Sunflowers- backing up and punting

[SuperSwamp Fox]

you can attach a screen door spring to keep them from charging through it. But like P Biz said the most important part is getting the fence up before the sunflowers come up. DOn't give the deer that first taste. This is the 8th year we have planted the same field and have never lost a field or even had it damaged by the deer.

[Slaya]

What kind of exclosure are you using, SSF?

[SC quacker]

When we put our fences up, we put a mixture of peanut butter and vegetable oil on the wire. The deer seem to find the fence with their noses or tongues and are much slower to return!!!!!

[Birdfinder]

i agree

[PBiz]

This is the 8th year we have planted the same field and have never lost a field or even had it damaged by the deer.

Probably has something to do with our flat out obsession of killing all whitetail deer and our Fahja, whose field acreage is measured down to the foot. He has been an electrical engineer for 34 some odd years for the federal govt. To say the least, he is anal about his fields.

[Slaya]

Peanut Butter is like Kryptonite for a whitetail. That's an idea that hadn't occurred to me.

[SuperSwamp Fox]

just a two wire system on a DC Charger. But we charge the batteries every week and inspect each fence everyday! if we see where something is beating the fence we will go iside with another fence or higher or both. Again Most important to get the fence up before the plants break the ground. Don't give that first sweet taste.

[ECOPREDATOR]

Looks and sounds like you did it just right. I've planted sunflowers that same way for several years and the trifluralin will keep the weeds at bay long enough for the sunflowers to start shading out the ground.

I've got a source for Clearfield if you ever want some. If fertilizer keeps going up, Clearfield sunflowers will cost $300 an acre to plant and spray!!!!

[Sportin' Woodies]

clearfield may be better on a large budget, but hard to beat what you just suggested eco.
its doves, not a master gardener competition.

[Slaya]

Yeah, after the realization of how much cheaper it is to plant the regular sunflowers, as compared to the past few years of Clearfield, I will be going back to planting Black Oil or Peredoviks from now on. Much cheaper, even with the Lightning on hand!

[LabLuvR]

You mentioned buckwheat??? Hell yes it is one of my favorites. Can't say enough good things about it.

[Sportin' Woodies]

peredovik has a smaller seed, id always plant that.
if black oils look like the ones that come in a bag with a cardinal on it from walmart.