|
Natural Product Repels Deer
By Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp, Co-author of The Indiana Gardener's Guide
Published: August 31, 2002 - IndyStar, Indianapolis, IN
Deer continue to be a problem for gardeners and growers
throughout the country, but a new product promises to repel the creatures
while feeding the plants.
Called Plantskydd, the product is 100 percent natural,
and, in July, the Organic Materials Review Institute accepted it for use
in the production of organic food and fiber.
The product was developed in Sweden in 1991 for the forest
industry as a way to ward off deer, moose and rabbits. Plantskydd, Swedish
for plant protection, comes in a ready-to-use spray or soluble powder concentrate.
Made with food-grade blood and vegetable oils, the product
emits an odor that discourages animals from browsing on plants. Many other
repellents rely on a bad taste to keep critters away, which means they
have to browse and potentially damage plants before they are deterred.
Plantskydd has been tested in the United States with professional
growers, foresters and home gardeners, and received rave reviews. For one
thing, it doesn't have to be reapplied after a rain, unlike most other
spray repellents. Plantskydd lasts for six months on dormant plants and
four months on plants actively growing. Because it is made with dried blood,
the product acts as a natural fertilizer for many plants.
Even though it is a natural product, there are precautions.
Don't apply directly to the edible parts of food crops because the residue
tolerance for dried blood has not been established.
Special instructions are given for use on conifers and
broadleaf evergreens. The product may darken needles or foliage, but the
original color should return within a couple of days. It also may discolor
concrete or wood.
In the meantime, Plantskydd can be ordered online at www.plantskydd.com,
or by calling 1-800-252-6051.
Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp is an Advanced Master Gardener
and co-author of The Indiana Gardener's Guide. Her column, which emphasizes
organic gardening methods, appears each Saturday in Home & Garden.
Mail questions and announcements about garden related events to : Jo Ellen
Meyers Sharp, 6040 Garver Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208. Send them via fax
to 1-317-251-8545, or via e-mail to jemsharp@aol.com.
Back to
|
