Laura Corin Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 On Sunday we checked our three small Discovery apple trees and they had about ten apples on each one. We tried one apple but it wasn't fully ripe, so we left them on the trees to ripen some more. Today I noticed that there were only two (not very nice) apples left. There are deer in the neighbourhood but I've not seen any in the garden and we have had no deer damage, even during last winter's hard snow. There is no damage to the trees and our Russet apple trees still have lots of rather tiny apples on them. So, four-legged deer or the two-legged variety? Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I'm sorry about your problems! Deer can be so frustrating to deal with. You might try hanging a bar of smelly soap, such as Irish Spring, in each tree. This will work for a while. Some folks have to go to extreme measures to keep deer out their orchards. I've seen 10' tall high tensile electric fences around them. Other folks use dogs, deer netting, a double fence (deer can jump high, but not long), water scarecrows, predator urine, dried blood, etc... The internet will give you all kinds of other ideas. I hope you can keep them form coming back! GardenMom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 On Sunday we checked our three small Discovery apple trees and they had about ten apples on each one. We tried one apple but it wasn't fully ripe, so we left them on the trees to ripen some more. Today I noticed that there were only two (not very nice) apples left. There are deer in the neighbourhood but I've not seen any in the garden and we have had no deer damage, even during last winter's hard snow. There is no damage to the trees and our Russet apple trees still have lots of rather tiny apples on them. So, four-legged deer or the two-legged variety? Laura Bummer -- hope you get some more. Don't know about your species, but the deer in our neighborhood are grazing under the huge crabapple tree every afternoon. My mom's had them eat out of the birdfeeder too. They can drain a few cups of seed in one visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Yep, deer love apples. We find whole families in our backyard, in the city mind you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 And they're so completely unrepentant. I turn into my driveway and four deer stand there, munching my apples, and look at me in a way that suggests I'm annoying them by interrupting their snack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 What I don't understand is that each apple has been neatly taken off with no damage to the trees and no debris on the ground. This just seems unlikely. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 Our deer have never damaged our trees, and the ground is swept clean of even the smallest trace of apple (my kids otoh leave cores by the back door). They don't even leave tracks unless it is very muddy. DH's solution: take up bow hunting :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomsintheGarden Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 DH's solution: take up bow hunting :D Good idea! If you can't have apples, at least you can eat venison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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