Deer???

Controlling pests of bamboo

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benboo
Posts: 179
Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2010 2:05 pm
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Location: Western NY

Deer???

Post by benboo »

I'm about to grow some bamboo in an area I know deer will be... Anyone have deer issues??? :reindeer:
dudley
Posts: 415
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:59 pm
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Location: Eustis, Fl
zone 9a/b
right between too cold & not cold enough

Re: Deer???

Post by dudley »

every deer has a little white flag.
his tail is like a little white flag.
and if i had a pet deer that's what i would name him.
flag.
"Plants are people just like us"
dudley
Posts: 415
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 5:59 pm
Location info: 44
Location: Eustis, Fl
zone 9a/b
right between too cold & not cold enough

Re: Deer???

Post by dudley »

sorry!
just watched "the yearling".
"Plants are people just like us"
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rfgpitt
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Location: Zone 6a - SW of Pittsburgh - 15317

Re: Deer???

Post by rfgpitt »

benboo,
Deer will sample here and there, but I've never had one develop a taste for it. Might have to protect 1st or 2nd year plants during shooting season. I just planted 4 Phyllos and the few that are around took a bite or two off of spectabilis as it was branching - was glad they learned before the parvifolia started shooting.....
Rick
benboo
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Location: Western NY

Re: Deer???

Post by benboo »

do they like shoots? :?:
mantis
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Location: Houston, TX

Re: Deer???

Post by mantis »

Apparently deer don't care for bamboo too much. I have ~80 bamboos planted on my land, and haven't seen any of them damaged by deer. 2 weeks ago I planted a boat load of misc. trees, and the deer have already destroyed quite a few of them. The loblolly pine, spruce, poplar, montezuma cypress, and plum are all gone. They haven't touched the redbud, longleaf pine, orchid trees, or any of the palms.
Alan_L
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Location: St. Louis area

Re: Deer???

Post by Alan_L »

I've had a couple of shoots bitten off by deer, but I've also watched them walk up to a plant (Semiarundinaria okuboi), sniff a leaf, then walk away without even a taste.

Don't use one person's deer experience as "gospel" though -- what deer (and other critters) will eat depends upon several factors, including how much else there is to eat. If all you have in your yard is bamboo and they're hungry enough, they'll eat some.
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