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Deer visiting your homestead is a delightful sight, but it does leave you with the problem of what to do with deer poop in your yard! Is deer poop a problem that must be dealt with, or should you be excited about this potential source of fertilizer? Let’s find out!
What’s Inside:
What to Do With Deer Poop In Your Yard
Deer poop in your yard can be a messy, smelly problem but if managed properly, we can turn this into a positive for your homestead. Deer poop contains a high level of nutrients and can be swept up and added to your compost pile to give your crops a boost.
Rake out deer droppings that fall on grass to prevent scorching of your lawn.
Is Deer Poop Good for Gardens?
Gardeners and homesteaders rarely overlook a good source of nutrients for their crops, but it is easy to underestimate the value of deer poop to gardens. After all, stepping in deer droppings is not a pleasant experience!
Deer and other herbivores play an essential role in the ecosystem, eating plant material and transferring waste material and nutrients back into the soil in the form of feces. The nutritional content of deer poop can be very variable, as it is dependent on their food source.
So, in general, deer poop in your yard should be considered to be a good thing, but this may not always be the case. Deer that are grazing on highly nutritious plant material may produce droppings that result in scorching and damage to your plants.
And of course, deer poop can smell, especially when combined with deer urine! Regular visiting deer may soon turn your yard into a smelly, yucky area in the course of just a few nights.
So, is deer poop good fertilizer for your garden?
Yes, absolutely!
Deer feces contain valuable nutrients and are normally high in nitrogen. But, as with all animal manures, it is a good idea to let the feces rot down before using them on your plants.
Not only will this prevent damage to your plants, but if you are growing food crops it is vital for your own health.
To keep you and your family safe, it is best to scoop up deer droppings when possible and add them to your compost pile. This will enable them to rot down and turn them into a valuable source of nutrients for your crops.
Is Deer Poop Good for Grass?
Passing deer frequently poop on grassy areas, particularly as they browse on herbaceous material nearby. This can be smelly and unpleasant, particularly if your kids love to play on your lawn! However, there are some advantages to deer poop on the grass.
Is Deer Poop Good Fertilizer for Grass?
Deer droppings are packed full of nutrients that can help your grass grow. Insects and microorganisms will break down these nutrients and carry them down into the soil, where they can be utilized by grass and other plants.
Is Deer Poop Bad for Your Lawn?
Although deer poop contains nutrients that will fertilize your lawn, in concentrated amounts, this can scorch and damage the grass. To prevent this from happening it is a good idea to rake grassy areas to remove some of the poop and spread the rest around.
Grassy areas that are used for recreational purposes should be fenced to deter deer, as fresh deer poop may contain microorganisms that are detrimental to human health.
Does Deer Poop Carry Diseases?
Fresh animal feces can contain microorganisms that are detrimental to human health, such as E. Coli. Current recommendations by the National Organic Program are that animal manure should be left to rot for 120 days before harvesting root vegetables, and 90 days for all other crops.
How to Get Rid of Deer Poop In Yard
Scooping up poop is not an enjoyable task and one we’d all rather avoid! Deer droppings are particularly tricky to clear up, as they form small pellets that are not easy to scoop up.
The best way to clear deer poop from a yard is to scoop it up using a shovel. If the poop is spread over a large area, sweeping it into a pile first may make this task easier.
Should You Clean Up Deer Poop In Your Yard Or Can You Spread It Around?
Deer poop is a very useful fertilizer, but when fresh, it can cause damage to plants and pose a risk to human health. Whether you chose to clean it up or spread it around will depend on various factors, such as the size of your yard and what you use the area for.
The ideal way to deal with deer poop is to collect it and add it to your compost pile. This will allow it to rot down, making it safe for humans and plants. However, this can be time-consuming, particularly if your yard is large.
In a larger yard, it may be more practical to spread deer poop around to allow it to rot down on the ground. This is not advisable in yards where children play, or food crops are grown.
How to Clean Deer Poop From Your Lawn
Deer poop is notoriously difficult to remove from grassy areas! A small shovel or hand trowel can be used to clear away larger piles, and the rest can be raked to break it up and help it rot down faster. Alternatively, a poop scooper with a rake can be used to remove deer poop from your lawn.
How to Keep Deer From Pooping In Your Yard
If you don’t want deer to poop in your yard, you need to stop them coming in! Passing deer will inevitably leave signs of their visit in your garden in the form of droppings and urine.
A deer fence needs to be at least 8 feet high to stop deer from jumping over it. Electric fences can be lower and are often an effective deterrent.
Do Deer Poop In the Same Spot?
When deer are wandering in search of food, they will normally poop anywhere and everywhere. However, in their bedding area, they will pass all their droppings in one spot. So if you stumble across a spot in the woods with large piles of deer poop, you’ve most likely found where your local deer population likes to hang out!
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