Animals don't seem to realize that you didn't plant your vegetables and ornamentals for their dinner. That's why a good fence makes good neighbors with deer, raccoons, groundhogs, and other critters. Of course, you may want to supplement your fence with repellents, sprays, and other deterrents. Here are a few tips on how best to protect your garden.
Standard fences are very good for keeping out dogs, rabbits, and groundhogs. Just include chicken wire at the base to keep then from squeezing in through the cracks. Also, you'll want to bury your fencing into the ground and mound up some earth on either side to keep animals from sneaking in underneath.
Raccoons love to climb, so you'll need a high fence for them. If you are trying to keep out deer, your fence needs to be wide. Deer can clear 12 feet, but they can't handle wide barriers. Even a four-feet tall fence that's four feet wide will keep out deer. Unfortunately, no matter what kind of fence you create, you won't be able to keep out mice, moles, squirrels, or birds. You can protect fruit trees from birds by wrapping netting around the fruit.
If fencing doesn't keep out your animal visitors, you still have good options. Sprays and repellents work for deer. Other animals respond to fake predators, tree guards, and hot pepper juice spray. Experiment to see which method works best for you.
