All 3 front areas are shaping up. These areas are important as the deer feed here and spread the seed to the woods.
There is a bit of Garlic Mustard left in here, (previously 100% Garlic Mustard, Honeysuckle, Creeping Charlie and Private) but Native seed are in year 1, with some grasses starting to poke through the soil. I had this area roped off until this year, and the deer rarely browse it now. (Except for the Mother who likes to play with a small burlap bag that I hang from the rope.) She hasn’t been around all season, leaving he fawn to grow up while she protects the area.
Rope Deer Fences
The rope deer fences are working very well, except for a young buck who’s starting to feel his oats and is showing me he knows how to knock them down. I used deterrent spray as well today…hopefully he’ll get back in line. A neighbor is hand-feeding them, so they are getting to be a bit too comfortable. NEVER do that. They are not circus animals.
Place a double row of string. It is invisible from the road, and well-worth the ugly to give Native plants a 2 year start. As a test, I’ll allow browsing in the fall to help spread seed. The resident deer already know this area as they were raised under the prior Honeysuckle canopy; but if your deer don’t know an area, don’t introduce them. They do learn! (Except for young and spunky bucks, of course.)
From left: Deer Tongue Grass, Clearweed, Native Grass Mix, River Oats, Bottlebrush Grass, Goldenrod.
