It looks like the garden has come to an end, but it wasn’t by Mother Nature’s frosty hand. The deer, which have been absent for all of the summer, decided to pay us a visit and clean out everything that was ripe or even close to being so on a single night. So much for me being proactive against them this year! 

Lessons from last year

As many of you know, last year was a horrible year for deer pressure. We suffered extreme drought pushing many to desperation, and sending them into the garden throughout the summer. I barely harvested a tomato or pepper. This spring, I intended on protecting the gardens by erecting plastic hoops over each bed, but when the deer disappeared early in the season, I lulled into a false sense of security. I kept putting it off and waited too long. 

Deer have a penchant for pumpkins and apples

The first hint something was amiss was when I noticed one of the small pumpkins had bites taken out of it. I planted several ‘Big Mac’ pumpkin plants this year in one of the sections covered with weed fabric. They did fabulously well. Pumpkins can be a challenge in this area because of our cool nights and dry conditions. These are the largest I’ve ever grown on the side of the mountains. I was grateful the deer didn’t smash or chomp on one of the larger ones, so their initial nibbles gave me an opportunity to cover the remaining pumpkins hopefully protecting them for the few weeks we might have left. 

The deer did step inside the pumpkin patch, though, and chew the leaves off a good number the vines. They also absolutely stripped the apple tree along the pumpkin patch of every apple hanging on its branches. My guess it was easily 100 of them, which explains the massive amounts of deer diarrhea in the backyard.

The deer have no fear

What irks me was how they came right up on the patio and ate the newest little summer squash that were ready to harvest. In the main vegetable garden they cleared pretty much everything. I am glad I sent our youngest son out to pick the peppers last week when we had company over. Though, they weren’t quite ripe to my satisfaction, because the deer either ate or crushed what was left. They ate the tops off the beets and the carrots, chewed down the bean plants, and even mowed down the tender tops of the Brussels sprouts. Once again the kale was left unscathed!

How the grapes and tomatoes were saved

The one crop I did manage to save was the grapes. They did very well, and thankfully, I was smart enough to cover them with netting before the deer or birds picked every one of them (like last year). I believe we harvested enough to make at least one batch of jelly, so I feel pretty pleased. And, actually, by planting the tomatoes in the greenhouse, we enjoyed a productive – and deer free – season. I know if they weren’t in there, they would be chomped like the other vegetables. 

As for the rest of the garden, I pulled out the floating row covers, and even a big cardboard box for one pumpkin, to save the large ones we plan to carve for Halloween. The season is winding down, and I don’t think we’ll go into October without a frost, but we’re going to hang on to every moment that we can.