Type of fencing?

[kjs1976]

I had a garden in the same spot for three summers and last year was the first time some critter repeatedly ate my plants to the point where I just gave up. this summer I want to put a fence around my garden because I really missed not doing a garden last year. I'm pretty sure it was a rabbit. We've only ever seen one deer in our back yard and that was three years ago.

What type of fencing should I use? My garden is (sorry about the reference ahead of time, but it does accuratly describe it) about the size of a large grave. I only have beans, tomatos, and peppers.

Thanks in advance!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I'd use chicken wire, 4' width, sinking the first foot in the ground. Bend the bottom foot of the fence into an L, facing outward, and bury it a few inches. That way the little bunnies can't burrow underneath. Of course, if it's some other critter that can climb, like a raccoon, this won't work. Do raccoons even like tomatoes? Hmmm.

 

[kjs1976]

Good question! I know we have racoons around here, but have never seen them in our side of the development. Thanks for your response! Never thought to bury it that way! Hope it works!

 

[LAinSEA]

Smaller critters certainly do damage, but if you've had deer in the last three years, you probably still have deer now. Only, Bambi and friends are coming at night. We live on a greenbelt and we've had all kinds of critters--even a black bear with cubs! But I'd take 20 bunnies over Mrs. Bambi any time.

We have built removable pvc and chickenwire enclosures for over our raised veggie beds and I'm constantly trying out some new deer repellant - even a 6 foot fence on a slope won't keep the deer out. And they seem to try to eat anything. Even my bamboo and palms have been nibbled on. So much for "deer resistant" plants. sigh!

-Laurie

 

[UrsulasShadow]

An easy trick for deterring deer is to make a "fence" of monofilament line (fishing line) on the perimeter of your yard...one strand at chest height and one strand about a foot from the ground. Make sure your family knows it's there! The deer won't see it, but it will startle them when they run up against it.

 

[LAinSEA]

Oh, we tried the fishing line for a while and our resident herd got quite tolerant of it! They charged right through it to the tender Roses from Oregon! We've tried the fake rubber snakes (glow in the dark no less), Irish Spring hung in the trees they want to eat down to the graft, and a motion-activated water sprinkler that will soak a human down like a water cannon. We are now trying the dehyrated coyote & bobcat urine powder (now doesn't that sound pleasant). Fence - we live on a 12-acre greenbelt and they can jump up an 8-foot retaining wall without a problem and get into our neighbors' yards with a 6-foot wood fence. The best deterent has been the hand-held sling-shot (but that doesn't help when we are asleep at night).

My next course of action is to build a Japanese bamboo fountain that has the deer-smaking sound. I'm sure the neighbors are going to love hearing it all summer long!

-Laurie