I realize this is wild and crazy but after too many hours of solitude in a tree stand, one's mind begins to wonder. I've got hundreds of overground hostas planted around my house. The deer readily eat the leaves all summer and then some of the varieties produce a seed pod which they consume in winter as well. All of these plants are really overgrown and need to be split. This spring when I split them, is it crazy to consider taking the split plants to my hunting property and planting them on the edge of my centeralized food plot or even into the woods a little ways since hostas are extremely shade tolerant. I know they are eaten at my house, but are they a preferred food source worth moving? Any thoughts or experiences? Thanks!
dedgeez
death from above
I'm not sure if they are a preferred food source or a means to get through the winter, but I would absolutely love to find out. You need to be the guinea pig on this one. 
They grow fast and are easy to plant, you may be on to something here. If this works your're going to see guys raiding their mother in laws garden like crazy
They grow fast and are easy to plant, you may be on to something here. If this works your're going to see guys raiding their mother in laws garden like crazy
bearcatbaseball10
Member
if the deer don't love you for them, the rabbits will...my dad has a rediculous number of hostas in our yard and a lot of very rare ones....rabbits do a lot of damage to them. relocation has been practiced heavily in our yard the last several years
dbltree
Super Moderator
Certainly nothing wrong with this idea since deer do readily eat hostas, however I am not certain it will be practical nor productive in the end.
I can only say I have lot's of hostas and deer literally walk right thru them to get to Groundhog forage radish, which are far more effective because they are cold tolerant. They not only eat the foliage but later the root and have not once so much as nibbled the 20 or so varieties of hostas they walk thru to get there.
Again I would mention that deer are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will take advantage of almost any food source close to their bedding area. In urban areas there may be no other food sources so they adapt to eating things like hostas and shrubbery growing in yards. That doesn't mean those are favored food sources, just easy and safe to get too.
Dividing and re-planting hostas requires a fair amount of work but they will grow in shaded woodland areas quite well so you certainly could give it a try. The question in the end is...will this help you hold deer year around compared to a myriad of more effective habitat management techniques?
Give us a shout back if you try it and let us know how it worked out...:way:
I can only say I have lot's of hostas and deer literally walk right thru them to get to Groundhog forage radish, which are far more effective because they are cold tolerant. They not only eat the foliage but later the root and have not once so much as nibbled the 20 or so varieties of hostas they walk thru to get there.
Again I would mention that deer are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will take advantage of almost any food source close to their bedding area. In urban areas there may be no other food sources so they adapt to eating things like hostas and shrubbery growing in yards. That doesn't mean those are favored food sources, just easy and safe to get too.
Dividing and re-planting hostas requires a fair amount of work but they will grow in shaded woodland areas quite well so you certainly could give it a try. The question in the end is...will this help you hold deer year around compared to a myriad of more effective habitat management techniques?
Give us a shout back if you try it and let us know how it worked out...:way:
BigfootWillow.com
Tree Climber
I split one that was growing by my house a few years ago and planted it in a woods that deer frequently were in. It never did much because they browsed it too often. I forget what happened now, maybe it is still hanging on, died, or maybe I moved it.
Maybe I will grow a lot of empress wu hostas and deer can hide in it
http://www.hostasdirect.com/media/c...ardens-hi13361-hostaempress-wuppaf-cpbraf.jpg
Maybe I will grow a lot of empress wu hostas and deer can hide in it
http://www.hostasdirect.com/media/c...ardens-hi13361-hostaempress-wuppaf-cpbraf.jpg
we also have hostas in the yard in town and i notice the only time the deer realy bother to come visit us is when the hostas bloom or get the tall flower on them. at that time our yard is full of tracks and poop, then they are gone and i dont see sign of them anymore, this is in the summer
pa-buckblaster
New Member
instant range-finder
I recently planted hostas at 20 yards from my stand in varying directions. I figure at best, it will help me have a more accurate shot or draw deer in closer and possibly attract their attention while giving me an opportunity to draw my bow. At worst, it gives them one more thing in the woods to munch on. I planted 3 at a stand last season and 2 survived. I've already seen some deer sign at one of the recently planted hostas just 48 hours after planting. We'll see how it goes.
I recently planted hostas at 20 yards from my stand in varying directions. I figure at best, it will help me have a more accurate shot or draw deer in closer and possibly attract their attention while giving me an opportunity to draw my bow. At worst, it gives them one more thing in the woods to munch on. I planted 3 at a stand last season and 2 survived. I've already seen some deer sign at one of the recently planted hostas just 48 hours after planting. We'll see how it goes.
skyleralan
PMA Member
I got to ask, is this for you or your wife.........Only kidding not sure how many I had to plant in various places at our house when we first moved in! I think I might try using some surveying flags in my plots