GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Temporary fencing for protection against deer....

JoeSpareBedroom[_2_] · 20-04-2009, 04:17 PM posted to rec.gardens

wrote in message
...
On Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:31:33 -0400, wrote:

Well, the s.o. and I walked the grounds today.... everything looks fairly
good, except
something destroyed half the tulip bed yesterday night.

She decided my next project is to build a deer protection fence to protect
a line of
shrubs from the critters.

About 20 - 25 feet long, 4 feet wide 4 feet high type of cage
(rectangle)
Needs to be about 6" off the ground to allow space for cutting small areas
of grass,
clippers or string trimmer... doesn't matter which.
Temporary- will only be there for 2 - 3 years to allow plants to
establish themselves.
Discreet - something the neighbors will not notice ( ha - if THATS
possible).
Inexpensive -

A fence which is not a fence to protect a line of shrubs from persistent
deer. The
homeowners association goes into a frenzied panic with even a garden
plot... they'll
go totally beserk with any type of permanent structure.

I'm thinking those green posts with chicken wire. Perhaps even the green
plastic fencing
with the more solid mesh.

Any other fencing material that might be considered. Its gotta be a
physical barrier...
all the other stuff has been tried.

Thanks !!

Peter

Thanks all, for the suggestions and recommendations....

Okay, I need to simplify just a little... as noted in the original
posting the fence
will be in the shape of a rectangle 25 foot long x 4 foot across.
Shallow enough
so that any bounding deer will probably bound right over it, unless they
are skilled
high divers.... or another deer holds them by the ankles and dips them
into
the enclosure...... 25 foot long as I'm enclosing a row of shrubs instead
of
caging them individually.

If it were me I wouldn't want anyone to hold me by the ankles and dip me,
but
heck maybe deer are different).

So 4 foot from one edge of fence to the other side..

Val presented a good point.... they can probably get under a 6" fence...
it'll be
lowered to 4" above ground... gotta have some space to get a trimmer in
there.

This is for euonymous 'manhattan'. There is already another hedge about
8' tall growing elsewhere on the property... Browseline is only about 5
foot
during winter. The bushes handle the stress fairly well and regrow every
year. I'm
hoping to duplicate the hedge in another area.

The fence is temporary, to protect younger plants until they get
established. Thus
a 4' height.... (it's a trade off for temporary purposes)

turkey wire or chicken wire sounds good. I'm hesitant to stand on a
ladder
driving 7' green posts into the ground using a sledge...... are there
3' green metal
fence posts that extensions can be bolted onto ???

Thought about using lumber and stapling the wire mesh, but 2 x 2's are
kinda
expensive at Home Depot... is this what is commonly used in gardens or
is there a "garden' variety lumber used for temporary fencing. ???

Hope this clarifies things a little....

Peter

Use the metal stakes made for the purpose. Not cheap, but you'll probably
find uses for them over the years. Use electrical wire ties to hold the mesh
in place.

The deer will get over the 4' fence without even touching it. Not sure why
you have an aversion to using 6' fence, which is more likely to work. Do you
like wasting money?