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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-05-09, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019. Home and Garden 2019 • Renovations • New Homes • Sales & Installation of Windows & Doors Call Ken 519-887-9857 Brussels, ON Tips to deter visits from deer Get breaking farm news on the Rural Voice website at ruralvoice.ca MS –With more than 60 different species of deer worldwide, there’s a good chance individuals will have some sort of interaction with these majestic animals at one point during their lifetimes. Deer, which live on all continents except Antarctica, can survive in everything from mountainous areas to wet rainforests to suburban neighborhoods. These herbivores are voracious eaters that will search far and wide for their meals. Home landscapes tend to be easy pickings for foraging deer. Many people are excited to see deer in their neighborhoods and yards because they can be such graceful creatures to behold. However, once deer start to munch on ornamental trees, annuals and flowering shrubs, the novelty of these animals may wear off. Furthermore, deer also can be covered in ticks that spread illnesses like Lyme disease. Here are some tips to keep deer at bay: • Avoid tasty morsels:Deer like English ivy, lettuces, impatiens, pansies, and hostas. Fruit trees also are targets. Choose other plants to grow, and wait until after early spring, when deer aren’t as concerned with regaining weight lost during the winter, to get them in the ground. • Use fishing line to deter deer: Put a few stakes in the ground and then run fishing line at a height of about three feet. Deer can sense movement but do not have keen vision. As the deer approach your garden, they’ll brush against the “invisible” fishing line and then get spooked off. • Plant plants that produce strong aromas:The experts at Good Housekeeping suggest planting lavender and marigolds, which emit strong aromas. Deer will be reluctant to walk through because the smell can interfere with their ability to find food and assess their environment via their sense of smell. • Stock up on soap:The tallow in soap helps keep deer away, according to the University of Vermont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science. Scented soaps like Irish Spring may be especially good at warding off deer. • Plant in levels:Raised beds and sunken gardens can discourage deer from coming into the yard because they aren’t avid climbers, offers the home and garden resource This Old House. • Employ harmless scare tactics: Deer are skittish, and any unfamiliar movement or sound may scare them away. Cans hung from strings, sundials and lights can keep them at bay. Deer will seek out an easy meal, but homeowners can take steps to safeguard their trees, flowers and shrubs. www.mcdonaldhomehardware.com 519-887-6277 Brussels 1-800-881-0030 ea. when you buy 10 or more Black Earth Top Soil $109 20L Bag Reg. $599 $500 Reg. $649/bag All Treat Dyed Mulches See us for Bagged Aggregates Undyed Decorative Mulch ea. when you buy 5 or more 3 pc. Chat Set Reg. $399.99 $29997 Available in red or green See us for all your decking needs $350 ea. Reg. $349 Potting Soil $427 30L Bag Cattle & Sheep Manure $250 when you buy 5 or more ea. ea. **New Date** Join us September 7th for our 90th Anniversary Celebration! VISIT OUR NEWLY EXPANDED STORE See us today for... Building • Gardening • Decorating Renovating • Giftware Doe a deer While enjoyable to watch, deer can be a problem for landscaping and can also be hosts to ticks that carry maladies like Lyme disease. (MS photo) See histories and historic photographs on the Huron History section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca