Greenhouse/Garden and Irrigation/Dog/Deer Fence

[hunterridgefarm]

Unless that is you in the third pic and not your son, I'm not so sure ....

That is my son. But it funny Bo listens to me and will stay with me when I am around. It kind of get to my son that he prefers to be with me. But I told him I was the first one to feed him and he has become very loyal to me.

However my son is younger and can chase the dog and play with him more than I can.

 

[DKCDKC]

I think you are right about deer and depth perception. I have a low, hog-fence around my garden to keep out rabbits and such. But a few feet away from that fence I planted - inadvertently, I must admit - sunchokes (aka Jerusalem artichokes). They are in fertile soil and quickly grow to from 5 feet to 8 feet tall. They literally form a hedge around most of the garden and confuse the heck out of deer. We have plenty of deer (hunters take 18 to 24 off my land each year) but have never had one in the garden. And we have the sunchoke roots to eat as much as we want too. They are a great substitute for potatoes, and healthier too. And you can never get all the roots so the plants keep coming back. You have to have an area around them you can mow, or they will expand and take over the garden and your life.

 

[forgeblast]

I tried using this method for some food plots its worked so far.
I bought a few 4' fiberglass poles from tsc. I then bought some cheap 30lb test fishing line at a discount store i think it was 2.00 for 3 rolls.
After I spread in the seed and raked it in I put the poles up and put in 4-5 rows of fishing line on the poles and then put some flagging on it. So far its kept them off the food plots. I dont know if I would trust it for a garden but it seems to have worked at least temp. I have a lot of deer pressure too.

 

[LazySusanFarms]

This fence design is getting more common, especially if you have significant deer pressure.

6' t posts 15' - 20' apart. At the top of each t post, hang a 8' 2 x 4 so that 1-1/2' extends beyond the t post and the remainder is at an angle and rests on the ground on the inside of the fence. It looks like a big triangle with a little piece sticking out at the top.

Run alternating barb wire and electric every foot along the 2 x 4. The angle of the fence confuses the deer due to poor depth perception and the electric wire keeps out any curious ones that get close. These are used on large berry patches and gardens where lost volume can be significant and expensive.

The average cost is about 0.75 per foot of fence. Blueberry growers in Michigan have seen a 50% increase in harvest weight.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

This fence design is getting more common, especially if you have significant deer pressure.

6' t posts 15' - 20' apart. At the top of each t post, hang a 8' 2 x 4 so that 1-1/2' extends beyond the t post and the remainder is at an angle and rests on the ground on the inside of the fence. It looks like a big triangle with a little piece sticking out at the top.

Run alternating barb wire and electric every foot along the 2 x 4. The angle of the fence confuses the deer due to poor depth perception and the electric wire keeps out any curious ones that get close. These are used on large berry patches and gardens where lost volume can be significant and expensive.

The average cost is about 0.75 per foot of fence. Blueberry growers in Michigan have seen a 50% increase in harvest weight.

So you don't actually attach any wire to the T-post, just the angled 2x4...(?)

I may try that around the pumpkins.

 

[Taylortractornut]

Thats a nice set up, Have you thought about usning compost tea. Im working on a 300 gallon set up for my market garden. For my deer fence Ive been using turpentine on a rag on a post at each corner of tha garden and it works good

 

[Lloyd_E]

Thread 2

Garden/ Irrigation

Garden is doing good so far. We are going to try to sell some at the Farmer Market this year. I have two 200' rows of green beans, 165 tomatoe plants, watermelon, peas, peppers, potatoes, cucumber, cantaloupe, and a few other things planted. Most things were started in the greenhouse.

HRF,

The hay bailer twin is a great idea! I have lots leftover from the horse hay. I think you ran two horizontal lines and tied verticals to them - correct? If not can you correct me. Great idea - now I have to rethink my set-up... ****!

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Thats a nice set up, Have you thought about usning compost tea. Im working on a 300 gallon set up for my market garden. For my deer fence Ive been using turpentine on a rag on a post at each corner of tha garden and it works good

I plan to put a compost system in, just have not been able to get to that project yet. We have one of the compost barrels that you turn over and iit works good. But I want to start a larger staging area. I have several large horse stables that have offered free manure but I just have not had time to go get it.

Post some pictures of your system if you can. I would like to see you operation.

David

 

[hunterridgefarm]

HRF,

The hay bailer twin is a great idea! I have lots leftover from the horse hay. I think you ran two horizontal lines and tied verticals to them - correct? If not can you correct me. Great idea - now I have to rethink my set-up... ****!

All lines are horizontal with no vertical ties. On the T-post I have two strands of electric wire, waist and knee high with a strand of bailer twin on top (7' T-post). Then 3-4 foot off the T-post is just a strand of bailer twin thigh high.

I think you see the wire from the solar unit attached to the electric fence, that may be the vertical line you see.

Bailer twin is a handy and cheap product that I always keep a roll or two in the mule. It last several years.

I also like the idea LazySusanFarms had for deer fence.

 

[pacerron]

We have tried all the ideas described above over the years and others but the deer become accustomed to them all in time. When they decide it's time to wipe out the corn the night before you were going to pick it or eat the green beans and pea plants to the ground the urge overcomes their fears.
This year we are trying a very economical system that you can see pictured and read about on a member site named "jinman" He has lots of sites but one specific to gardens with lots of pics.
It is a simple black netting fence that comes in rolls of 7' high by 110 feet long for less than $20. The deer have a problem seeing it so when they touch it with their nose they retreat. It is so light and has practically no wind resistance it can be supported by any type of poles. We use 7 foot T-posts 20-25 ft apart and tie the netting on with used baling cord. top middle bottom on each post. He has left his up for over 3 years, year round, in the hot Texas sun with no degradation.
Check it out.