| We have a 1/2 acre south facing steep grassy slope. The grade makes it difficult to mow and the local deer herds make it difficult to choose a ground cover that won't be devoured. Is there one you recommend or a low growing grass for zone 6? Thank you. |
| In my garden, the deer eat, sample and trample without much discretion so they can do a lot of damage in a short time. Unfortunately there is no magic list to give you. Deer will learn to eat almost any thing and their menu varies depending on what they have learned to eat so far. They are creatures of habit, so if they are dining at your house they will be likely to nibble on whatever you plant sooner or later. The best way to try to make a list is to check with your neighbors and see what they are still having success with and what they are not. Some gardeners also report success using the repellants (both home made and those that are commercially available), especially in areas where the browse pressure is not very severe. In my own sad experience, the only reliable solution over time is a tall fence. However, there are some published lists of plants to consider. Keep in mind that deer are adaptive and will learn to eat new things. For example, foxgloves and juniper are on some lists but the deer ate mine, so the lists are starting points rather than absolutes. Good luck! Penn State published a list of plants including some perennials (for a discussion about the list and the original, please see http://www.penpages.psu.edu/pe... ) SOME COMMON DEER RESISTANT PLANTS Scientific Name Common Name Scientific Name Common Name Abies sp. + fir Heder helix g.c. English ivy Acer negundo + box-elder Ilex sp. = holly Ageratum* flossflower Iris sp. * iris Ajuga* bugle weed Juniperus sp.= juniper Aquilegia* columbine Kerris japonica = Japanese rose Berberis sp.= barberry Larix decidua + European larch Buxus= boxwood Lupinus sp.* lupine Catalpa sp. + catalpa Maclura pomifera + Osage orange Cercis sp. + redbud Narcissus sp.* Narcissus Chamaecyparis sp= false-cypress Paeonia suffruticosa= tree peony Clematis sp.* clematis Papaver orientalis * Oriental poppy Cotinus coggygria +smoketree Picea sp. + spruce Crataegus sp. + hawthorn Pinus sp. + pine Cytisus scoparius=Scotch broom Rhododendron sp. rhododendron Daphne sp. daphne Robinia pseudoacacia+ black locust Delphinium* larkspur Symphoricarpos albus= snowberry Digitalis* foxglove Syringa vulgaris= lilac Ginkgo biloba + maidenhair tree Tulipa sp.* tulips Gymnocladus dioica+ Kentucky coffee tree Yucca* Yucca _____________________________________________________________________ + tree or tree-like * herbaceous plant = shrubby g.c. ground cover West Virginia Extension offers a discussion of deer damage and a list of plants at http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/ho... Cornell University has also published a list and a discussion at http://www.cce.cornell.edu/che... I hope these help! |
