How to Double a Fence to Keep Deer Out From Gardens
The bad news is, deer can jump high. Even an 8-foot-tall wire fence may not be enough to keep a determined deer out of your garden. The good news is, while deer may be able to jump high, they do not jump far. This means that two lower fences, double fences as low as 4 feet, can be enough to deter even a hungry deer from your garden, if they are properly spaced.
Drive stakes into the ground using a hammer. Wrap 4-foot-high wire netting around the stakes. Use metal ties to tie the netting to the stakes so it is secure.
- The bad news is, deer can jump high.
- This means that two lower fences, double fences as low as 4 feet, can be enough to deter even a hungry deer from your garden, if they are properly spaced.
Pound in stakes 4 feet further out than the first fence and wrap 4-foot-high wire netting around these stakes as well. Secure this second fence to the stakes with metal ties. This creates two fences with a 4-foot space between them. The space is not enough for a deer to get a running jump over the second fence so the deer will not jump the first fence. An adult should be able to step over each fence, so no gate is required.
Tie Mylar ribbons to the outside of the two fences so that the ribbons will move when there is a breeze. The movement will be an additional deterrent to the deer.
- Pound in stakes 4 feet further out than the first fence and wrap 4-foot-high wire netting around these stakes as well.
Plant deer-repellent plants in the space between the two fences to deter the deer further. Some deer-repellent plants include: baby’s breath, lavender, St. John’s wort, spearmint and sage.
Deer-proof Garden Fences
If deer are expected not to leap over a simple, vertical fence, then the fence must be higher than the maximum height that a typical deer can jump, which can be as high as 8 feet. Fences made of square-mesh wire are also effective; they are constructed similarly to high-tensile steel fences and used with 10-foot tall posts set 20 feet apart. When deer are persistent and a simple wire fence isn't effective, the fence can be electrified to discourage deer more effectively. A single electrified wire strung 2 or 3 feet above the ground can repel small deer populations that are not extremely determined to cross the fence.
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Writer Bio
Larry Parr has been a full-time professional freelance writer for more than 30 years. For 25 years he wrote cartoons for television, everything from "Smurfs" to "Spider-Man." Today Parr train dogs and write articles on a variety of topics for websites worldwide.
