How Can I Keep Deer Out of My Veggie Garden - Ask Extension
I am trying to grow a garden in my yard, but I am fearful that the deer will eat the plants of my entire veggie garden.I live in a heavily wooded area...
Knowledgebase
How Can I Keep Deer Out of My Veggie Garden #870788
Asked May 30, 2024, 2:41 PM EDT
I am trying to grow a garden in my yard, but I am fearful that the deer will eat the plants of my entire veggie garden.
I live in a heavily wooded area. There are large herds of deer that come in to my fenced yard and eat up certain plants like hostas, hibiscus, and many others.
Please what can I do to protect my garden from deer, fox, groundhogs, racoons and other animals?
I have already dug up a 25 X 13ft space in the yard, but was thinking about putting some netting around the perimeters before putting my plants in the ground.
-Thanks
Prince George's County Maryland
Expert Response
A physical barrier like fencing is the best approach to keep deer out of a garden area. We have a couple videos about this topic on our YouTube channel; they're probably a bit out-of-date with regards to price-per-foot materials estimates, and the presentation format overall is a bit dated, but the ideas shared might be helpful:
One other tactic gardeners use to keep animals from either climbing up and over a fence or flying into the enclosure from above is to treat the area like an outdoor room, putting fencing/wire across the "ceiling" as well. (Photo example attached.) A door can be built into the structure, which will effectively keep most mammals out. If a mesh or wire barrier that forms the walls is open-weave enough, it will still allow bumble bees and other important pollinators into the room to pollinate the flowers necessary for squash, cucumbers, and other crops.
Miri
- Fencing for Your Garden (vegetable bed focus)
- Low Cost Deer Fence Alternative (one more fencing style around a veggie garden)
One other tactic gardeners use to keep animals from either climbing up and over a fence or flying into the enclosure from above is to treat the area like an outdoor room, putting fencing/wire across the "ceiling" as well. (Photo example attached.) A door can be built into the structure, which will effectively keep most mammals out. If a mesh or wire barrier that forms the walls is open-weave enough, it will still allow bumble bees and other important pollinators into the room to pollinate the flowers necessary for squash, cucumbers, and other crops.
Miri