How To Keep Deer Out Of The Garden

Well, the word has gotten out. The deer know you have started another buffet of green delicacies.
Word spreads Fast in the forest and it won't be long before these uninvited guests will arrive at
your garden gate.

Deer tend to feed on our gardens at night making it difficult to keep them out of the garden.
Some favorites of deer are: Apples, Arborvitae/white cedar, Arrow wood Viburnum, Birch, Day lilies,
Dogwood, Euonymus, Garden lilies, Hostas, Hydrangea, Impatiens, Linden/basswood, Yews , and Roses.
An important factor that will effect how often deer enter your vegetable garden, is availability
of Food in their native habitat.

Unless you live in a city, the odds are you will have deer in your garden at some point. If you
live in the country, your garden is almost like having an open invitation for dinner - everyday.
These nuisance deer can be difficult to deter without taking some serious and consistent action
to prevent them from enjoying a buffet dinner that you call your garden.

So how do you keep deer out of the garden?

There are several ways to keep deer out of your garden, some of these deer repellents you may not even be aware of. In addition, there are many plants that deer will usually avoid. One of the hottest products to hit the market to protect your plants from deer is the Scarecrow - a motion activated sprinkler that shoots a 3 second burst of water in the direction that triggers it.

There are many home remedies that may be effective, but only for a short time. Fencing is expensive,
labor intensive and needs to be at least six feet high - besides, who wants to hide their beautiful
garden behind a fence - in some case a fence is not even an option. Planting deer resistant plants
may deter deer until they get really hungry - kind of like kids and spinach. Dry weather will
attracted deer to irrigated plants for the refreshing moisture.

Overall, the final consensus amongst most gardeners is effective deer manageMent requires a combination
of deterrents to be effective. This includes commercial repellents combined with home made remedies
as listed below. Fencing for most of us, is not an option and very expensive. As such, we won't cover
fencing here. Instead we will focus on the known alternatives.

Deer Repellents & Control:

Use these known deer repellents and controls in combination for best results

Dogs: A dog that will actively chase away deer is probably the number one, most effective deer deterrent
there is. If your dog does not wonder, keep him out at night and you should have no further problem
with deer. If fido is a little on the lazy side, other alternatives as listed below may warrant attention.

The Scarecrow: The Scarecrow is a motion activated sprinkler that works both day and night. It not only scares away deer, but is effective for Cats, dogs, rabbits, raccoons and larger birds. It sprays a maximum
35 foot stream of water for 3 seconds. One 9 volt battery will provide approximately 3000 bursts
of water. Works on water pressure between 30 - 80 psi (use a pressure reducer at higher psi),
is fully adjustable and comes with a 24 month warranty.

Liquid Fence ®: All natural, the long lasting Liquid Fence ® Deer & Rabbit Repellent will stop deer and rabbits from
eating your flowers, shrubs, vegetable plants, trees and vines. And rest assured, it won't harm
your plants or animals! The manufacturer offers a written 100% money back guarantee.

Features as noted on the Liquid Fence® website:

* EnvironMentally safe and biodegradable

* USDA field tested

* Easy-to-use

* Long lasting and rain resistant

* Family & pet friendly

* 100% Money Back Guarantee

* Member tested and recommended by the National Home Gardening Club!

* We have not used this product, but it has been recommended by fellow gardeners - usually the most reliable source.

Electric Fence: The electric fence is often overlooked by many gardeners. It is very effective for cattle
and horses and offers some protection against deer - although if they jump over and never
touch it, they will not be afraid of it. Fortunately, deer tend to graze and nibble as they
feed and the odds are in your favor that they will touch your fence and flee, realizing this
area is better left alone.

Electric fences are best used for the vegetable garden in back yards, were public access is
restricted. You do not want the neighbors kids running home and telling their parents they got
zapped. Unless you live in a rural area, you may also find it difficult to find a supplier.
This can be overcome by shopping online or traveling to rural or farming communities near you.
Select a low powered fence designed for smaller livestock - after all, you are not trying to
keep animals the size of horses or cattle out of the garden.

Low lying electric fences (and low powered) can be effective for Rabbits and other smaller
animals. They should be kept very low to the ground using two lines, set on an angle away
from the garden - set the first line about 3" above the ground and the second about 8".
Keep the lines clear of grass, shrubs or any other material that will ground the charge
and reduce the effectiveness of the fence.

A new electric fence for slugs is under development in Canada and should be on the market by
2007. We can not elaborate on this now, but testing is proving very successful and we will
provide details when given the go ahead from the developer.

Deer Repellent Plant Protec: A new product from http://www.deerbusters.com, this all natural green Deer Repellent plant protector
clips easily on most plants. Emits a non-offensive garlic odor keeping deer and other unwanted
pests away. Environmentally safe with no spraying and no mess. Plant Protec lasts up to 8 months.

Egg Based Deer Repellent: A another product from http://www.deerbusters.com is the Deer Repellent egg based repellent, it has been tested and proven effective against deer browsing. This unique product repels by odor but, unlike some repellents, Deer Away will not be offensive to you. Tested in independent studies
by the USDA and Penn State. Deer Away was originally developed for use in large reforestation
projects. One application will last up to 2 months. This product is designed for pines, firs,
fruits, citrus and ornamentals. Other names this product is known as include "Deer Away" & "Deer-Off".

Human HAir: Human hAir wrapped in a old nylon and hung on branches or tucked between plants will provide some protection against deer and various animals. The smell of a human indicates danger to
most wild animals and should keep deer away from these areas.

Tree Guard(tm) : Tree Guard with Bitrex(tm) is another deer deterrent. It is lightly sprayed on seedlings, shrubs, ornamentals, hedges and flowers to produce a lingering nasty taste that animals do
not like - DO NOT USE on anything that you will be eating.

The bitter tasting Bitrex is locked into the plant surface forming a "protective jacket"
which resists dew, Snow, rain and vaporization. One quart can covers 250-400 seedlings, one
gallon - approximately 1000 seedlings. Not a concentrate - ready to go! Tree Guard does not
wash off, it adheres with a single application and continues to protect through all kinds of weather.

The Manufacturer states that Tree Guard is the most effective deer deterrent on the market today.
We have not used it, so we cannot back this one up.

Bar Soap: Said to work by a number of gardeners, Take a piece of ivory soap, drill a hole in it, tie it to
the plant. The deer won't come near your plant. You can also put a bar in an old stocking and hang
in shrubs - try to find a location, like under large leaves, that will protect the soap from rain
and watering - the bar of soap will last much longer.

Sound Based Deterrents: Their are a number of motion activated sound based deterrents available. However, for most people
these can cause more problems with neighbors, than the positive results in your garden. Imagine the
neighbors delight, when a high pitched noise goes off several times during the we hours of the night.

If you live in a remote, rural area and feel you won't be woken up in the night by such products,
check around online for possible suppliers.

Marigolds - Myth or Fact?: It has been suggested that marigolds planted in a garden will keep deer away. I have tried this on several occasions with little effect. This does not mean it will not work. It is possible that I did not plant enough, or that I used the wrong variety. If you want to try this, I would plant around the plants deer like to eat. Marigolds are attractive and are reported to keep away various insects so it will do any harm to plant them regardless.

Now, if none of these solutions keeps the inquisitive deer out of your garden, a regular fence may be your only choice. However, it is a pretty good bet you'll have success with one of these options. Good Luck!

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Tips on Making Your Own Tomato Fertilizer

Fertilizing is very important for the healthy growth of your tomato plant and for the developMent of large juicy fruits. Although commercial fertilizers are easily available in any local garden store, many gardeners do not like to feed their precious tomato plants with those chemicals. Is there another option? Yes, there is. You can choose to make your own tomato fertilizer that provides the right nutrients to your plants and at no cost at all. Here are a few tips that you can use to make your own.

Epsom salt is a great way to provide some magnesium and sulfate to your plants. All you need to do is just add one teaspoon of Epsom salt to one gallon of water and use the solution about once a month to water your plants.

You probably already know about egg shells. These will provide the necessary calcium to your soil and prevent blossom end-rot which can be seen as a rotten spot at the bottom of the fruits. All you need to do is allow your egg shells to dry, crush them fine, and then sprinkle it on the soil.

Used coffee grounds are also great as tomato fertilizers since they contain nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium. You can spread them out on a paper and allow them to dry. Once they dry out, you can just sprinkle them on to the soil.

How about making a compost pile for next year from the leaves that have fallen in your garden? Yes, that is the best way to start a compost pile early. You can then just keep adding other ingredients such as eggs shells and coffee grounds on to the compost pile. It is a great way to utilize those leaves that would have otherwise gone waste.

There are various other things that you can add to the compost pile. Vegetable peels, earthworms, and manure from various animals can make a very effective fertilizer for your tomato plants. You can use the manures of cows, horses, and rabbits etc. The only thing you need to ensure is that they should be free of contaminants and weeds.

Rabbit manure is the best since you can either add it to your compost pile or even use it fresh. It does not burn your tomato plants and it will help keep the acidity of the soil under control. If you can get you hands on some cow manure, you will be providing the best possible fertilizer for your plants.

The right way to use manure is to compost it and add it to the soil once it is well-decomposed only. Another way to use it is to apply it to the soil about a month before planting the tomato seedlings and allow it to get absorbed into the soil.

Dirty Fish tank water is a great source of nitrogen and can be easily used for watering the plants.

Remember, tomatoes need additional nutrients about 2 weeks after planting, once the fruits begin to form, and once the fruits are set. So, when you do make your home made fertilizer using the above tips, make sure to add a little bit of fertilizer at these crucial sTAGes of growth. Furthermore, with these organic and home made fertilizers, you can rest assured that the fruits you are consuming are completely free of all harmful chemicals.

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Fruit Smoothie Recipes In A Low Carbohydrate Diet

Fruit Smoothie Recipes In A Low Carbohydrate Diet

New medical research shows that low-carb diets is a great way to improve cholesterol levels in the long term. As part of a diet low in carbohydrates, you should have a collection of recipes for fruit smoothies will help you build to reach your goals.

Published in a recent article on WebMD, author Salynn Boyles reported that a diet with emphasis on reducing carbohydrate diets with weight loss over the edge, that focus primarily on reducing fat. In a two-year studywho followed a diet low carbohydrate diet, a significant increase of HDL (good cholesterol) was when, with low-fat diet than the programs followed.

While recent research has been able to identify about 100 genetic variants that affect blood lipids, explain the well up to one third of hereditary reasons that affect cholesterol levels, diet plays an important role for both HDL and LDL can.

Several studies suggest a diet that cuts way back on fatty Foods andloads up on both fruits and vegetables, five to nine servings a day. While that sounds like a lot, if you are eating that much good, heart healthy Food, you aren't going to be eating food that's bad for your heart.

Fruit smoothie recipes are a great way work the heart healthy fruits and vegetables into your daily meal plans and here are two recipes from the collection at Best Fruit Smoothies.com that will help bring fruits and vegetables into your diet in a delicious way.

Cherry Berry Yogurt Smoothie Mix:

This fruit smoothie recipe is healthy, low fat, low cal and delicious. Perfect if you are counting calories to lose weight and want a yogurt smoothie for breakFast or as an afternoon healthy snack idea. In your smoothie blender mix: 1/4-1/2 cup of chilled Diet Cranberry (or Cranberry Pomegranate) Juice Drink (only 5 calories per 8 ounces) 1 cup Low fat Cherry Yogurt 1/2 cup of frozen pitted cherries (Dole, Target and Woodstock Organic are companies who offer frozen cherries) 1/2 cup of frozen raspberries

Mix in the blender until the ingredients reach the consistency you prefer, pour into a chilled glass and enjoy!

Lemon Pineapple Smoothie Mix:

After dinner on a steamy summer's evening, this refreshing dessert really hits the spot.

2 cups of cold no or low calorie lemonade

1 cup of no or low fat lemon yogurt

2 cups of frozen pineapple chunks (or chilled canned chunks)

1 cup of Pineapple sherbet (Blue Bunny makes a good one, or choose your favorite local brand or even make your own following Paula Deen's Lemon Pineapple Sherbet recipe) Mix in your smoothie blender to your preferred consistency; makes 4 servings.

annie's homegrown organic bunny fruit snacks

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