How to Fence off Garden Pests

Keep out a variety of pests with a solid wood fence.

Spending time and energy to grow a beautiful garden, only to see it invaded by animals, is one of the most distressing possibilities a gardener faces. The one surefire way to protect your flowers, fruits or vegetables from garden pests is by fencing off the area. The type of pest determines the kind of fencing and installation you'll need. Fencing can be moderately costly to expensive, but preserving a healthy, growing garden is worth the effort.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Wire mesh fencing
• Metal or wood fence posts
• Nails
• Hammer

Instructions

1. Build a simple wire-mesh fence about 3 feet high, nailed to posts at the garden's corners, to keep out cats and dogs. This fence is unobtrusive and effective against neighbors' pets, but is too flimsy to deter larger animals or burrowers.

2. Prevent gophers, rabbits, chipmunks and raccoons from burrowing in with a wire-mesh fence with an "apron" sunk several inches into the perimeter of the garden. Using a 3.5-foot tall section of wire mesh, bend the bottom 1.5 feet at a 90-degree angle to create the apron. Dig a 1 foot wide trough around the garden, 6 inches deep, and bury the apron in the trough. Nail the remaining two feet of vertical fence with posts at the garden's corners.

3. Deter climbing animals--raccoons, woodchucks and opossums--with a fence detached at the top. Install a wire mesh fence about 4 feet tall with an additional 2-foot-wide apron (described in Step 3) around the perimeter. When anchoring the fence to posts, leave the top 18 inches of mesh unattached. Make 18 inch cuts in the mesh perpendicular to the fence's top edge at the corner posts. If an animal somehow climbs up the fence, the unattached mesh with flop over with the animal's weight and prevent it from entering the garden.

4. Discourage deer with an 8- to 10-foot mesh fence installed at a 45-degree angle pointing away from the garden. This angle deters deer from jumping over the fence. Bury the fence securely in the ground (deer will wiggle underneath flimsy fences to get at food).

5. Prevent wily coyotes and bears from invading your garden with an electric fence. These fences administer an unpleasant shock to animals but won't seriously injure them. Consult your local laws regarding electric fences before installing one. To "show" animals that the fence is electrified, spread peanut butter on the fence as soon as you put it up; animals will be less interested in invading your garden once they've gotten a shock.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep out a variety of pests with a solid wood fence. Animals won't be interested in getting into a closed-off area if they don't know what's inside.

References

• Gardeners: Animal Fencing Techniques

Resources

• "Wildlife Pest Control Around Gardens And Homes"; Terrell P. Salmon and Robert E. Lickliter; 2006
• "The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control"; Fern Marshall Bradley; 2010