Searching for plants that are deer-resistant

Well, we went from March-like, late winter weather last week, to summertime in about two days! It is already 75 degrees at 8 a.m. as I write this on May 17, but only three days ago it was 34 overnight!

This sudden onslaught of heat will help to dry things out as we enter the middle of May with good moisture levels for a change. Last summer, we had pretty serious drought for most of the season, and I am glad that is not the case right now, but it will only take a week or so of heat and wind for us to need rain once more. The newly expanding foliage of trees, shrubs, grasses and herbs will quickly suck up any excess moisture as the flowers fade and vegetative growth commences. I still expect frost to occur in some of the higher elevations of the Catskills and possible even in the lower areas of the Hudson Valley.

Be careful not to try to till wet soil, because tillage can cause any clay in the soil to become compacted, which will be impossible to correct in the short term. The best way to deal with heavy- textured clay soils is to add copious amounts of organic matter such as compost or bales of peat moss. Likewise, the exact same treatment will improve sandy, excessively well-drained soils. A three- to four-inch layer of organic matter tilled into the top eight inches of your garden will improve the texture dramatically! Do not add sand to attempt to lighten or loosen the soil if there is any clay at all in your soil. When you mix water, sand and clay, the net result is concrete!

For those of you who live in deer country, and that is most of our entire region, shopping for new plants can be a challenge. There are almost no shrubby or woody plants that deer will never browse, but there are many lovely landscape plants that are far less likely to be damaged. This is a good time to drive around your neighborhood and the surrounding countryside making note of those plants that are half-eaten, as well as those that seem like they are not touched at all.

Perhaps the most deerresistant evergreen, suitable for a hedge, would be boxwood and most spruce trees are also pretty resistant, especially blue spruce. Mugo pine, pitch or yellow pine, as well as most junipers, are evergreens that are also pretty resistant, but white pine, many species of fir and all arborvitae are commonly eaten. Arborvitae are deer candy in most of this region.

In terms of deciduous trees and shrubs, there are far more options. Lilac, forsythia, Japanese flowering cherry, European white birch, sassafras, beech, Inkberry, English Hawthorne, Kousa dogwood, red osier dogwood, Japanese Wisteria, Beauty bush and Corkscrew willow are pretty safe, as are the deciduous azaleas. Plants that should be avoided in deer country include white cedar, balsam fir, any type of apple, evergreen rhododendrons or azaleas, Yews, cherries, mountain ash, plums and hybrid tea roses.

If you are a fan of native plants, wander into your local woods and see which plants are untouched after the winter

has passed, although, for some reason, many native plants that go seemingly untouched in the wild get eaten once installed in the home landscape. I rarely see winterberry holly or witch hazel heavily browsed in the woods,

but I have seen them both eaten in a home landscape. The same is true for our native Pinkster azalea and some native Viburnums.

If you already have a landscape that is comprised of susceptible species, they can be protected by applying any one of several effective deer repellent sprays. It is critical to spray these plants before the deer develop a liking,

for them because once they have been sampled and pronounced as “tasty” it is very hard to deter Bambi and family.

Next week, I will discuss deer resistant perennials and other herbs.

Bob Beyfuss lives and gardens in Schoharie County. Send him an e-mail to rlb14@cornell. edu. Disorders of the pancreas, liver, gallbladder esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon. Colon Cancer screenings and Heartburn Evaluations