Time to Fence the Veggie Garden

[Qapla]

My problem is with those large grasshoppers that come in and wipe out all the green things in a single morning or afternoon - and I haven't found a fence that will keep them out

 

[Ford850]

How are you guys fencing the garden, and still getting in to till/plow/cultivate? I lost all the strawberries the past 2 years. Finally solved that by adding hoops bent from 1/2" thinwall conduit and some plastic mesh over the raised beds. We had fantastic berries for the first time in years this year. The rest of that garden is not fenced. I usually add chicken wire tunnels over rows of beans, cukes, etc, until the plants are growing fast. Then the covers are removed. It's a pain in the rear to do that though. I planted 34 sweet potato plants a couple weeks ago. I've saved seed potatoes from this variety for decades, starting my own slips which takes 2 - 3 months. They were just starting to grow, and rabbits ate every one off, clean to the ground. I had hopes they would still grow, but 2 days later the rabbits dug up every root ball and left them to die in the sun. I had visions of the Caddy Shack movie when I found that.
I have electric fence around my larger garden to protect the corn, squash, and pumpkins. It works great for coons, chucks, and deer, but rabbits hop over and under it like it's not there.

 

[Stimw]

How are you guys fencing the garden, and still getting in to till/plow/cultivate? I lost all the strawberries the past 2 years. Finally solved that by adding hoops bent from 1/2" thinwall conduit and some plastic mesh over the raised beds. We had fantastic berries for the first time in years this year. The rest of that garden is not fenced. I usually add chicken wire tunnels over rows of beans, cukes, etc, until the plants are growing fast. Then the covers are removed. It's a pain in the rear to do that though. I planted 34 sweet potato plants a couple weeks ago. I've saved seed potatoes from this variety for decades, starting my own slips which takes 2 - 3 months. They were just starting to grow, and rabbits ate every one off, clean to the ground. I had hopes they would still grow, but 2 days later the rabbits dug up every root ball and left them to die in the sun. I had visions of the Caddy Shack movie when I found that.
I have electric fence around my larger garden to protect the corn, squash, and pumpkins. It works great for coons, chucks, and deer, but rabbits hop over and under it like it's not there.

I had some old chainlink gates that I use for an entrance. It makes it harder to get in with my tractor and tiller but it saves my crops.
I also put chicken wire around the bottom of my field fence to try to keep the bunnies out.

 

[Gunny]

I use electric fence around my garden, but I installed it so that I can unhook both strands at each end. That allows me to till all the way through, turn outside the end of the garden, then till all the way through back the other way.
My garden is 60' wide, one corner of each end is attached to a fiberglass garden fence post, with enough wire hanging off the end to wrap around and complete the circuit. I just unhook a corner, swing my 60' "gate" back and do my thing. A bit of work, but it gives me complete easy access to the entire garden.

My biggest problem with the electric fence is that while the deer know it's there, they just jump over it. I noticed last night that a deer had munched the tops from about 10 feet of green beans

I might have to set up a 2nd fence outside the present one, I've heard that works sometimes.

 

[fordmantpw]

I use electric fence around my garden, but I installed it so that I can unhook both strands at each end. That allows me to till all the way through, turn outside the end of the garden, then till all the way through back the other way.
My garden is 60' wide, one corner of each end is attached to a fiberglass garden fence post, with enough wire hanging off the end to wrap around and complete the circuit. I just unhook a corner, swing my 60' "gate" back and do my thing. A bit of work, but it gives me complete easy access to the entire garden.

My biggest problem with the electric fence is that while the deer know it's there, they just jump over it. I noticed last night that a deer had munched the tops from about 10 feet of green beans

I might have to set up a 2nd fence outside the present one, I've heard that works sometimes.

We put a 2nd fence made of the plastic chicken wire about 2-3' inside the electric fence, and so far (knock on wood), we haven't had any deer damage. Deer have poor depth perception, and can't tell how far the 2nd fence is inside the outer one, and won't jump the outer one. Some folks also put strips of aluminum foiled coated in peanut butter on their electric fence. This entices the deer to lick it, and find out the hard way that it hurts! We haven't done that yet since we haven't had the need.

 

[Tig]

Other than this year's geese taking a liking to swiss chard, we don't have much trouble.
This lady is surprisingly gentle on plants and considerate as she tippy toes over top of seedlings while looking for a place to nest. She comes by most years. Never breaks a stem, but someone needs to tell her that some of the bare patches have seeds planted.

 

[Ford850]

Other than this year's geese taking a liking to swiss chard, we don't have much trouble.
This lady is surprisingly gentle on plants and considerate as she tippy toes over top of seedlings while looking for a place to nest. She comes by most years. Never breaks a stem, but someone needs to tell her that some of the bare patches have seeds planted.
View attachment 473931

She's probably looking for your Snap Peas or Snap Beans.

 

[MossRoad]

Other than this year's geese taking a liking to swiss chard, we don't have much trouble.
This lady is surprisingly gentle on plants and considerate as she tippy toes over top of seedlings while looking for a place to nest. She comes by most years. Never breaks a stem, but someone needs to tell her that some of the bare patches have seeds planted.
View attachment 473931

That's too cool! :thumbsup:

 

[DrRod]

I recall an old edition of Mother Earth News where they built a fence on the slant -- i.e. it leans outward at a bit less than 45 degrees. The deer can't jump it because they would have to go both up and out at the same time, which is a leap too far [so to speak].

 

[TheSpoon]

I'll try to find the link, but the Michigan State University extension office has a document on deer deterrents and their effectiveness. I'll try to find the link.