The Simplest Strategy To Keep Unwanted Wildlife Out Of The Garden

If it feels like you're in a nonstop battle with raccoons, rabbits, deer, and anything else that wants to nibble at the vegetables or flowers in your garden, then you might need to take counter measures. There are plenty of smells and sprays out there to try. But the easiest and simplest way to keep wildlife intruders out of your yard might just be to build a fence. 

Wildlife can do all kinds of damage to a yard. They can dig up tulip bulbs, eat flowers, and decimate tomatoes or other vegetables in the garden. There are lots of signs of wildlife damage to lookout for. Deer don't have upper front teeth, so if they nibble on plants or veggies, they'll tear foliage, leaving a jagged edge. Male deer rub their antlers on trees, too, damaging them. Rabbits, on the other hand, have sharp teeth, so their cuts are clean. They also target plants are usually two feet or less from the ground. You'll know you've got skunks or raccoons in the garden because you'll see signs of digging, as they try to find insects to eat. 

There are, of course, many ways to repel raccoons, but a fence is your first, and probably best, line of defense against all the uninvited critters. After all, the very word "fence" comes from an older word: "defens", which means "defense." Fences are a safe, chemical-free way to secure your garden. Keep on reading for the best tips on how to use a fence to protect your yard.

When building a fence to keep critters out, know that the material of your fence doesn't really matter. Wood, metal, or caged fences will all work as long as they don't have large gaps. But we don't blame you if the top question in your mind is: what are the cheapest fencing materials? A chain-length fence will be cheaper than wood. If you're trying to keep raccoons out, you'll want to make sure there aren't any gaps in the fence that they can squeeze through. A raccoon can pass through a hole just four inches wide. 

When looking to build a fence for your yard, know that the standard height for a wooden fence is typically 6 to 8 feet tall, but if you're trying to keep deer out, make sure the fence is at least 8 feet tall. Deer can jump over shorter fences. Also, to keep out rabbits, the fence should be taller than two feet above where you think the snow line might be. Rabbits are light enough to sit on top of snow when they forage in the winter. To keep out smaller pests, like mice, you'll want to make sure the fence is buried in the ground, so that they can't slip under.

You don't necessarily have to build a fence around your entire property line. You can simply encircle plants you want to protect. Chicken wire or hardware cloth can be good ways to protect certain plants.