planting a traditional row garden, but this method has me believing that I can do this! So far, so good! I have a few things planted, and I run out to the sfg every morning like a little kid to see how it's doing.

~Amanda