The deer have been stopping by the garden and helping themselves to a few late night snacks: the leaves of my purple hyacinth bean vine. Why is it that deer always eat the best stuff? Why can't they eat weeds instead? There are plenty of those to go around and I'd be glad if they took care of them. But no, they had to go for the beans.
Fortunately, the leaves on the inside of the fence were untouched and the plants remain in pretty good shape overall. This is the first year I've tried growing these, and I can't wait to see them bloom and produce their purple beans.
If they do well, I might try to rig up some kind of bean pole in the middle area of the garden next year so I won't have to plant them on the outside fence where they are vulnerable to hungry, four-legged visitors. A centrally-located bean pole would also prevent the vines from reaching over to my neighbor's plot and grasping onto his tomato cages, which he's probably not too happy about right now. In the meantime, I just hope the beans turn out beautiful enough so that my new plot neighbor will be forgiving of the occasional stray vine entanglement on his side of the fence. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the deer don't jump the fence when they've got another case of the midnight munchies.
I've seen so many pictures of deer damage. I have trouble enough with rabbits, so I am glad not to have deer nearby. I think your idea of moving the beans off the outside fence is a good one!
ReplyDeleteDeer was one of the reasons I stopped planting a garden out here. They'd head straight for the good stuff, like you said. What I needed to do was get a few motion sensor water scare crows from a garden center. Lee Valley, up in Canada. Atleast I was able to save a few flower beds scattered in the yard with these gadgets.
ReplyDelete