Seeds of Change
Fencing
Garden Fencing
Robert Frost famously said in his poem, Mending Wall, “fences make good neighbors.” With respect to gardens, especially vegetable gardens, fences let you love the wildlife. Otherwise, you will learn to hate deer, woodchucks, raccoons, and all sorts of other creatures that would like to lunch on your veggies.
When we started our garden in Redding, I had only a two rail post and rail fence with chicken wire on it to keep out the rabbits and woodchucks. However, as our deer population increased, I found it necessary to graduate to an 8 foot high chain link fence. You can still use chicken wire (obtained at Home Depot, Lowes, or a local feed store like Benedicts Home and Garden in Monroe) on sturdy wood posts placed eight foot on center, but make sure it is eight feet high or the deer will jump right in. And burying the wire one foot into the ground has the added benefit of discouraging woodchucks and other burrowing creatures from making an entrance. You can dig the post holes with a clam shell post-hole digger, especially made for the purpose and available where ever garden supplies are sold. And the fence wire can be attached to the posts with hammer-in staples, available from any hardware vendor.
Provide yourself with a latchable gate that is at least 4-5 feet wide so you can get your wheelbarrow (and maybe your garden tractor and cart) inside. We have one gate at each end of the garden so we can drive the garden tractor right through it and not have to back out.
Needless to say this sort of fence is less than ornamental, and not for flower gardens. Fortunately most wildlife is not interested in eating flowers. However, if you have Hosta or other “deer candy” planted in your garden, use holographic bird-scare ribbon from Amazon or Tractor Supply in Newtown, attached to bamboo poles placed strategically throughout. Buy the narrower, one inch wide kind, as it more easily flutters in the wind. It will reflect the moon-light, and keep the deer at bay!