Deer pressure on sunflowers

[Doecommander97]

I planted some sunflowers last year for the first time and had very little deer browse. This year is a different story. They were planted on the last Saturday in April and most of them have 4-6 leaves on them. When do deer start to leave them alone? The Milorganite is holding them off right now.

 

[TurkeyH90]

Once they have fully flowered. They like bite flowers off just before they bloom

 

[Robust Redhorse]

The deer mowed down all of mine as soon as it sprouted last year, and walked past a bunch of other stuff to get to them.

 

[Doecommander97]

The deer mowed down all of mine as soon as it sprouted last year, and walked past a bunch of other stuff to get to them.

It’s a losing battle. I’ll be lucky to have a few make it to dove season. I think next year I’ll try some Benne. I don’t know much about it, but the old timers swear by it.

 

[spring]

Depending on the size of your field or patch, putting a deer fence around it is not that difficult. I put one up around the corn I plant in the duck pond that I flood each October; works well. We take the fence down once we flood it and save it for the next spring.
The total fenced in area is about 4 acres.

 

[Doecommander97]

Depending on the size of your field or patch, putting a deer fence around it is not that difficult. I put one up around the corn I plant in the duck pond that I flood each October; works well. We take the fence down once we flood it and save it for the next spring.
The total fenced in area is about 4 acres.

Electric fence or scent tape fence?

 

[spring]

Electric fence or scent tape fence?

There are several manufacturers but Tenax is a pretty good and easily found option.
I have mine up on posts with the fence attached with zip ties.

 

[grif]

Two strands of high tensile electric works for us around 4 acres. No sunflowers or peas before that. Great results after. Just take it loose and drop it on the ground until next season.