Oh deer
As Clevelanders, we know it’s best to prepare for snow and cold spells. A good set of tires and snow brush helps. Enough food in the house, if snowed-in is always a good idea. Yep, that’s what we do in Northeast Ohio: batten down the hatches for the winter ahead.
I thought we were ready, until the unexpected visitors came in the wee hours of the night. I am talking reindeer! Ok, maybe not the kind that pulls a sleigh this time of year. How about the deer that decide your landscape is their first course of action? An appetizing first course, that is. While I was dreaming of sugarplums, what must have been, a large herd of deer came and munched our landscape plant material. Leaving countless tracks of where they dined, the quiet little beasties ate the buds off the Fothergilla and Rhododendron. And how did they ever enjoy the roses with all the thorns?
Recently, a deer hunter was spied in our back woods, hanging out in a tree waiting for a deer to pass by. Well, I’ve got a tip for him! Forget the tree stand, check out my rooftop. I won’t go that far to eliminate the "dears". However, I will wrap the plants with burlap. To quell any further temptation, I will use one of the many deer repellent sprays available.
