Giving 2009 another try

[soygringation]

Hello all.  Last year I planted a few things, sunflowers, cilantro and tomatoes.  I am in zone 8b (Austin, TX) and my property backs up to a city park that has many animals.  The deer seem to be the issue.  Everything I planted last year was eaten.  Squirrels and armadillo have also snacked on my stuff

Comments

[oxymoron02]

I read somewhere that you can buy the urine of a predatory animal (how they collect it, I don't know) and spritz that around the garden to deter deer. Aside from fencing it in, that's all I'm coming up with.

[rhodielady_47]

Where you are in Texas, there are all sorts of flowering plants you can grow that critters won't or can't eat. The Lycoris family of bulbs has lots of members and they flower from midsummer through late fall. Most people only know about the red hurricane lilies or the big pink Naked Ladies but Lycoris also come in white, yellow, orange, pink with blue tips and etc. Critters don't eat daffodils or crinum lilies either.
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About deer:
Deer will not jump any fence where they cannot see the ground on the other side. Perhaps you could go by the Goodwill and buy some old sheets to use as deer fencing?
Hope this helps you--I have deer problems too.
:)

[edensgrief]

You should look into square foot gardening or at least raised beds. Something makes me think you'd enjoy it.

And oh, lots of things like full sun - cucumbers, beans, tomatoes are some of the things I'm growing this summer.

I've heard that people have had success with burying dog hair in their garden because it's a predator. Maybe you could call up a dog grooming place and ask for their clippings? It's worth a shot.