I don't know about groundhogs, but you definitely need height for deer. I made the mistake of using 4' fencing one year and had to do several modifications including adding more fencing to the top, then running a wire above that off of which I hung plastic containers(after balloons deflated)that would move with the wind. And this was just for the smaller Black Tails on the west coast, not for the gynormous White Tail here in the mid-west. It looked bad, but it wasn't visible to the public and it worked until a black bear squashed a large portion to the ground to get to some catfood I was keeping in my plastic greenhouse. After that episode, fencing in the yard(to let our dogs patrol)and fencing the garden within that(to keep dogs out)worked best until we had to move.
I have read that having the top section of fencing tilted outward will help keep deer from jumping over. Hope you get a lot more responses. Good luck.

Gail

The search function on GW seems to work right now but I can't find a thread I read last year about deer fencing.

If I recall correctly, someone said they'd successfully kept deer out of their garden by not only having the standard fence around the garden area for all critters, but outside that fence, the person said they had pounded stakes and strung fishing line between them about two feet high, all crisscrossed. I envisioned it as a horizontal fence that deer hooves could get tangled in.

The theory is that the deer are reluctant to enter this area of crisscrossed fishing line to get close enough to the fence to jump it.

I haven't tried this, not having a severe deer problem, but maybe there's something on the internet about it.

I rounded up several of the relevant prior posts for you and direct linked them below. You just have to know how tointimidate the search engine here. ;)

Dave

How high a deer fence should be...

How do I keep deer from eating my garden...

Has anyone installed their own deer fence...

What size fenced garden...

Height of deer fence...

Deer fence advice...

Deer-proof fence and gate...

Gail,

I live in the suburbs and deer and groundhogs are a problem here too (in fact, I think there's a groundhog asleep under my shed right now). I do have a fence around my garden, but it is small and totally ineffective. So after the groundhog wreaked havoc last year, I surrounded the garden with an electric fence running off a solar powered recharger. Then I put a couple of strands apart low to the ground where they are quite inconspicuous. This kept the groundhogs out, and I have been fortunate that the deer have not yet been a problem, for they would have required a higher and much less inconspicuous wire. Out in the country you presumably do not have to worry about keeping things like electric fences inconspicuous. Incidentally, such a fence gives a bit of a wallop but it won't hurt people or animals. My view is that this is probably a simpler, cheaper and less time consuming approach than to install a fence, though you would need to make sure that grass etc. does not grow around the wires.

Ha! Even the NY Times is interested in how to keep deer out of gardens. Below, they're touting an electrified fence that is slanted.

Here is a link that might be useful: NEW FENCE CAPITALIZES ON DEER'S POOR 3-D VISION

I have successfully kept deer out of the garden for many years with a single strand electric fence that I bait occasionally with peanut butter. Once you do this, deer give your yard a wide berth for a long time. When you see deer sign again, bait the fence again. Most of the time, I never even plug the fence in.

Other deer fences that work:

A six foot solid board fence. Deer cannot see what's on the other side and they will not jump into the unknown.

A 5 foot high fence with a 45 degree angle jut out at the top. Deer can jump high and they can jump wide, but they can't jump high and wide.

Two 5 foot fences built about 5 feet apart. Same thing, and they won't jump into the confined space between the fences, so that area can be planted as well.

Steel, concrete, and railroad ties are the only fencing materials that last more than 10 years, if permanence matters.

Of course, if you're fencing a garden, you're hardly going to want a solid fence close to it. That would shade your garden on all sides.

I agree with Anney. My beds were built with a 4 foot pathway, partially to allow for the shading from the neighbor's fence (the third picture shows the fense).

We don't have deer in the suburbs of Seattle, but we do have racoons. Unforutnately I don't see my fences keeping out racoons. They have no trouble climbing them when the go through my yard on their way to the wetland and park behind my home.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden in progress.

Hi all,

Thanks so much for all the replies!

Digdirt: you must be magic!
Anney: Very interesting article. Anyone who skipped it should go back & read it.

What about groundhogs? Anyone have experience with them burying under fences to get into the garden?

Looking forward to your replies,
Gail

We have two fenced-in areas, one inside the other. The larger area is fenced against deer, and inside it, we installed an electric fence around the veg. garden. The electric fence keeps out raccoons, woodchucks, and rabbits.

1. The deer fence:
We bought rolls of black plastic deer fencing at Home Depot for $55/roll (7 ft. wide/100 feet long rolls). Also at home depot, we purchased ten-foot rebars (to use as stakes), electrical plastic ties, and a three-foot long 3-inch gas pipe with threads in one end, and a 3-inch cap (to screw onto the pipe). This pipe w/cap was used to pound the rebars into the ground this way: slide the pipe over the rebar, set the rebar in place, and start pounding. If you hit a rock, move the rebar over and start again,.

When all rebars are in place, tie the fencing material to the rebars with plastic ties. Deer will crawl under the fence if given a chance. We use rebars tied to the bottom of the fence with plastic ties, so the rebars lie on the ground and hold the fence down by their weight.

At Johnnys (877-564-6697), we bought 79-inch-high Hortonova trellis netting (not Trellinet), which we used as additional deer-fencing material where deer crashed through the black fencing. It is white, so deer see it well. Hortonova is available in 250-feet rolls, $55, and in much larger rolls (3,280 feet $325) + shipping.
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/product.aspx?scommand=search&search=hortonava&item=9716
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/catalog/product.aspx?scommand=search&search=hortonava&item=9712

2. The electric fence: http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=436&cat_id=0&;
I noticed there is free shipping on the fence.

We purchased our 30-inch-high Versanet fence, and all the necessary supplies, at Premier1: 800-282-6631. The fence is low enough to step over, so you donÂt have to open the gate to get in and out the veg. garden.
The electric fence has so far been extremely effective in keeping out raccoons, rabbits, and woodchucks, but mice, chipmunks, and other small critters will run through. I imagine that the electric fence could be lined with plastic fencing material with tiny holes to keep chipmunks out. We lined the gate (because it has very large openings, once allowing a rabbit to come through), but since we lined it, weÂve had no more rabbits inside.

For additional fence posts to hold the Versanet in place, we made our own posts of rebars over which we pounded 3 1/3-foot sections of gray plastic (not metal!) circuit pipe.

First pound four- or five-foot-long rebars into the ground, so only 25 inches are above ground. Then, pound 3 1/3-foot plastic pipe (we used gray plastic circuit pipe) over the rebars, so the rebars sit inside the plastic pipe. The top of the rebars should not be close to the top of the plastic pipe. If the rebars are close to the top, remove the plastic pipe, and pound the rebars further into the ground. Reinstall the plastic pipe over the rebar.

Plastic circuit pipe (not metal circuit pipe) comes in ten-foot lengths (HD). I think we used the 1/2-inch. Check that the rebars fit into the pipe before buying and cutting the plastic pipe. The HD guys will cut the 10-foot plastic pipe into thirds for you.

In addition, with a saw, cut two notches in the top of each 3-foot plastic pipe, across from one another. This will make a groove for the top strand of the Versanet wire to rest in. Make sure no metal comes in contact with the electric fence, including the rebars inside the circuit pipe. Pound the rebars further into the ground if they are a bit close to the top of the plastic pipes.

With plastic ties, tie the Versanet to the homemade posts. Pull on the Versanet just enough to prevent sagging between posts. Only VersanetÂs bottom strand should touch the ground. I tie the bottom strand to the bottom of the homemade posts, to prevent sagging, but also to prevent the Versanet from pulling up allowing room for a woodchuck to slide under the fence.

The Versanet comes with posts (they are built into the fence material), but youÂll get a stronger installation with the addition of homemade posts.

The fences have made it possible for us to grow a veg. garden, and I'm very pleased with having no deer in the inner circle anymore.

Hope this is helpful. By the way, I have no interests in any of the companies mentioned.

Wow! Great information - thanks. I'm sure more people than just myself will be interested in this.

I live in the city. My fence is just for keeping my kids and dog out and as support for my climbings veggies. I would try the electric fence if I lived in the country though.

Pete

Dogs. Mine have always kept the deer away. Unfortunately she is getting old and though she still yaps the deer away, she has of late been disinclined to do anything about the turkeys.
kay.

Rabbit Guard Fence
DONT use it. I have prsonally seen a rabbit jump through the top layer of fencing with my carrot tops in his belly.

This isn't actually a deer or fence type problem, but it works to keep out most small creatures that I have encountered - at least enough so that we have plenty left for ourselves.

I garden in boxes (see sinfonian's pics above). Because my yard has a slope, a fence would be difficult to install. So - I built my gardening boxes like a fortress. Before the soil is added, I nailed a piece of galvanized hardware cloth to the bottom of the box (Home Depot). This prevents burrowing/tunneling critters from invading from the bottom.

After the soil - compost and peat are inserted and seeds planted, I put a cage on top of the box. This cage is made of PVC pipe (home depot) and covered with chickenwire. It is light weight and easy to remove and if all planters are similar in size, can be used elsewhere as needed. The top of the cage is covered with a removable piece of chickenwire to keep out birds.

Alternatively, the cage could also be covered with Remay or old curtains for that matter, if bugs are a threat.

These cages deter most of the critters I have - possums, skunks, birds. The cabbage butterfly is still a nusiance in warmer weather with the ripening cole crops, but the Remay seems to be helpful there.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay

belgianpup

I haven't seen a post where someone suggested using close-meshed fencing laid down, but that would sure save a lot of trouble pounding stakes and stringing fishing line! Same principle, but better if you can mow over the top of it. If I ever have a deer problem, that's what I'll try first.

We just moved into our new house and the garden will start soon. Lots of deer here so we fenced our 2 1/2 acres with 48" no climb fencing and then got a dog. I use Premier's maxi-shock for a 1 strand hot fence around the garden to keep the dog, 18 weeks old, out. Tom