Part of the charm about living in Prince George is the wildlife. You do not have to go very far to find deer, moose, bears etc and sometimes you find them in your backyard. It is when they enter into the yard, when problems can arise. Deer and moose can do a lot of damage to a landscape in a very short time, especially when they are hungry and looking for dinner. There are different things that can be done to help prevent moose and deer from ruining the landscape.

Create a barrier between the landscape/garden and the deer/moose, such as a fence. This would be a financial investment but it would be long lasting and if built properly would prevent the deer/moose from eating or damaging trees, shrubs and plants. The fence would have to be at least 2.5 meters tall. The drawback to building a fence is that it can take away from the appearance of the landscape. Not everyone wants to have a wooden or metal fence surrounding their yard or garden.

Protect cedar trees (which are a deer favourite) over the winter months by wrapping the tree in burlap. This works well if the deer tend to come during the winter months when food is more scarce. The burlap will protect the tree from the winter elements as well as the wildlife. Burlap should be removed in the spring when the temperatures warm up to above freezing. There is also deer netting available at the garden centre which is wrapped around cedars and protects the tree.

Over the years there have been repellants available, that can be applied to trees and shrubs that will repel wildlife. There is a new product available at the garden centre, called ‘Doktor Doom, No Bite’. It will stop both wild and domestic animals from damaging trees, shrubs, and plants. The product is applied directly on the bark of trees, and shrubs and on perennials etc, following the manufacturers directions as well as on hard surfaces. The active ingredient is Denatonium Benzoate which is very bitter.

Deer rely on their sense of smell. Use plant material such as chives, garlic, mint and onions to mask the aroma of the appealing plants. These plants also have strong flavours which deer do not enjoy. Some of the favourite plants that deer enjoy, are cedars, fruit trees, roses, pansies, crocus, tulips, hostas, but when an animal is hungry they will eat anything. Planting their favourite plants near the house and other plants further out could help as they may be more timid to come close to the house.

Other deterrents that could scare the deer away include motion sense lights, and motion sense water sprinklers. After a time though deer will become accustomed to these. Dogs can also be helpful, and have been know to scare wildlife away.

Aside from building a fence, using a combination of deterrents is most often the best way to go when trying to keep deer and other wildlife out of the landscape. Animals are unpredictable and what may work one time, may not work the next time. 

-Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George:

• Highway 16 West at Kimball Road
• Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road