Deer Fence

We had a little trouble with deer last year.  They did some damage to a few of the tomatoes, and hit the green beans and radicchio.  They even ate some hostas and other flowering plants.  Their numbers are on the rise. I don't want to lose any more vegetables - especially as we expanded the beds this year.

The obvious solution is some deer fencing.  The problem was that I don't want to sink fence posts in the yard.  I hate the permanence of fence posts, and our 'soil' is nothing but rock and hard pan (the joys of being in a valley which had its origins with ancient glaciers).

My solution was to put metal fence posts into cinder blocks and secure them with concrete.  If I decide to move the fencing, I just pick up the blocks / posts.  I chose 5 foot posts and 5 foot deer fencing.  The fence wraps around three sides of the vegetable beds (about 100 feet of fencing).  I ran plastic coated wire around the tops of the fence, and secured the deer fencing (actually it is heavy-duty plastic netting) to the wire.  It took about three hours to put up the fencing (excluding time time to let the concrete cure).

I had to figure a simple way to make an opening in the fence.  I was thinking about some form of swinging gate, but realized the netting / fencing was pretty supple.  I just supported a portion of the netting on split rings, and allow it to slide on the wire.  It is secured on the side with clips  . . .

. . . but it can be easily opened to allow us in to work the beds.

The fencing is 5 feet high.  It won't stop the most determined deer, but it should be enough!

Wish us luck!