Down and Dirty

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Given the title of this article, you might think I’m going to talk about tomato hornworms, spittle bugs or aphids. OK, I will mention aphids but I want to talk to some of the less talked about pests.

Let’s start with my worst pest for the past couple years: deer. Bambi. Rats with antlers, as I’ve heard them called. Though I prefer the term cloven hooved devil spawn.

Sure, they’re cute when they stand there, staring as you slowly drive by and hope they don’t suddenly jump out on the road, thus ending their destruction, but also your car. The little spotted fawns? Adorbs! Until they start munching on your prized roses. Did you know roses are ranked No. 1 on the menu for Deer DoorDash?

How to deter deer is the question. The only thing that seems to work well is an 8-foot fence and I’m talking secure fencing. T-posts and plastic deer fencing work well until it doesn’t. A branch can fall on the fence, leading to an incursion of CHDS (cloven hooved devil spawn). Cattle panels work great but it’s a little pricey

to fence an acre or more. Some folks prefer to use a strong smelling soap like Irish Spring. Others like the deer repellent available at local nurseries. I admit those deter me because they rather reek of rotten eggs, which happens to be one of the ingredients. You can make your own deer repellent but you must reapply regularly, especially if it’s rained or misted. Fence. It’s the only sure deterrent but it must be secure. Deer will crawl under fencing that isn’t stapled down. Ask me Garden enemy No. 1. Photo by Julia Graham-Whitt Pests in the Garden By Julia Graham-Whitt downanddirty@northcoastjournal.comNOW OPEN 1662 Myrtle Ave. SUITE A Eureka UP THE ALLEY AND TO THE LEFT OF OUR OLD LOCATION how I know. OK, dogs are also a deterrent but unless you have a real livestock guardian dog and you don’t mind Rover staying out all night in your yard, we’re back to — 707.442.2420 MYRTLE AVE. yup — fence. You could also plant things deer don’t like or prefer to eat. What plants do deer not like? I HAVE NO IDEA BECAUSE THEY EAT EVERYTHING IN MY GARDEN. Well, not everything. They don’t like dahlias, beBEST PRICES NEW HOURS M-F 10am-7pmSat 11am-6pmSun 11am-5pm lieve it or not, nor squash plants, though they may take a nibble here or there. Rhododendrons and azalea are also not high on the list of favorite plants for deer. Ask

IN HUMBOLDT 21+ only License No. C10-0000997-LIC your local nursery staff if they have ideas or suggestions. I always joke that if they want to find out if a plant is truly deer