RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

i have tried the plot saver and it really works for the best results respray on a lite coat everyday

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

Check out a forestry supply company, they have special plastic covers similar to a pvc pipe which covers the entire sapling. It also acts like a small greenhouse to promote fast growth. Or build a 6 strand slant fence.

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

Forget the human hair myth. I have been there - done that & it does not work. Actually kind of grossed me out touching other people's hair! Even with the gloves that I was wearing. I have tried just about everything and the best options that I have found are deer fencing and deer spray. Unfortunately both are on the expensive side though. The deer fencing is a light, thin black mesh fencing that comes in 6' x 100' pieces (about $18 each). This fencing is great for wrapping around the trees to prevent them from rubbing the trunks, but unless you cover the entire plant, or what the deer can reach, it will not stop them from eating the plant; and yes, they will eat the sapplings to the ground! The other option is a deer spray. I have tried numerous companies / products and the best that I found is Deerbusters. It comes in a 5 gal concentrate and I forget the price and total gallons it makes, but if you are really interested, let me know & I will get it for you. The deerbusters actually lasts the 30 days as it advertises. All of the other brands that I have used do not last more than a week, with some of them not even lasting hours. No kidding. I have sprayed some plants and literally a few hours later, I witnessed deer eating the very plants that I sprayed! That is my 2 cents!:)

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

I live in a very big Apple producing city. (Biggest in Michigan) And the farmers around here by soap by the 1000's and pay kids to put them around the young apple trees. It keeps them deer and rabbits away.

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

In the garden in my backyard I tied my dog out there and it solved the deer problem. Now with an acre this probably wouldn't work. You might want to try and get some old socks or something that you have sweated in and has alot of human scent.

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

fencing works but you have a big area. so I would try toelectric fence the area. A lot of my neighbors have done their flower beds and it works very well.

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

You can get deer repellant from any local hardware store, and in my observatin it seems to work well but for how long I dont know. It also come for rodants, comestic cats, vermin any critter you can think of they have a repellant for it

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

I've used a product called Plantskydd with good results. In northern MN we apply once in the spring and once in the fall unless we run out of time then just in the fall

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

The plastic covers, pvc or drainage pipe type thing. Those are the only way to go. The rest is a waste of time.

Tieing out a dog will only save them as far as the chain will allow the dog to go unless you go out there and shoot them when you hear the dog barking. It's an easy way to hunt if you can hear the dog bark from in the house, just watch TV in the easy chair until he calls you.

They will definately tear up your trees if you don't do something. They don't start hurting them until about September so you have all summer to get ready.

RE: Never thought I would ask this.....but
 

One thing you can try is stretching 10-20# test fishing line at a height of 3 feet off the ground in various spots around the proposed orchard site sort of like an invisible fence . I would make concentric fence rings around the entire plot to confuse them . Deer are very reluctant to cross a barrier that they can't see .

Deer absolutely hate the smell of hydrogen sulphide . Mix a dozen egg whites in one gallon of water , add a couple of tablespoons of dishwashing liquid , then put it in a garden sprayer and apply to every plant . You may need to strain the mixuture first . As the egg whites break down they produce HS for a week or two , though the smell shouldn't be enough to bother humans .

Many people swear by hanging bars of Irish Spring soap in the garden , I don't know personally .