OK....What ate my Euonymus bushes?

[Lakesrider]

I looked around today and noticed my Euonymus shrubs that were about two feet tall last Fall are just little stubs now. Argh..... I don't think it was deer as In never saw on on my game camera that is pointed in that direction.
Chipmunks?

[beagle]

are famous for eating them here in ct.

[Pepper]

It could also be rabbits, which are low enough to the ground to perhaps avoid tripping the game camera.

Take a look at this excerpt: " Deer and rabbits also eat Euonymus limiting its use in area where deer populations are excessive. " taken from the full blog at: http://rslandscapedesign.blogspot.co.../euonymus.html

[Diana]

One year I had deer that ate every single leaf off of a euonymous hedge right against the front porch. I pruned them back since I could see into the bushes again, and they came back better than ever.

[trfour]

Back in 1992 when I moved up here on Paugus Bay, I had some electric hedge trimmers... After my first winter here, I was happy to find that the deer did a better job trimming my hedges than the electric ones did. So, come late spring 1993, I sold them electric puppies in a yard sale and got more than I paid for'em!..
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...1727&ppuser=83

[lawn psycho]

For deer around where I live, if you have euonymus or hostas you may as well set out a box of croutons to go with them.....

The only hosta I have are up near the house and my two goldens barking is what keeps them away.

What are you using the euonymus as the are a lot more attractive plants to use in their place that deer won't munch on?

[Lakesrider]

I get very little sun in my lawn and for some reason the Eunys seem to grow well without having to care too much for them. The Golden Eunymus sort of sprawl out and I don;t like them as much, but the regular green ones look good mixed in with the flowers I have. I try to keep as many perennial plants, as possible, except for impatiens and petunias that I hang or put in pots so I can move them around as much as possible to get sun.

[lawn psycho]

Plenty of choices. Do you want taller, wider, or both? How big an area?

Some ideas that deer won't touch
Shrubs:
Boxwoods (get big ones as they take FOREVER to grow)
PJM Rhododendron
Forsythia (this is the wildcard as it can get big without trimming)
All three above are great to accent with perenials as you have the green to contrast off of. Most importantly they are winter hardy but the box woods should be protected in the winter with some kidn of burlap fencing if they get hit with direct sun.


Perenials:
1. Heuchera (pronounced YOU-KA-RA) (many colorsw to chose from and tough as nails plant)
2. Common sage - next too "Palace purple heucheras" is great combo

If you snap a picture of the area I can throw some more ideas at you. Personally I don't like euonymus as they tend to look haggard from snow getting on them, etc.

[upthesaukee]

...like it could have been that euonymous traveler known as the Phantom Phloral Gourmet!

[Natt]

Ha! I have a good size rhododendron right next to the house and it hardly ever has any flowers on it. The deer eat those delicious big buds sometime in the winter. Right now we have one flower bud that was beneath the snow. I have sprayed the buds with pepper wax, but forget once after a good rain and they are gone. And deer love lilac tips too.

[Loony Singer]

...they'll eat most anything. A couple of winters ago when the snow was on the ground for a long time, they ate every leaf off our holly bushes. Two of 'em (the bushes, not the deer) were even wrapped and tied with burlap...the deer unwrapped em, then chowed down.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by Loony Singer

...they'll eat most anything. A couple of winters ago when the snow was on the ground for a long time, they ate every leaf off our holly bushes. Two of 'em (the bushes, not the deer) were even wrapped and tied with burlap...the deer unwrapped em, then chowed down.

Yep, if they want to eat they'll nip at anything.

[lawn psycho]

Originally Posted by Loony Singer

...they'll eat most anything. A couple of winters ago when the snow was on the ground for a long time, they ate every leaf off our holly bushes. Two of 'em (the bushes, not the deer) were even wrapped and tied with burlap...the deer unwrapped em, then chowed down.

I've got evergreen hollies that I have that are seven feet tall. The guy I buy my plants from didn't believe me when I told him. I wrap chicken wire in front of the burlap so the deer can't get them. I might is a pretty tough fortress with the chicken wirte. The deer try and nip at some areas but I've escaped thus far.

PJMs are nice because if a deer nips one they are so hardy they grow back relatively quickly. Just plant daylilies or somethine around them so you get longer color throughout the season and if the PJM gets nipped it doesn't look bad.

I've got two Scintillation rhodys right up against those house and the deer haven't touched them but I think my 4 legged beasts help keep guard for me while Dirty Harry is sleeping