The worst is when they eat my tomatoes. They just bite off the plant at a couple of feet in height. I wait all year for those tomatoes!

This year, with no lilies in my yard, the deer never struck. I did use the Liquid Fence a lot, but I still feel like those lilies lured the deer to my yard.

Karen

Deer seem to show up when browse is abundent ,in our gardens.
They use a regular trail for getting to one place or another,usually water and feed.
If they encounter any strange smell in the trail area they will make another trail.
I dont believe they taste the LF on the plants. They smell first and take another route.
I alternate with another repellent because deer become familier with one repellant and think its safe to stay on the route.
This has worked for me the past 3 years.I never had deer at my old house.

What other repellent do you use?

Karen

Repells-all. Its supposed to take care of all animals dogs,cats,moles,voles.
I not only spray the plants but in early spring,late March.
I spray the ground. I dont saturate but use just enough to leave a scent.Deer have far sensative noses than we do so they can smell a repellant long after we cant.

Thanks. Maybe I'll look for that one next year, too.

Karen

There are other gardeners who swear by their faves but I cant remember what they used.
Spring will bring a discussion of repellants no doubt.

Does anyone direct sow coreopsis?
DD gave me a bag of seed heads. Can I sow now?or wait until spring?

I've never tried. I know a lot of people wintersow them in milk jugs. That would seem to indicate that direct sowing might work.

Karen

You would think plants that mature in a season and arn't harvested or torn ou in fall cleaning, would self seed. I consider self seeding tha same as direct sowing.
Thanks for the thought Karen.

JoAnn....my coreopsis do self-seed (although not aggressively), so they should also do well with winter sowing or direct-seeding.

Thanks Linda. It seemed reasonable. I direct sow poppies but they are finnicky and need to be sown when its cold.

Jo Ann, you should consider trying wintersowing, a least a few containers. It's pretty cool to walk out on your deck some spring day and find little green seedlings staring back at you from their milk jug. Advantages over direct seeding- seeds stay put, don't get moved around by weather (rain, wind), don't washed away, don't get eaten by critters (birds, voles, etc), higher humidity fosters germination, the "roof" of the container makes temps warmer than garden soil.

Mostly, it's a way to garden in winter, no indoor space needed. The mess stays out on your deck.

Karen

I did go to the "winter sowing" thread on the other website about 2 years ago. Its interesting but I'm affraid it wont work here.
I have limits as to gow much care and tending I can give a process. Arthritis is a drag.

Yes, arthritis definitely a drag.

The reason I like WSing is NO care and tending. Just stick the containers outside and forget them until spring. Most years I never have to water them until they're in the ground.

Maybe I'd start more seeds inside if I had more lights, but I doubt it. I don't want all that tending to whiney seedlings. Outside is easier- Mother Nature does the cold stratification, watering, temp regulation. I just plant seeds.

I can't sow much this year because I have no space left to plant.

Karen

My last year for indoor seed starting was last year.
I told myself "jost once more" It had been 6 years since I tried it. Horrible results. Long spindly stems that damped off the minute they were transplanted outside. The ones that made it struggled all season and I had 4 weeks od so-so flowers.
I am not et up with lights etc either. My studio is in the basement of this house I share w/ my DD and SIL.
Its expensive to buy annuals locally but its worth it.

I wintersow probably 90% of my annuals and tender perennials and tomatoes. And all of my perennials.

Karen

I do love it as well... I did buy some seeds this year even though I said I was not going to.. Karen did you ws your zinnia?.. I am guessing yes

I am such a chicken ,I only direct sow zinnias etc in spring.
O love the Profusions,they mound and are mildew resistant.

Yes, they were wintersown. I always WSow alyssum, too.


and petunias


and annual forget-me-nots


and marigolds
I

and salvia


I've wintersown almost everything in my yard. I did helenium this past winter too, very pretty, blooming now but I haven't taken a picture yet.


Karen

very nice gardens Karen.