Do I reeeeally have to fence everything?

[changingseasons]

We bought our first house this summer, and I am loving it. Lots of space, good yard (although it doesn't get as much sun as I would like), lots of wildlife to watch (compared to apartment living.) The problem is, the wildlife is really enjoying my garden. I didn't worry about it much this summer, because I planted really late and wasn't really expecting to get a whole lot out of it... but now, they're getting into my garlic plot.

I built a small (1'x4') box that I could move around, since we have really limited sun in the winter. I stapled a piece of burlap over the top so that the squirrels wouldn't bury anything in it (like they were doing in my main garden.) That worked really good for about a month. I went out last week, and the rabbits had chomped off a few of the sprouts. How do I know it was the rabbits? The whole box is covered in rabbit poo. And now someone (rabbits, squirrels, crows, who knows!) is actually trying to rip the burlap off the top and get into the soil.

Ok- that was a really long story to ask-

Do I have ANY alternatives besides putting up ugly fencing around every single garden box that I have? Is there a point where the critters will stop munching on my garlic?

I would really like to continue sharing my yard with the critters, but I would also really like to have a nice garden. One of the reasons I decided to have a whole box planted with only garlic is that we LOVE eating the scapes. So I will be really sad if the rabbits get them all and we get none.

[Erinz]

NOTHING besides good protection will keep critters away from your garden. I've tried a million things to deter deer but nothing but a nice sturdy tall fence has worked. I've lost my entire garden twice to critters, and just lost all my greens to migratory birds who managed to squeak their way into a teeny crack in my bird protection force field. Do yourself a favor and much heart break and relegate at least a small area where you can build a nice metal fence (so it can't be chewed through) with a nicely working strong gate and then plant and enjoy. Nothing else, I swear to you, has worked for me.

[changingseasons]

That's the answer I was afraid of. The problem is that our yard is so shaded that I have multiple little garden boxes all over the place- in each spot that gets sun (all in my front yard; my back yard is completely shaded.) So I would have a lot of fences to put up, and I think it will look terrible (not to mention being a pain for me to garden through/over.) Bummer.

[Erinz]

what about doing protection for each bed so it's all moveable? We're working on bird protection today (no fence protects from those!) and doing each raised bed separate (obviously since doing the whole thing is cost prohibative). I just came in to put my baby down for a nap but will come back later with a link with pics of what we did today, maybe will give you some ideas! There is always a way

[cheenya]

I have a 4x4 bed I grow strawberries in, that we covered with a removable hardware cloth "box". Its mdae of 2x2s, about 12" high, and was a bit of a pain to make, but it works really well to keep all sorts of critters away from the strawberry bed. Each side is made individually out of four pieces of wood (2 that are 12" tall and two that are 4" long to make a frame 12 inches by 4 feet), then the four sides are connected together, the top (4 feet by four feet) is covered with hardware cloth, and then a piece of hardware cloth is wrapped arround the sides. I wish I had pictures, but don't think I do, and its pretty well burried in snow right now.
Another option I've seen suggested is to make a frame of 2x2s that will sit on top of your garden bed and then just bend chkenwire to go over the top, this would take a lot less wood and less time.

[changingseasons]

Thanks for the ideas. I know there are bunch of ways to fence the garden in... it's just so ugly to me. I want to be able to look out my window and see my beautiful plants growing. I guess I'll just have to stop being so stingy and start sharing better then, huh?

[Owen'nZoe]

I would go with the hardware cloth boxes a PP recommended. They are less obtrusive than an actual fence, and you can remove them. All of the critters you mentioned (rabbits, squirrels, birds) are generally only a problem when your plants are young, in my experience. Once they are established, you can remove the hardware cloth and your plants should be fine.

Personally, I use nothing. I am lucky in that my yard does not have a ton of wildlife yet (newish development), but I do have birds and rabbits in the garden. I lose some plants, but I consider it payment for the great job they do aerating and fertilzing the soil.

[mattemma04]

I try to plant or put out food away from my garden to keep the animals away.

I have the squirrels,rabbits,and various annoying birds.I saw on the news a place that added perches for raptors(like hawks) so they can hunt squirrels.I have a hawk and it is love/hate due to my hens.Stray cats also eat wild animals.

If there is nothing to keep the population in check for certain animals I don't think any amount of fencing will help.We used to move potted plants closer to the home,but raccons put an end to that.Deer even come up to the home,though less since we put up a property line fence.

[cheenya]

Originally Posted by Owen'nZoe

I would go with the hardware cloth boxes a PP recommended. They are less obtrusive than an actual fence, and you can remove them.

Its true, we only leave the boxes on when the berries are ripening and for a bit in the fall when the squirrels would dig out all the plants otherwise looking to bury food for the winter in soil that is not totally compacted. The rest of the time the beds are totally open.

[GardenStream]

A physical barrier is really the only way to protect you garden. I don't have any rabbits or squirrels here, but I'm always fighting deer. I love to watch them out in the yard, but I hate the destruction they do to my garden. I planted about 1/4 acre of sweet corn last year and the deer ate every single ear before it had a chance to mature.

I've been lucky in past years and have gotten about half of it, but last year was so disappointing that I'm going to do the 6 foot fence. It isn't beautiful, but it's better than waking up to a completely destroyed garden.