Orchids Outside? What about the deer?

[doaks]

I wanted to ask if anyone in the NE has had experience growing orchids outside in the summer. I was thinking of putting mine int he garden under a tree but I'm afraid the deer that wander through the yard will eat the flowers.

 

[litlsea]

Deer eat almost anything!

Hi Doaks,
I put all my cymbibiums outside near the house and my vandas I hang from some trees and these are about 100 ft from the house. I have not had any nibbles on these in the last couple years but they eat my tree peonies and cherry trees and the garden and everything else that is a couple hundred feet away.

 

[SlipperFan]

I put my plants outside under shadecloth, so I've not had a problem with my deer -- that eat everything else in my yard. Chipmonks -- now that's another story...

 

[paphreek]

I put out Cattleyas, Oncidium types, and Cymbidiums without any trouble. However, I have a friend who had a NBS Paph rothschildianum growing happily under his deck in a Twin Cities suburb. He came out one morning to find the plant chewed right down to the crown. As a result, I don't put out my Paphs.

 

[Heather]

I put just a few plants outside last weekend, but they are up on shelves. We don't have deer wandering around too much. Turkeys seem to have moved off. I didn't put out any super valuable plants though, since it is an experiment.

 

[NYEric]

Except for some spiranthes cernau and bletias, I think deer or chipmunks or some other varmits ate all my outdoor planted orchids.