Garden Fencing.

[woodman]

I need to fence my garden in to protect the plants from rabbits and deer. I was wondering if any one here has any input as to the best product to use and any pitfalls one might experience. I'm getting tired of learning the hard way and figured you folks might have some practical experience. I've been thinking about using the plastic netting type fence because it is cheap and easy to install. Any info is appreciated.

[Katmandu]

Have issues here too, except mainly from deer rather than rabbits.

One thing that I have done that works fairly well is this. In their fencing section outdoors, Lowes sells heavy duty green metal stakes. Go for the heavier duty like the 6' or 7' long versions. Also in that same dept are rolls of fencing with hole opening size of 2"x4". You can get a 4' tall roll x 100' long for about $50, or 5' tall by 50' long for about $50. The green stakes have small tabs spaced at 4" so that fencing can hook onto these tabs.

Since deer can easily jump over this height of fence, you will also need to screw or strap some extenders on the stakes to make the total height of some of the fence posts about 9-12ft tall. Then tie some string or cord along the perimeter of fence on these stake extenders. Do this at a few heights from 4' to 10'-12;high...it will sort of look like a boxing ring. The cord is not a strong physical barrier to the deer, but it is enough of a visual barrier from 4ft to 10 ft to deter them from trying to jump over the 4-5ft metal fence.

This method is fairly common around my area for smaller gardens. Not sure how big your garden is because this could get expensive for a very large garden. You could also do it on the cheap using some long wooden stakes and some cheaper fencing material. The key is to put up the stake extenders so that you can install the visual deterrent with string up to about 10-12ft high.

You could add some finer mesh on the lower part of the fence to keep baby rabbits from crawling through the 2"x4" fence openings.

[Santa]

I don't have deer problems, never seen one nearby, but I do like the black plastic netting type fencing. Easy to put up and take down. Tolerates wind and weather. Lasts a long time.

[woodman]

I don't have deer problems, never seen one nearby, but I do like the black plastic netting type fencing. Easy to put up and take down. Tolerates wind and weather. Lasts a long time.

I ordered 330' of the black plastic net style fencing.
I have some cedar posts so I will just extend them as suggested by Katmandu. The posts they sell are very expensive so this is the cheapest way out.

[osoab]

I have used the green plastic snow fence. Rabbits will eat right through and then eat right through the patch job. Rabbits will eat through black plastic bird netting and the white shade cloth.

I use raised beds. I build frames out of 1x2 furring strips and staple chicken wire to them. Then use bailing wire to wire them together. Easy to take down and store. Impervious to rabbits and squirrels.

I have had some sets for 5+ years. Store them inside for the winter. If you use the frames outside for winter, like for wintering fall garlic plantings, don't let the snow pile up. They will break easily.

[woodman]

I have used the green plastic snow fence. Rabbits will eat right through and then eat right through the patch job. Rabbits will eat through black plastic bird netting and the white shade cloth.

I use raised beds. I build frames out of 1x2 furring strips and staple chicken wire to them. Then use bailing wire to wire them together. Easy to take down and store. Impervious to rabbits and squirrels.

I have had some sets for 5+ years. Store them inside for the winter. If you use the frames outside for winter, like for wintering fall garlic plantings, don't let the snow pile up. They will break easily.

If I understand correctly, you are using the frame as an enclosure to prevent the plants from becoming forage. My plants get pretty big so I'm not sure I'd be able to accommodate them with this method. The deer have even munched my pole beans to the ground before.

[osoab]

If I understand correctly, you are using the frame as an enclosure to prevent the plants from becoming forage. My plants get pretty big so I'm not sure I'd be able to accommodate them with this method. The deer have even munched my pole beans to the ground before.

I don't do pole beans, bush beans rock.

Works well for carrots, bush beans, garlic, onions, cabbage, broccoli, etc.

[woodman]

Yes, I do like bush beans also, but pole beans are so easy to pick.

[osoab]

Yes, I do like bush beans also, but pole beans are so easy to pick.

Most poles have strings. I think production is better for bush too.

[ArgenteumTelum]

My garden is 120' x 40'. Fence is now twenty yrs. old---showing some wear. Hired a fellow with a ditch witch to dig 18" deep around perimeter. For bottom part of fence buried half of a 3-ft. closer spaced (1" squares) wire. Now 18" of that is above grade. Attached to that is 6' tall wider spaced wire. There are special wire clips to join top and bottom fencing. Kind of like c-clips one closes with small specialty pliers. For posts: 4 x 4 treated limber at corners and in between; also iron 8' t-posts. Zero deer or digger problems. Now that fence is older have to watch for clip breakage--leaving space for ground critters to enter----or---rust breaking wires at ground level. Back then total costs with my labor about 1100.

[gunDriller]

i'm dealing with this too.

i see people spending big $$ on fences etc.

actually, some of my fencing is 'free-cycled'. metal fence tied to fence posts, covering an area about 25 x 25.

i have about 25 x 50 fenced off for deer, using string tied to home-made cheapo fence posts. the fence-post is a bucket full of rocks with some wood & all-thread, cost about $2 if i bought the parts new.

i expect to go out some morning and find a deer that tried to make the jump and got tangled in the string. not the goal, i just expect it to happen.

the area with the metal fence AND the string, i'm hoping is protecting the seedlings against most critters.

i've got deer, rabbits, squirrels, snails, slugs, and my own chickens to deal with. the chickens are currently confined to the coop because i found them eating the just-planted sunflower.


i start the sunflowers in a protected area.

for the corn, they are either less attractive as food, or something. will be planting those today or tomorrow.

actually, i hired someone to do the planting this year. so far it's cost me $40, to plant the sunflowers.

[mick silver]

this year I did a Electric Fence Energizer for deer and rabbits . I run a line low for small animals and one higher for deer . not one animal been in my garden this year and it a first for me .............http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Prod-DE400-Electric-Energizer/dp/B0016O9FSC/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1404830491&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=110V+Electric+Fence

[gunDriller]

this year I did a Electric Fence Energizer for deer and rabbits . I run a line low for small animals and one higher for deer . not one animal been in my garden this year and it a first for me .............http://www.amazon.com/Dare-Prod-DE400-Electric-Energizer/dp/B0016O9FSC/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1404830491&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=110V+Electric+Fence

i am taking a more incremental approach.

2 1/2 feet of wire fence, and a rope across at 4 1/2 feet high.

sort of an ongoing experiment.

thought i had the deer beat. i think they see my fence and laugh a deer laugh.

came down the driveway about 5 AM one morning and there was one small deer slowly walking away from the fence. I don't know if she was just looking, like a kid looking in the window at a candy store, or if she managed to jump the fence.

some deer did. the rope was sagging on one side, requiring only about a 3 foot hop. i tightened up that rope.


this is the part where i sit for a week, watching the sunflowers grow & watering them.