We have deer . . lots of deer . . around here so planting anything without a fence is inviting problems. It’s a little different living here than it was even when we lived in Missouri before. Then, we had two sides that were woods so no one saw our ugly fence made out of plastic landscape fencing, but it did keep the deer out of the garden. In Texas, no one saw anything back at our house so it didn’t matter what we did. We started out with plastic landscape fencing there but eventually had a fence builder put up an 8′ fence around the garden and orchard. Here, there are neighbors and these neighbors cut their grass twice a week and take landscaping seriously! The one neighor who can really see our backyard . . he built a big wooden compost bin and they’re going to have a garden too so he isn’t going to complain at least as long as we don’t put up a fence that’s too ugly.
In the beginning, we thought about an electric fence. There’s a garden fence kit that’s very easy to put up but I didn’t want to risk the liabilility of an electric fence. Vince talked to the old guy who developed the land and came up with the restrictions and asked him if he had a problem with an electric fence. He said “No. In fact, the people on the road behind you and a couple of doors down got chickens and I helped them build an electric fence.” Did you catch that? They had chickens!! Vince said that and saw my eyes light up and he said “NO!! We’re NOT getting chickens!” OK. I got it when you said 200 times ago. He really doesn’t want chickens and I can live with that.
Anyway . . this is the fence we’re going to build. It isn’t what you’d find in a fancy neighborhood but it will work here and a least it won’t involve 10′ PVC pipes!
Chad buys a lot of lumber from a sawmill run by Mennonites or Amish . . my guess is Mennonites because they use electricity and have phones but Chad keeps saying Amish so . . I have no idea. Anyway, Vince is going to go there and get the lumber he needs . . probably not this week but next weekend.
Carolyn says
Deer are the bane of my existence! And my hostas, and green beans, I put up a 6 foot wire fence aro7 d the garden, but no nice garden gate. I like yours! But for my Hostas and other edible plants, I’ve been using a product called DEER SCRAM. U can buy it on Amazon, sprinkle it one once and if there is a deluge do it again…. But it stops them!
Judy Laquidara says
Thanks for that tip! In Texas, everything they would eat was behind the high fence but here, even if we wanted to fence the entire place, a 6′ is as high as we can go and that will not keep them out so I’m hoping my little garden fence does, and since it’s narrow, they won’t jump into it. Time will tell.
Liz says
I get Gardener’s Supply catalog and there are some fencing ideas (expensive at over $3,000 for the complete garden setup). They are interesting since the garden is a raised U-shaped bed with a wood structure to support the mesh fencing. I guess the theory is that if the deer don’t have a good landing spot, they won’t try to get over the fence. But, at least it is not an electric fence.
The gate you show has a very zen feeling to it.
I like the way Vince built your raised beds. And, it should be easy to add more height in future years to get it to waist-high if you ever need it that way. Are you planning to add pea gravel or mulch around the boxes?
Roberta says
My thinking is you might want to put that fence up on the outside of you property. You know you will keep adding beds, trees, berries, etc until the yard if full!!!! And don’t forget those six chickens from TSC you’re going to get!!!! Maybe not this year but next!!!!!
Linda Garcia says
I have used electric fences for years. They work well, you can get a solar electric fence, so you don’t have to wire for electric from the house. They are pretty easy to install and I know several people in my area who use them to fence the garden to prevent the deer from demolishing the garden. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend using an electric fence
Roberta Miglin says
I’ve watch deer sail over our electric fence for the cow pasture. Not even close to the wires they go that high.
Judy Laquidara says
I wouldn’t mind if we were out in the country but just don’t want to risk the liability of someone getting hurt. I do know they work but the risk isn’t worth the benefit with us living in a neighborhood.