Deer Busters Blog

by Teresa Odle

It’s the most common illness caused by arthropods (basically, crawling insects), yet some cases of Lyme disease are not diagnosed; only 150,000 total cases have been reported to the CDC since 1982.

Deer Ticks can be found almost anywhere but be especially alert in leaves and tall grass

Bites from infected deer ticks cause Lyme disease through an infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The reason for its common name is that the disease was first recognized in a town in Connecticut called Lyme in 1975. It’s still most common in the Northeast but is slowly spreading west. Cases also have been reported along the West coast.

Diagnosing Lyme disease can be tough because the symptoms can spread throughout the body and mimic other diseases and conditions. But here are a few to watch for, especially if you’ve come in contact with a deer tick:

• Chills and fever.
• Fatigue.
• Joint and muscle pain.
• Swollen lymph nodes.
• Headache.
• A telltale sign of Lyme disease may be a circular rash that appears one day to one month after the tick bite. It may itch and have red splotches. The center may clear up so that the rash takes on a target-like appearance.

As Lyme disease progresses, it can cause numbness or tingling in arms and legs, a sore throat, severe fatigue, a higher fever and abnormal pulse. If not treated, Lyme disease can disable a person by causing pain and swelling that makes joints virtually immobile and neurological problems like confusion and short-term memory loss. Certain antibiotics can treat the disease if it’s caught early.

The ticks that spread Lyme disease are much smaller than common dog or cattle ticks, so many people may not know they’ve been bitten. Lyme disease usually occurs in the spring or summer, when nymph ticks are feeding, but the symptoms may not appear until later. Avoiding areas where there are ticks, wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts that are light colored can help prevent tick bites.

Using tick and insect repellants that contain DEET or permethrin also helps to prevent tick bites. Experts recommend aerosol spray and light use on children; adults and children should avoid use on their hands and faces.

If you do get bitten, remove the tick as soon as possible. Use a pair of tweezers or this handy tick nipper removal tool to be sure to grab the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they’re attached to your skin. Don’t grab the tick’s body. Pull firmly and steadily. And contrary to popular belief, there is no need to irritate the tick first with a hot match or alcohol to get it to back out.

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By Teresa Odle

Jackrabbits can munch on garden shrubs but survive with very little water. That means they can hang out around your garden for days and keep coming back to your favorite ornamental plants, eventually stripping them of their foliage. Cottontails also love many ornamentals and turf, but they’re also really fond of the beans, beets, carrots and peas you were planning to harvest soon.

If you’ve already got deer fencing up, you may be surprised to come outside and find that some critter has been in your vegetable garden. They didn’t go over the fence, so that means…yep, rabbits can crawl under or chew through some fencing. So you might need a chew-proof barrier to protect certain plants from rabbits or as an added barrier to deer fencing to keep bunnies from breaking through to your entire lawn and garden.

Ideal for keeping rabbits and rodents out of your garden

Although rabbits can chew through most of your plants and many attempts at barriers, they can’t chew through 20-gauge galvanized steel. In a hexagonal mesh pattern, two-foot or three-foot animal control netting comes in 150-foot lengths. If you’ve already got deer fencing in place, simply attach the wire chew-proof fencing to the taller deer fencing using hog rings.

And there’s an added bonus. The lazy dogs who haven’t chased off the rabbits also can’t dig under the fencing and get into your garden to trample your flowers and vegetables.

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by Teresa Odle

Once you see the “telltail” signs of deer damage on your plants, it’s often too late. Because deer have no upper incisors, they tear your precious vegetation with their lower incisors and upper palate, leaving the sure-sign jagged edges on plant foliage.

Deer repellents can ward off deer, at least temporarily. With attention and repeated use, you can keep deer away from your crops and ornamentals, especially when the plants are at their most vulnerable or productive stages. And now’s the time to buy, while Deerbusters is offering 50 percent off on most Deerbuster Deer Repellents.

If you’ve got large plants to protect, a concentrate is your best bet. It costs a little more but goes further. Concentrate is more compact to store than ready-made repellents and with the 2.5 gallon bottle, you can mix up to 20 gallons of premium liquid repellent before all is said and done. That should cover the equivalent of 3000 to 4000 high shrubs or flowers. Or you might prefer powder, which comes in a 16-oz. size. And if your deer are finicky and only after your hostas, a bottle of premixed spray is all you’ll need. All of the Deerbusters Deer Repellents are made with natural ingredients — egg, garlic, and hot pepper.

Keep a record of your regular spraying to be sure to spray regularly and stay one step ahead of these quick and quiet creatures. These repellents will work for up to three months before reapplication.

Enter the coupon code Protect10 at checkout to take 50% off on all DeerBusters Brand deer repellent. Not valid on hanging sachets or weather shield products.  Expires July 21st, 2010.

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by Teresa Odle

Deer and other animals love gardens and can’t help but trample on, munch, and sometimes downright destroy vegetables or newly planted flowers. It’s a dilemma when nature’s creatures live nearby and you’d like them to continue to wander in the back 40 but not through your lettuce. There are ways to deter deer and other animals with scaring devices and repellents.

Generally, scaring devices are used near gardens and lawns to frighten away unwanted deer and animals. Homemade

Use an Ultrasonic Deer Repeller to keep deer out of the garden

scaring devices (aka shotgun blasts and explosions) can be inhumane and likely get you in trouble with your neighbor. Ultrasonic scaring devices are heard only by animals and can cover up to 4,000 square feet. You also can hook your garden hose up to a spray repellent three-second burst of water. Most of these devices have motion detection; this one detects motion in a 35 x 45 area.  Or try a radio station that doesn’t appeal to animals (or your kids to make it more fun). Proprietary technology in the DeerChaser Electronic Repeller activates an LED light and FM radio station for 15 seconds up to seven minutes while it detects motion in the area.

DeerBusters Deer Repellent will protect your plants from damage.

Repellents are applied near or directly to plants and may keep animals out of the garden longer. Many gardeners have tried homemade remedies like placing bars of soap in the garden, only to find the deer have eaten the soap. Use caution with some commercial animal repellents around edible plants. Just be sure to read directions regarding placement and application because some have chemicals that can make their way into your carrots. DeerScram deer and rabbit repellent is natural, biodegradable and environmentally safe, but you should place it in a perimeter 18 inches away from plants.

DeerBusters Brand Deer Repellents are safe for children and pets and can be sprayed directly on foliage year-round. The ingredients’ scents, which include white pepper and garlic, are offensive to deer and rabbits. The repellent even comes in hanging sachets to help fight off raccoons in specific areas. You can put the sachets on three-foot high stakes around the vegetable garden so they’re right at animal sniffing level.

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New Methods for Preventing Lyme Disease

With symptoms ranging from fever, headaches and fatigue to damaging infections of the joints, heart and nervous system, Lyme disease is a significant health concern.

Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi which is transmitted to humans and animals through tick bites. “Although many tick species can transmit Lyme disease, deer ticks are primary carriers in the United States,” says Jason Wiles, wildlife control expert and general manager of DeerBusters.com.

White-tailed deer are the favorite hosts of deer ticks. In the warm summer months, when deer become extremely active, deer ticks thrive. As deer enter backyards in search of food, deer ticks and Lyme disease follow.

According to Wiles, “deer fencing is the most effective means for excluding deer.” Wiles adds that “animal repellents, which deter deer using odors and chemicals, and animal scaring devices, which deter deer using sounds, can be satisfactory alternatives when deer fencing is not feasible.”

According to the National Center for Biological Information, a division of the National Institute of Health, the use of deer fencing has been proven to reduce the risk of Lyme disease by 83-97% (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Without deer entering the area surrounding your home, new deer ticks become limited and eventually, existing deer ticks become scarce.

When choosing a method for deer control, factors to consider include environmental impact, cost, value, safety, aesthetics and practicality. “Deer fencing is available in a variety of sizes, styles and prices and can be judged by its strength (or breaking load), warranty, ease of installation and the aesthetics of its design,” explains Wiles. “Virtually invisible deer fencing, for example, can be highly effective without disrupting the look of surrounding property.

According to Wiles, “non-toxic, organic deer repellents can be an excellent alternative to harsh chemical repellents. In addition to the environmental benefits, organic repellents can be safer for children and pets.”

By protecting your living area from deer, you may reduce your risk of Lyme disease by as much as 97%. For additional information on deer control products, visit wildlife control retailer DeerBusters at: http://www.deerbusters.com.

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Trellises and arbors make aesthetically pleasing and functional additions to any garden. The benefits of growing with a garden structure include…

• Growing flowers and vegetables upwards saves space
• Crops grown on structures are easier to harvest and stay cleaner
• Disease is minimized when plants receive better air circulation 

Choosing Plants that Climb
Flowers and vegetables that like to climb will grow beautifully on a trellis or arbor. The trick is to choose your plants and then choose the structure that can best support them. Some plants that grow well on garden structures include:

• Peas
• Pole Beans
• Tomatoes
• Trumpet Vines
• Wisteria
• Morning Glories
• Roses
• Clematis
• Cantaloups
• Squash
• Honeysuckle Vines
• Climbing Hydrangeas
• Baby Pumpkins
• Jasmine
• Ivy

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1. Make sure you have all necessary supplies. Peat pots or other pots and planters, tools, potting mix, seeds, plant markers, watering supplies, grow lights, fertilizers and heated seed germination equipment are just some examples of what you may need. Check out the Seed Starting section at Mastergardening.com for a complete list of products.
2. Plan your garden and choose your seeds carefully. Be sure to read the instructions on the back of each seed packet for the zone in which you reside. Follow the recommended timeline (for example, planting three weeks before the last frost) to achieve optimal results.
3. Loosen and dampen potting mix before putting it into peat pots or other seed starting containers. The mix should be thoroughly wet but not dripping.
4. Fill peat pots (about 2/3 full) with prepared potting mix. Tap the bottom of the pots on a hard surface to settle the potting mix. Avoid packing the mix into the peat pots.
5. Plant at least three seeds in each peat pot. Remember to read the instructions as some seeds require pre-soaking or chilling. Cover the seeds with soil according to instructions and water them again. Be sure to use plant markers for easy identification later.  
6. Using any type of plastic, cover the peat pots loosely. The plastic will hold in heat and moisture like a greenhouse but must be removed as soon as seedlings begin to emerge. 
7. While waiting for seedlings to emerge, keep the soil moist, but not drenched. The ideal temperature range for seed germination is 65 to 70 degrees F. Heating mats or seed growing systems are great options.
8. Once the seedlings emerge, they will need between 12 and 18 hours of light each day. A fluorescent or high intensity plant light is the best choice.
9. Once the seedlings grow true leaves (not to be confused with the cotyledons that emerge at first), fertilizer should be used.
10. At 2-3 inches tall, the seedlings can be transferred to larger pots. If two or more seedlings have grown in the same container, cut off all but the strongest seedling. Remember to cut instead of pulling out unwanted seedlings as roots may be intertwined.
11. Allow two to three weeks to introduce seedlings to the outdoors gradually. To do this, move your seedlings to a shady spot for increasing amounts of time each day. Gradually increase their time outdoors (protecting them from inclement weather). Remember to water the seedlings before and after planting.

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Today, as growing economic strain collides with growing concern for the environment, a modern-day victory garden movement is emerging. During both world wars, the American government promoted victory gardens to ease the pressure of public food supply. Consequently, citizens who grew their own vegetables, fruits and herbs became more self-sufficient and less vulnerable to economic hardships.

Unlike the original victory gardens, modern-day victory gardens focus on environmental and financial victories. However, self-sufficiency, especially during a time of war, benefits everyone.

Starting a vegetable, fruit and herb garden requires a modest financial investment, mainly in the beginning, but the long-term benefits are amazing. You will save money on groceries while providing easy access to healthy, even organic, produce. Plus, gardening is a fun, rewarding hobby for all ages.

Produce bought at grocery stores can travel hundreds of miles from grower to grocer, wasting gas and energy. This is not true of food harvested from your home garden. You can further benefit the environment and your wallet by limiting your water usage, avoiding harmful chemicals and using natural compost. And if your garden produces large harvests, you could sell or donate the leftovers.

To get started, consider which type of garden would best suit your lifestyle. Container gardening on a sunny patio or balcony is great for individuals who don�t have much yard space. MasterGardening.com products such as AeroGarden, SproutGrower and windowsill garden kits work nicely for small indoor gardens.

For an outdoor garden, choose a sunny, level, easily accessible location. Using a raised bed is very convenient and the added height helps if you have back problems.

Next, you will need tools. At the bare minimum, you should have a shovel, a wheelbarrow, a spreader, a hose with a spray nozzle and a hoe. Buying high quality tools is worthwhile because they will last for many years.

Once you have tools, choose which vegetables, fruits and herbs you would like to grow. Herbs, tomatoes, sprouts, wheatgrass, lettuce, peppers and strawberries work well for indoor and container gardens. Outdoor gardeners will need to consider planting seasons and climate zones. Learn your USDA climate zone by looking at the MasterGardening.com zone map.

A little research on proper planting times can save you a lot of money and trouble. Libraries and the Internet are great for learning when to plant which seeds. Read your seed packets for specific instructions on planting depth and spacing.

Americans have become very sensitive to environment and health concerns, but organic and natural products are expensive. The modern-day victory garden is an enjoyable solution for people who want to eat healthy and live green for years to come without spending a ton of money.

A little research on proper planting times can save you a lot of money and trouble. Libraries and the Internet are great for learning when to plant which seeds. Read your seed packets for specific instructions on planting depth and spacing.

Americans have become very sensitive to environment and health concerns, but organic and natural products are expensive. The modern-day victory garden is an enjoyable solution for people who want to eat healthy and live green for years to come without spending a ton of money.

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Kitty Corral Cat Fencing System
Click HERE to shop cat fencing.

Why use cat fencing? Outdoor time provides your cat with an opportunity for exercise, mental stimulation and stress relief. With this in mind, Deerbusters.com, a leader in deer fencing for over 25 years, developed a durable and affordable cat fencing system that allows cats the outdoor time they crave.

Why use Kitty Corral brand cat fencing? Our cat fence is made from the same durable yet flexible polypropylene mesh material as our award-winning virtually invisible deer fence. However, our cat fencing has been engineered specifically to contain and safeguard your feline friends.

How does it work? Our fence is nearly impossible for a cat to climb because the flexible mesh moves with the cat’s weight. And to be absolutely certain your cat will stay safely enclosed, the top of the fence features a sturdy, inward-curving extender. The bottom two feet of our cat fence is constructed of PVC coated steel wire, which prevents damage from chewing. And to keep kitty from crawling underneath, our cat fence is secured with galvanized steel ground stakes.

Additional features

Our cat fence is barely visible against a tree line. It is UV-resistant and has an outdoor lifespan of ten years. Our cat fencing system is high quality and can be removed and reinstalled if necessary. Simple, easy-to-follow instructions and an instructional video are included, so your cats can start enjoying their new fence in very little time.

With our Kitty Corral Cat Fencing System, you can let your cats roam, chase butterflies and relax in nature without having to worry about their safety. If you want happy, healthy cats, satisfy their craving for time outside with a Kitty Corral Cat Fencing System!

Kitty Corral Cat Fencing System is available exclusively at DeerBusters.com and MasterGardening.com. Questions? Email Us.

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Make birdwatching fun for the whole family with an outdoor nature camera!  Take stunning photos of your backyard birds or shoot a high quality video complete with sound!  The cameras are weatherproof and easy to set up – no wiring required.  Motion activated cameras will take photos of birds as they feed or stop by the birdbath.  Enjoy picture after picture of the birds visiting your backyard with an outdoor nature camera!

Check out our full collection of Outdoor Nature Cameras!!

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