Expert: C.L. Fornari - 6/4/2007

Question
We were away for a week and when we returned none of my purple/pink/white petunias were blooming!  I thought maybe the deer had become brave and came up onto the deck in our absence.  But they continue to be munched upon...just the blooms as far as I can tell.  I have sprayed them with Liquid Fence, but to no avail.  HELP!  (Thank you)

Answer
Rosemary,
I've seen birds tear the flowers off plants - I suspect that they use them to line a nest, but I don't know that for sure.  Fortunately, animals are real creatures of habit, so if you can break their habit for a week by making it impossible for them to reach the flowers, they will go on to new habits.... or your neighbor's flowers, perhaps!  If you covered these plants either with chicken wire or with floating row cover (a very thin non-woven fabric you can get a garden centers - the light, air and water go through it, and in fact, the plants under it grow faster than those without such a cover.) the animals will start going elsewhere.  Usually a week under cover is enough.

all the best,
C.L.