by Jill Potvin Schoff
Are you planning a garden and wish to integrate the respectable fence into your design ? Or do you have unnamed visitor wreaking mayhem in your existing garden ? We ’ve scoured the vane for the best garden fencing idea to keep out garden pests . From elaborate fort to simple sportfishing line , we ’ve uncovered the most in effect solution for each of the major garden threats : deer , lapin , groundhog and gopher . Read on to learn more about the pests invading your garden and the most tried - and - genuine methods of keep them out !
Garden Pest Identification
Which type of fence will work best for your garden will depend on what you are trying to keep out . So you ’ll want to start by identifying the scourge . Here are some of the most vernacular garden pests that can be fence out . If you ’re new to gardening in your expanse , call for local gardeners or industrial plant greenhouse which pesterer are prevalent in your neighborhood .
cervid : Deer are most active at night , though you will often see them at dawn and crepuscule as well . They normally tear at plants and allow for behind rough , shredded or uprooted vegetation . They can reach much high than other coarse pests , so damage more than two feet off the ground is a strong indicator . To learn more about cervid identification and habits :
( Fine horticulture ) – talk over how to distinguish deer damage , with flock of examples .
rabbit : rabbit have acute incisors , so leaves and stems will be neatly clip off at a 45 - point slant . They in particular like to nibble on new growth and tender unseasoned plants . impairment reaches up to 2.5 feet above the ground and is worst in the give and early summer . They are most active at aurora and dusk . They often leave small rotund brownish - greenish dung . Here are some resource for identifying and understanding rabbit behavior :
– A video with good shots of what rabbit damage look like in the garden .
Groundhogs / Woodchucks : Groundhogs , also called woodchucks , like to nosh on vegetables and you ’ll often rule cuke or beans left lying around with bites taken out of them . They also love to eat the summit off carrots . They are active during the day , particularly in the former morning . They will have a burrow nearby with a large hole and a lot of stain next to it .
Gophers : Gophers are combat-ready both twenty-four hours and night and typically eat your ancestor vegetables . They also care to eat on the base of flowers , shrubs and tree . They will come above ground to wipe out tender vegetation . You will see grounds of tunnel .
– talk over how to identify a spermophile trap and how it differs from moles and voles .
Best Fence Solutions
Now that you ’ve identified which pest(s ) you need to defend against , it ’s clip to see at your fence selection and decide which solution ( or combination of solutions ) might work best for your garden .
Some garden fence options are expensive and complicated , some are cheap , and a few are just patently ugly , but effective . We ’ve summarized each of the options to make them easy to select from , with links to the rootage where you’re able to receive much more elaborated information .
Best Garden Fencing for White - tag DeerDeer can spring up to 8 foot high . They can pace over fence as tall as 3 feet and are absolutely willing to creep under fences as well . They can take down thin fences by lean on them or running through them . Here are a couple videos that show their skills :
– Great video of just how high – and effortlessly – a cervid can jump out .
– Deer caught on dark television camera crawl under a fence .
Fencing solutions are ordinarily 8 feet tall , electrified , or use a double - fence organization ( two fences space 3 feet apart ) . cervid will not jump into an area that they ca n’t see or where there does not appear to be a safe landing spot . They avert arena where it looks like they might get trapped . Remember that the success of the fence depends on the despair of the deer — if the local cervid universe is high and food is scarce , they will try much harder to enter your garden . Some great deterrent example of cervid - proof fencing material designs :
( Michigan Land Use Institute ) – This Michigan blueberry bush farm habituate an 8 - foot fencing that slants outwards at a 45 - degree angle . Seven strands of wire are lay every 12 inches and a combining of metal and wooden poles are used . Some strands are electrify .
( Jennifer ’s Garden ) – This 7 - foot fence wo n’t last more than a few age , but it does have the advantage of being cheap and relatively easy to instal . It uses a combination of metal electrical conduit and bird gauze .
( Agway ) – A simple electric double - fence design , using fibreglass posts with polywire and polytape . The inner fencing has two polywire strands set at 10 and 24 inches . The outer fencing has one polytape strand set at 18 inch .
– This is just about the cheapest fencing you’re able to make , using sportfishing line , can cans and charge plate buckets . Best used for seasonal garden where the cervid universe is not high-pitched .
( Georgia Peanut Commission ) – A more sophisticated double - fence intention with one eminent - tensile electrical fence with strands at 18 , 36 , and 54 column inch , and a second electric fence three feet away from the first fencing ( on outside ) with one wire 18 inches above the ground . High - tensile fences are more body of work to install , but should last up to 20 years .
Best Garden Fencing for RabbitsRabbits can jump as in high spirits as 3 understructure , but luckily they rarely seem prepared to do so . They can wring through any orifice swelled than their capitulum . They will creep under gaps in the bottom of a fencing , but will not burrow deeply . See them in action at law here :
– Nice footage showing how tight a bunny girl wipe out plant .
– cunning video of a rabbit well digging under chicken telegram and escaping .
– think it or not , there is a rabbit hop championship and it is impressive !
Fencing for rabbits does not demand to be tall ( 2 feet is generally sufficient ) , but it postulate to be baffling ( to prevent them from erode through it ) and have no gaps tumid than 1 inch . The fencing needs to be set a few inch into the primer or bend out at a 90 - arcdegree slant at the bottom to prevent them from burrowing under .
( Howcast ) – This speedy and easy fencing uses alloy poles and vinyl - coated volaille wire , with the bottom of the fence sink 3 inches bass . The coated chicken telegram is a right pick , since marginal metal disintegrates quick when buried .
( eHowPets ) – In this video , chicken telegram is add together to the bottom of an exist fencing to add rabbit protection .
Best Garden Fencing for Groundhogs / WoodchucksGroundhogs are tough because they can both climb high up and poke quite mysterious . They are also practiced at squeezing into modest space ( especially the babies ) . Check out these two videos to see them close - up :
– This footage shows how rapidly a groundhog devours leave of absence .
– This is why simply having a tall fence does n’t forge with groundhogs .
debate for groundhogs needs to be at least 3 feet high . Ideally the top groundwork of the fence should be loose so that it wobbles if groundhogs endeavor to climb over it . instead , you could have an electrified conducting wire at the top . The fencing also ask to stretch outwards 1 - 2 infantry at a 90 - point angle at the bottom , rather inter a few inches in the soil , to prevent them from burrowing under . The fencing material needs to be ruffianly ( to prevent them from erode through it ) and have no gaps larger than two inches .
( Completely Nourished ) – This childlike fencing consists of 4 feet of volaille conducting wire , with the top foot liberal and bent outwards and the bottom foot bent outwards 90 degree at the bottom ( thus forming a “ C ” shape ) .
Best Garden Fencing for GophersGophers usually approach from below ground , through a series of tunnels , but they can approach above ground as well . They are subject of mount over shortsighted fences or sidestep under or through them .
– You wo n’t often see your Minnesotan curse , but this video charm him in action .
raise beds lined with ironware fabric are the best solution . Without raise beds , fencing should be at least 1 invertebrate foot high , and extend into the ground at least 2 feet . Mesh should have mess no prominent than 3/4 of an column inch in diam . Always choose galvanise or coat fencing for bury applications or bring two coats of rust fungus - proof paint to untreated metallic element . Be sure to correspond the wholeness of the wire each year .
( grow Your Greens ) – This video recommends 1/2 - inch galvanized hardware fabric to describe your raised beds .
Fencing Cost
Fencing costs vary greatly calculate on the materials used and the length and height of the fence needed . You will demand to count the cost of the post , contend textile , holdfast for securing the fencing to the mail , tools that may be needed for digging the holes and stretching the fence , electric courser ( if needed ) , as well as the meter and manpower need to add the fencing .
The initial toll must be weigh against the life anticipation of the fence , the amount of maintenance required to keep it in good condition , and whether there are on-going cost ( such as electrical energy ) . Another constituent influencing the cost is the terrain — bouldered , hilly or swampy terrain will increase installation metre and price . Below are some resources for calculating cost . Most of them are focused on keeping stock in , rather than pests out , but fencing types for both goals are generally the same :
Fencing Installation & Maintenance
Before pick out a fencing solution , it is important to sympathise the requirement for its induction and upkeep . The following resourcefulness should help you with the fundamentals of good fence :
Fences are a lot of work , so it makes sense to help them last as long as possible . There are two thing that will destroy your garden fencing faster than anything else : moisture and weeds . Any part of your fence that touches the ground should be treated in some way . alloy should either be galvanized , coated with vinyl radical or polyester , or sprayed with two coats of rust - proof blusher . woods should be putrefaction - resistant or pressure - treat . If you are growing eatable crop , be sure whatever material will come in unmediated contact with the filth of your garden beds is atoxic .
Have a sess - direction scheme for your fencing melody . If it ’s an electrical fence , weeds can short-circuit out your fencing . If it ’s not an electric fencing , weeds will hold wet and wax your fence , quickening its deterioration . grass also provide shelter for critters approach your fencing . If you plan on using a weed trimmer , be sure the fencing material is strong enough to support up to it — trimming capacitor will tear plastic veiling and get tangled in conducting wire mesh . A better idea may be to run along the area to either side of your fence with gravel or mulch or even corrugate sheet metal — anything that will keep the area weed - free . This has the add up incentive of make visual inspection of your fence easily .
Have you tried any of these fences and consider achiever or nonstarter ? Let us know .
