Need advice on height of fence to keep deer out of garden!

Discussion in 'Garden Design' started by poodledoodlemom, Apr 27, 2014.

  1. poodledoodlemom

    poodledoodlemom Seedling

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    My husband is usually an overachiever with everything he does. He's a Mr. Fixit. But for some reason he has been stalling over building my garden. I'm not sure what the issue is. He seems to think that a fence no higher than 4 ft. will keep the deer out of my garden since it's going to be right up against the house. I do not believe that is high enough. He said he's worried it will look tacky. Not sure what he thinks looks so tacky about the examples I've shown him...?

    Everything that I had planted is gone...well except for a couple tiny little sprouts. The pepper seedlings where gone yesterday morning. You could see where something had been rooting or digging in it. There's been a bunch of mushrooms. I guess the dirt that was under the soil I bought really WAS bad dirt!

    I just want my garden!!!
     
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  3. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Deer jump and they jump over 4 foot tall fences like it's a walk in the park ;)
    From what I have read, 8 feet is the minimum for keeping Deer out of a garden and it needs to be buried in the ground along each fence panel if you are going with chain link, really hungry deer have been known to dig under fencing that is too loose or far off the ground.
     
  4. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    You need two fences built about 4' apart. They don't have depth perception and won't jump it.
     
  5. poodledoodlemom

    poodledoodlemom Seedling

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    So here we are at HD arguing AGAIN about how high the fence should be. I'm completely confused by his reasoning. He thinks they will not jump into a confined area that is connected to the house.
     



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  6. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    They are so accustomed to having humans around that we don't mean anything to them, they just want to eat. But probably the only way to convince him is to let him put up his fence and you buy more plans as they get eaten.

    Pictures of deer fences
    None of them are under 7.5 feet tall.
     
  7. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    8 foot fence OR, as Carolyn suggested, 2 fences 4 feet apart. In that case a 4 foot fence might work.
     
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  8. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Just something you might try with that 4 ft. fence that isn`t going to work. Go to the dollar store and get some cheapy aftershave, some pine oil and a bottle of that Listerine smelling mouthwash and any kind of spray bottle like an old cleaner sprayer. Pour water about 3/4 full then add some of each mouthwash, pine oil and aftershave. Spray the fence with it every night. I spray my watermelons with something similar,,aftershave or perfume whatever I can get that's cheap so the coyotes won`t eat them. Has worked for the last three years. Coyotes don`t bother the melons till they can smell if they are ripe. With this they can`t smell the ripe ones. Since deer are leary of any unnatural smells perhaps they will stay away from your garden. Or you can just use two of the products and mix the smells so they don`t get used to any one scent.
     
  9. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    pdm---The 4 foot fence close to the house might have worked if your deer hadn't already discovered the feast in your garden. It is much harder to discourage them once they have located a food source. Think about it; it is what they do for their living, look for food. Info re food sources gets handed down from doe to fawn.

    Have you looked at electric fencing? Or if hubbie is convinced the 4 foot will work, how about combining it with the odors mart suggests & a motion detecting light at night? Or a motion detecting sprinkler?

    I just had another idea. I have managed to discourage deer by stringing monofilament around my garden. What about adding a line of monofilament outside your 4' fence? The monofilament scares them because they feel it but can't see it.
     
  10. cherylad

    cherylad Countess of Cute-ification Plants Contributor

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    Fortunately, the deer don't come to close here. They did when hubby had the veggie garden, but never got close to my berries or flowers. So... I'm not sure what kind of damage they do, besides eating the plants. That's why when you mentioned something was digging and rooting, I thought of an armadillo. Maybe you have two culprits?

    Another thought to help scare them away, is to put a radio out there and change the stations often... talk show, loud rock & roll... just no smooth jazz :D
     
  11. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    I like Cheryl's idea. Worth a try. Might be even more effective if it could be linked up with a motion detection device somehow. When deer approach, the radio goes on. Maybe an angry AM talk show!
     
  12. AvaRose82

    AvaRose82 Seedling

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    Deer are very brave now-a-days. They don't care if it's right up against the house, they just want the easy meal.
     
  13. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Possibly but we plant turnips in our pasture for deer in fall,,guess how they get the turnips,, they dig with the front hooves.
     
  14. jbest123

    jbest123 In Flower

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    I agree with your DH about the confined area but not about the height or being connected to the house. This garden in the photo is one of two that are 20' x 20' and fenced with 4' cyclone fencing. The fencing has been in place since 1975 and deer have never jumped it and we have 7 to 10 deer passing within a couple of feet every night.
    [​IMG]P6280003 by tsebmj, on Flickr
     
  15. cherylad

    cherylad Countess of Cute-ification Plants Contributor

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    Interesting. Does it matter the size and/or shape of the area being fenced? For instance, John's realatively small square area versus say a straight fence spanning the length of a backyard?
    So Poodle.... what area are you trying to protect? A small garden or your entire property?
     
  16. poodledoodlemom

    poodledoodlemom Seedling

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    This is exactly what I want. But it will be up alongside the house...unless he will build it somewhere else. The only reason I have it by the house is because that's where the original owners had it. I'd rather it be back in the yard more.

    I've been scaring cardinals off my porch. I think that's what's getting the seedlings. :(

    [​IMG]
    ( photo / image / picture from poodledoodlemom's Garden )
     

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