- Deer are beautiful creatures, and it can be a real treat to see them roaming around in their natural habitat. However, when they start nibbling your flower beds or tromping all over your vegetable garden, they can become a problem in a hurry. In some areas, deer have actually become a nuisance animal, and homeowners in rapidly expanding suburban areas are faced with wildlife in their yards. Ideally, the smart thing to do is build a deer fence to keep them out. This protects your property without harming the deer. A polypropylene plastic fence is practically invisible from about thirty feet away, and it's far more cost-effective than a big metal fence. It's also safer than an electric fence, especially if you have children or pets. Building a deer fence does take a little bit of time and money, but the payoff is worth it if it keeps deer from eating everything you plant.
- Purchase fence posts made of 4x4" lumber, as well as a post hole digger. You'll also need bags of concrete or cement--get as many bags as you have posts. Buy rolls of polypropylene plastic netting and make sure you have either a hammer and nails or an an industrial stapler. Finally, enlist a few really good friends to help with the labor.
- Measure the area you want to fence in. For some people, this is going to be the entire yard. For others, it may just be a garden area. You'll need enough fence posts and polypropylene plastic netting to surround the area. Also, remember that deer are jumpers, especially if they're hungry and determined. Although a 10-foot fence around your garden may look hideous, it also may be the only thing that keeps the deer out, particularly if your property slopes. Ideally, though, you should be able to put up a 5-foot-high fence that will keep grazers from wandering in.
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Dig a post hole at intervals of about six feet. Your post hole should be at least 2 feet deep, though 3 feet is even better.
Pour concrete into the holes. Follow the manufacturer's directions for mixing up the concrete. Fill the bottom half of the hole with concrete and then add a fence post. Fill the area around the post with concrete to hold it in place. Use bits of scrap lumber to stabilize the posts while the concrete dries. Allow the concrete to cure for 24 hours before you continue. -
Attach the polypropylene plastic netting to the fence posts. This is where you'll want to have some friends to help you. Polypropylene plastic netting comes on a big roll, and if you don't have helpers to hold it and stretch it out for you, you'll end up tangled up in a big floppy roll of plastic mesh. Unroll the netting a little bit at a time, and as you reach each post, pull the mesh taut. Use nails or an industrial stapler for attach the mesh to the posts.
Surround the area with netting. Connect the mesh fencing to the posts until you reach the last one. Be sure you leave yourself a way to get in and out of your newly fenced-in garden.
