How To Keep Animals Out of Vegetable Garden

There is only one best way to keep animals out of the garden. The use of noxious chemicals sprayed around your garden may keep the critters away, but those same chemicals can leach into your soil. The delicate root systems of your plants can be negatively affected and even die. If they do not die, you will eat the plant or fruit and can consume the chemicals through the food. This is not a good option for those reasons.

• The best way to keep animals out of the vegetable garden is with a physical barrier. There are a few options here. Supplies for building a fence can be expensive, so we will look at more than one option. If you can source usable used materials through your newspaper ads or through your local craigslist, you will save money. It will pay for you to watch the ads before or after gardening season.


• You will need wood or metal fence posts. Do not use treated wooden posts since they contain chemicals that are close enough to your garden to leech into the soil. Untreated Locust wood is preferable since it is very durable. If you use wooden posts, you will dig holes eighteen inches deep and at least two feet apart. Use 2B stone, an equivalent or small rocks against the post, then backfill with dirt. The stones help water to wick away preventing rot. Metal posts coated with a weather-resistant material are better than bare metal posts for longevity. Pound metal posts into the ground with a heavy hammer. Do not forget to use posts spaced the appropriate width to create a doorway. It must be wide enough to get your wheelbarrow and rototiller in and out.


• Know what you are up against, so you can choose your fencing material. Choose the right size to prevent animals from accessing plants. Choose between wood slats, metal wire, or even tough plastic snow fence. Which is the cheapest depends on how you source your materials. Do comparison-shopping if you are buying new materials before you buy.


• Attach your fence material to your posts. There are special half-round nails, called U nails or fence nails, which are made specifically for this purpose. They are best used with wire fencing on wooden posts. You may also use them with plastic snow fencing. For wooden slats, you can use nails that are twice as long as your slats' thickness. Metal posts have hooks made to hook onto metal fencing.


• Lastly, you need a frame for your door. You can buy a pre-made one or make a simple one. Attach it to one post with hinges, and attach a latching mechanism on the other post to keep it closed