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Sat, Sep 15, 12 at 16:34
| I know several companies make deer repelants to keep deer from eating choice plants but has anyone to your knowledge tried to make a concoction that would attract a deer? I was thinking of it as I saw all the awful knotweed growing along the roadside. It is so invasive and if only the deer would eat it that would be perfect! Is it poisonous or something? I was thinking of trying to make something out of hostas's ground up in water or seomthing. I know it sounds strange but maybe it would work?
Joann |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by fatamorgana Zone 5/6 (My Page) on Sat, Sep 15, 12 at 19:18
| Japanese knotweed? Well, edible for humans in small or moderate quantities but I don't know if it is edible or tasty for deer. I would guess at least "not tasty" since they don't seem to touch it. See the link for the notes about edibility. My beets and pole beans are quite attractive to the deer right now. My corn was last year but the raccoons beat them on that this year. Why eat knotweed when tastier alternatives exist? ;) FataMorgana |
Here is a link that might be useful: Pfaf.org - Japanese Knotweed
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- Posted by ghoghunter Zone6b SE PA (My Page) on Sun, Sep 16, 12 at 8:29
| Well yes that is the point..why eat knotweed when other things taste better and I am hoping something will make it taste indescribably delicious to the deer! Joann |
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- Posted by Messymarsy2 none (My Page) on Sun, Sep 16, 12 at 15:57
| Brilliant idea! How about sugar they love beets and corn both high in sugar.If they would eat it it would save me years of work. |
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- Posted by fatamorgana Zone 5/6 (My Page) on Mon, Sep 17, 12 at 7:25
| If you read the link I shared, it warns about the consumption of this plant causing vitamin deficiency. In moderation or as an occasional meal, this is not a problem, but this is not what you are looking to have the deer do. I suspect the deer know better than to eat plants with sour, lemony tastes to them (which is the hallmark of oxalic acid). And deer that would like that taste probably took themselves out of the gene pool long ago. FataMorgana |
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| Even any perennial plant, invasive or not, will not be eradicated by it being eaten off or cut off. It will just come back repeatedly. I suggest Round-UP! I need to get after some Japanese honeysuckle along my roadside with some spray, and I'll ask the neighbors across the road if they'd like me to spray some of their invasives too. Often farmers and rural property owners will try and get invasives on their roadside property under control. Others just seem to look the other way when it comes to Johnson Grass, Canadian Thistle, and other nasty stuff. Sue |
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- Posted by ghoghunter Zone6b SE PA (My Page) on Mon, Sep 17, 12 at 13:58
| In my neck of the woods the deer eat almost anything. They have totally destroyed all the understory native plants in the woods and I saw them eating the old poisonous muchrooms that grow on the forest floor. I cannot imagine a little knotweed would hurt them any. I know it isn't as effective at killing the knotweed as chemical herbicides but I thought it would certainly help. Just trying to think up a helful solution to the problem! Joann |
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- Posted by learn2turn 6 (My Page) on Fri, Oct 19, 12 at 9:52
| Salt? |
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| Thanks for making me smile. Wouldn't that be great. I have some on our property that I'm trying to deal with, but it has really taken over where I live. :( Too bad deer don't eat seem to eat it. Maybe goats would...do you have any goat farmers that could lend you a goat or two (and a portable pen to keep them from wandering off)? |
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| Have you thought of renting a goat? It's a growing cottage industry. |
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