Tree Talk, Georgia Christmas Tree Association Publication

November 2002

Rob Petry
Georgia Christmas Tree Association Member

“I try to raise Christmas Trees on the border of Heard and Troup Counties (Georgia). Both have high populations of Whitetail Deer who have developed a taste for Virginia Pine seedlings and Leyland Cypress. Although our hunting club harvests a good number of deer there are many left in January. From January until green-up in spring is the time I get most damage from deer. I have discussed this problem with many other growers who have tried many different things from high electric fences and night shootings to pepper spray.

A few years ago I saw an ad for a new product called Plantskydd animal repellent and ordered some. I have never been one for following instructions or reading them until the project is half over and everything is a mess, and this is what happened here. Mixing this product is very important, following the instructions. I applied this repellent in March a few weeks after I planted. At that time I was not planting until Spring so as to try to avoid deer damage. I had already noticed damage before I sprayed and after spraying there did not seem to be any new damage. I was very pleased with it.”