Deer. Your tenants would, love to see them. Who wouldn't want to live in a place that has frequent visits by deer? They can make your property more desirable.
Beautiful creatures? Yes. Gently? Not when it comes to your trees, shrubs and gardens. Deer can do some serious damage to your plants.
It only comes naturally for a deer to nibble on hedges, trees, flowers and vegetables. Deer particularly like younger trees because it is easier to tear bark from younger trees than the older trees. However, male deer like to rub their antlers on all trees, both young and old.
So how do you accommodate these furry, likeable creatures and keep your landscape healthy, too? There are a number of remedies we know of that can allow the deer and your landscape to coexist.
Physical barriers can keep the deer from certain areas and plants.
If you want to keep deer out of a large area, consider putting up a fence. Remember, deer have incredibly strong legs and have been known to clear up to 15 feet. We suggest a fence be at least 8 feet high.
If only certain plants are being effected, you can install metal cages around them. Wiring can be placed over beds.
A good landscaper will be able to spot damage done by deer and can advise you on what kind of physical barriers would be most effective and where they should be placed.
Our ancestors knew that deer have an exceptionally sensitive sense of smell. They knew they could protect their gardens by surrounding them with rotten eggs, mothballs, rags soaked in kerosene or by tying soap to surrounding plants. Today's repellants have no smell but leave residue that tastes bitter to deer. Milorganite is one. It is both a deer repellent and a fertilizer. None of these modern-day repellents harm deer; they simply displease them.
There are also some plants that do not appeal to deer. If you plant them in your landscape, you can rest assured no deer will bother them. Deer do not like spruce and walnut trees. They love tulips, but dislike daffodils, foxglove, winter aconite, zinias and snowdrop. When it comes to shrubs and vines they hate English ivy, lilac bushes, barberry, holly, boxwood and juniper.
With the proper preparation, you can enjoy watching these beautiful creatures knowing that no harm will come to your landscape.
You might think insect problems are over once that first freeze hits. Even though, insects aren't visible like they are in spring and summer, many are still around, hidden to the human eye.
Many insects have what is called an overwintering stage where they are less active but still exist. Some of them are eggs or young insects just waiting to hatch and grow come spring.
Winter is a great time to attack these pests and the way to do it is by applying dormant oils. Winter application means you need less oi1, or insecticide, than other times of the year because the insects are at their weakest in winter. By treating plants in winter you can take care of insects that would otherwise cause you problems next spring and summer, and you can do so with a minimum of chemicals (which is easier on the environment).
Dormant oils should be applied in the late winter or very early spring before plants begin to bloom. However, first have a landscaping company examine your plants to see if there are an overwinterizing insects. Based on that information, you can know which plants need it and which don't.
As the snow falls this winter, salt will be repeatedly applied to roads, walkways and any other high traffic areas. However, as you protect your tenants you may be hurting your landscape. Too much salt is dangerous not only for humans but for plants also.
In the spring or summer you can take a look at trees, shrubs and grass, that line a street and notice plants with stunted growth and black and brown leaves. This is the result of salt. Unfortunately, much of the salt damage that occurs in winter isn't noticeable until late spring.
Salt can dehydrate plants. Just as it absorbs snow and water out of the road it does the same on plants. However there are things you can do this winter that will protect your landscape.
You can use something other than salt. Sand and cinders have been used effectively to remove snow and ice -- so have calcium chloride and calcium magnesium acetate. Some people use the fertilizer urea on areas near plants. Urea is also a de-icing agent.
If you want to use salt, you can reduce, the damage to your landscape by removing snow (especially plowed snow) from around your trees and shrubs.
One of the best ways to reduce the damage from salt is to plant salt-tolerant trees, shrubs and grass near traffic areas. Some plants can handle salt leaching much better than others. Keep this information in mind if you are planning on planting this spring:
 | Lilac Bushes |
| White Oak |
| Burr Oak |
| Ash |
| Honey Locust |
| Black Locust |
| Sugar Maple |
| Norway Spruce |
| Red Maple |
| Hawthorn |
| Pin Oak |
| Linden |
| Alder |
| Hackberry |
This winter, talk to the people in charge of your snow removal about ways to reduce salt exposure to your plants. That way you can find out the best and most cost effective solution for your landscape.
This information is provided as a public
service by Alan Horticultural Enterprises, a full-service landscape management company.
Although we've been in business 20 years and service over 80 multifamily properties, we
maintain personal, one-on-one relationships with all of our clients to ensure customer
satisfaction. We are an environmentally conscious company, using EPA-approved products to
maintain healthy lawns that are beneficial for humans, pets and wildlife. If we can help
you with your lawn needs or questions, please call us at 630-739-0205.
ALAN HORTICULTURAL ENTERPRISES, INC.