deterring deer

[smojo]

I've been peeing on my elder saplings every time I go but they still get nibbled

[oldclaypaws]

Strange. My new clearing which was formerly brambles has a splendid 'crop' of new elder saplings about 3 feet high which the deer have shown absolutely no interest in, although they had a go at the nearby cherry, hazel and even brambling seedlings. Maybe they're scared of the hag-witch. (they live in elders, so you should never burn them, so folklore has it.) Glad they haven't, very fond of my elder and currently have 40 bottles worth of elderberry red wine blurbling away fermenting, its smelling promising- very berryish.

[Terry]

uh-oh, the hag witch is going to have me as I have burned a lot of elder, in fact most of last winters fuel was elder which had previously been chocking my big old apple tree for years. Oh well too late now
Heard similar about holly, but have burned a fair bit of that too!

Back to the um... deterent. The difference in effect between Paws and Smojo's 'essence' might be down to diet???

[smojo]

Although I haven't coppiced any hazel yet, there are some youngish shoots from previous hacking at them and the deer don't seem to have bothered those but just about every young elder shoot within reach, has been nibbled. Being a non meat eater might be the difference in our essences but mine is usually quite strong due to the fact that I'm often a little dehydrated down at the wood.

[oldclaypaws]

My essence will have notes of digested bacon sandwiches and pork chops, Merlot, Stilton and home made sweet chestnut burgers, with a slight historic hint of venison. Its taken years of overindulgence to perfect. Smojo is a veggie, so while he can generate more natural gas than me (a solution to the Russian cut-off threat?), he may not be perceived as a danger by the deer.

For a small fee, I'm happy to save a litre of it and send it to you second class snail mail, by arrival time it'll be guaranteed to deter deer and all other species from a range of 10 miles.

Rather disgustingly, my charming hounds seem rather drawn to and fascinated by the treated areas, so while I've dispelled the herbivores, I'm now facing shoots trampled by herds of Akitas.

The Hag-Witch is a-coming for you Terry, you'd better protect your threshold with witch bottles.

[smojo]

My essence will have notes of digested bacon sandwiches and pork chops, Merlot, Stilton and home made sweet chestnut burgers, with a slight historic hint of venison. Its taken years of overindulgence to perfect. Smojo is a veggie, so while he can generate more natural gas than me (a solution to the Russian cut-off threat?), he may not be perceived as a danger by the deer.

Not quite a veggie - I eat fish and seafood so I think that makes me a piscerian so along with that and a liking for the red wobbly juice too, my essence should be pretty potent. As for the dogs liking it - well hardly surprising, dogs seem to like the smell of anything that comes out of an orifice.

[oldclaypaws]

This is the Hazel I was particularly keen to keep the deer off, its rather amazing. I intended to cut the very overstood butt off at the base, where it was about 3 feet wide (!). What I didn't realise is having succeeded in cutting most of it through and it collapsing on the ground, it was still partly attached by a thread of bark at the base. A rather extreme example of 'layering', as the whole massive flopped butt then proceeded to sprout numerous shoots. It must weigh a ton. Rather like it, so decided to let the whole thing grow as a new Hazel 'thickett'.

[smojo]

That's amazing Paws. Incredible how resilient trees can be. I read about a method of propagating hazel by pulling a rod down, and pegging it to the ground after scraping some bark off where it will touch, it should eventually root itself there and can then be severed from the parent plant - just like layering strawberry runners. Might have a go at that eventually. I have a small hazel that has been knocked flat. It has sent one new shoot up about half way along which is now about an inch think and standing at 90 degrees vertical from the main branch. I'm trying to think what could I make out of that if I cut it?

[oldclaypaws]

It has sent one new shoot up about half way along which is now about an inch think and standing at 90 degrees vertical from the main branch. I'm trying to think what could I make out of that if I cut it?

That's called a self-handled walking stick.

Theres another cunning way of propagating Hazel- covering the cut stool with a mound of earth. When the shoots break through the earth and start to emerge as small plants, they root above the old stool, so each shoot is a new plant, you just lightly prise them off the old stool and replant where you want.

I also find where I have sycamore and Hazel together, as you have, the sycamore casts a dense shade and few brambles grow underneath. However, the clear ground makes a great place for squirrels to bury nuts, and Hazel can survive the dense shade. Result is under a sycamore you get quite a few new sprouting Hazel plants which can be dug up and relocated as desired.

Close to my recently cut old Hazel I now have far lighter open ground where lots of stuff is enjoying the opportunity to sprout. A welcome addition is a number of new goat willows about 6" high. They'll need the deer repellant, but when you coppice the whole area springs back to life with fresh growth -wonderful to watch. (and nibble)

[The Barrowers]

Hello

Have a couple of Sweet Chestnut tree that were blown over probably 1987 but now have nice straight growths as up rights. Now need to find a use for good straight rods

Like the idea of leaving a large stump and growing a hazel cluster as I have some over stood hazel to coppice this winter, weather and time permitting

B and T