How to reduce damage from browsing deer

How to reduce damage from browsing deer

As winter sets in on North Dakota and the snow piles on, deer browsing can become a major problem in your landscape. If you don’t want your landscape turned into the local buffet for browsing deer, here are a few options to consider.

Repellents

Although there are mixed thoughts on the effectiveness of repellents, in a low to moderate deer pressure situation they can be enough to discourage browsing. Contact repellents have proven to discourage browsing more effectively compared to area repellents that are just placed near the food source. When choosing to apply a contact repellent, it is best to apply from the ground to 6 feet up the tree. Application should also be done on days that are calm and above freezing. All repellents should be refreshed every 3 weeks or after any rain or snow melt that may cause the repellent to be washed away.

Fencing

Just like protecting your garden in the summer, fences are the most effective way to protect your landscape in the winter. For protecting individual trees in your landscape, a simple plastic mesh fence will work just fine. Make sure to space landscape fencing one foot away from the closet branch and all the way around to keep deer from reaching through. It is best to keep all material wrapping an evergreen off of the needles whether using a burlap or plastic fence. New growth in the spring can be damaged by rubbing against the fencing material. If you are looking to fence in your entire yard, a permanent fence, a 6-8 foot fence is required depending on the material used.

Deer Resistant Plants

Don’t want to hike though snow every 3 weeks to spray down your landscape? Putting up a fence will block your view of the surrounding landscape? Consider removing old plants and refreshing with more deer resistant trees. Although no plant is truly deer resistant, some tend to be browsed fairly rarely compared to other species. A good rule of thumb is the thicker the leaf and the stronger the scent, the less likely deer are to nibble on that particular plant. Examples of this would be Russian sage, yarrow, coneflowers, barberry, mugo pines and much more. /cto learn more about good options for deer resistant plants in North Dakota.

How to Prepare your Landscape for the North Dakota Winter

How to Prepare your Landscape for the North Dakota Winter

Winter is coming to Bismarck Mandan and it’s time to prepare your landscaping for a successful freeze!

Welcome to the Next 2 Nature blog where we will try our best to inform you of what’s happening, what to do and how to do it in the world of landscape design and maintenence. We’d like to kick off with a post providing you with  a quick checklist for better preparing your landscape for the upcoming Bismarck-Mandan winter season. You have invested numerous hours and costs into your landscape and now its time to protect it. Let us help by sharing some quick tips and tricks to get you on your way, and as always don’t hesitate to contact us if in need of any advice or
help.

  • Cut down dead perennials. This can be done in fall or spring it is completely your preference. This can also be a great time to divide perennials and plant them in other spots in your landscape or simply share with friends!
  • Trim back overgrown or broken branches on trees and shrubs.
  • Dig up and remove any exotic or tropical flowers, remove excess soil and store in a dry cool location in a box filled with peat moss.
  • Cover or protect any evergreens that are prone to wind burn in the winter months
  • Give all evergreens one last drink of water before the soil freezes to help with water transpiration.
  • Wrap with Burlap or create a wind break for evergreens that might be susceptible to wind burn.
  • Aerate the lawn, reseed any and bare spots, and apply a fall fertilizer to promote healthy root growth for a healthy lawn come spring.
  • Winterize your sprinkler system to remove all water from the lines.
  • Cut your lawn shorter then normal for the winter to prevent accumulating leaf and thatch build up to help prevent fungus from growing under the snow cover.
  • Inspect the outdoor lighting and transformer, make sure all dead bulbs haven been replaced and the transformer is properly closed for the winter months.
  • Remove any attached hoses and drain out the water, store all patio furniture and flower pots in areas to prevent seasonal damage.