Low tunnel hoop house to help prevent deer damage

14 years ago

My primary nemesis is deer . . . large numbers of deer. We live not too far from a creek with good cover.

My garden is the first one on our road the deer come to after crossing the alfalfa field. They eat my pole beans down to knee high each spring if I don't cover them. They take bites out of winter squash and melons, unless I over them as well. Last year everyone in our area who gardens said it was the worst year ever for deer damage. Spray on repellents work so-so as long as I remember to apply them regularly. I've considered an electric fence, but don't know if that will be at all effective. I'm too old to start building an 8 foot fence around my garden, but I've been considering building a low tunnel hoop house or two in the garden this year. Has anyone tried using a low tunnel hoop house as a way to protect plants from deer? Do they tend to damage the hoop house or do they simply leave for easier pickings? What I'm considering would be made from 10 foot pieces of EMT and non-woven row covers.

I have a greenhouse that will be assembled this spring as soon as weather permits. I would love to really utilize the greenhouse for starting plants, but do need to find a method to protect those plants through harvest.

We have also considered creating a modified hoop structure out of cattle panels, but I fear the plants would also need to be covered and/or the ends somehow blocked to keep the deer out.

This kind of sounds like my post should be over on the pest forum, but I suspect there are more folks here with low tunnel experience. I would appreciate feedback.

My othere major problem is grasshoppers/locusts, who move thru here from west to east each spring and summer. I cannot tolerate pesticide sprays and have used Bt bait for many years. It helps but doesn't solve all of the damage problem. Skunks are also an occasional problem, but I can trap them. Deer and grasshoppers are a definite challenge.

Featured Answer

sfallen2002

14 years ago

I have no direct experience with these things, but have heard that black netting - used for bird protection in orchards - freaks deer out when used at a treeline/forest.

You'd have to string it up though. Maybe a good choice for the hh ends.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

huisjen
14 years ago
How tall of low tunnel are you talking about? Have you looked at the "Lightweight Portable Low Tunnel....Chicken Run"thread? It's a good single bed design, but it wouldn't help your pole beans.

You could also look at the 3-D electric deer fence shown at http://www.premier1supplies.com/fencing.php?mode=detail&fence_id=31. I've used this design and it seemed to work, but I didn't have a very good garden inside it to tempt the deer with.

Dan
Related Professionals
Kenmore Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Mount Wilson Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Edmond Landscape Contractors · Columbine Landscape Contractors · Duarte Landscape Contractors · El Sobrante Landscape Contractors · Midland Landscape Contractors · North Highlands Landscape Contractors · Red Oak Landscape Contractors · Reedley Landscape Contractors · Rockland Landscape Contractors · Tacoma Landscape Contractors · West Palm Beach Landscape Contractors · Winter Gardens Landscape Contractors · Crowley Landscape Contractors
linda_utah
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for the replies, sfallen and huisjen.

Netting might well be a good solution for hh ends.

And, thanks for the link on electric fencing. I hadn't seen it before. This is a great idea!

The pole beans seem to survive ok as long as they are covered with non woven covers. I grow the beans on cattle panels set between posts. I've added an extra section of panels to grow more beans. That seems to help make up for some of the deer damage. As long as I go out and uncover the beans for pollination, they seem to do well, and damage decreases as the season advances.
spogarden
14 years ago
I am planning on doing something very similar. I have tried fencing the garden area with poor success, quail and squirrels go over it. I have some raised beds and I want to put either chicken wire or plastic over them in hoop form. I also am going to attempt to make a portable hoop house that I can move around in the open field area.

I usually put winter squash all around the perimeter, hoping their big leaves will keep some animals out. I planted green beans 3 times last year but got very few because they kept eating the new sprouts. I finally planted bush beans amoung the slats of a bunch of wood pallets, with limited sucess.
linda_utah
Original Author
14 years ago
The only thing I've planted that the deer don't bother is potatoes. (sigh)

Sorry to hear about your problems, especially with the green bean re-planting. I've had to do that myself more than one season.

Those %^&* deer managed to take at least one bite out of every single winter squash this past season. I kept my winter squash covered most of the season, but as soon as I left them uncovered for a day or two, they started nibbling. For the first time ever, even the carrots were eaten as soon as they came up.

I have had success when my apple trees were young with a product called Hinder. It's an ammonia based spray. But, the thought of spraying it on my veggies doesn't appeal to me much.

Good luck on your plans. I'd be interested in hearing what you do and how it comes out.
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
14 years ago
They also have solar powered electric fence, if you don't have an electric outlet nearby. This will solve deer, skunk, oppasum, rabbit ---problems.

Maybe a pond with frogs, or free-range chickens will solve grasshopper problems.

dcarch
linda_utah
Original Author
14 years ago
We do have both solar powered and plug in type chargers. Some are leftover from when we used to have cattle, and some we still use for our horses to keep them from leaning on fences.

I was thinking about maybe getting some guineas but am trying to decide if I could stand the noise. lol