My mom put in her first vegetable garden in decades, and I can no longer put her on speaker phone for fear of what new words the boys will learn. Her frustration is evident as she describes the “darling” deer or “cute little” groundhogs and it leads to some colorful language.

I can’t say that I blame her.

She built a couple of 4×8 raised beds using the Square Foot Gardening method because it was the best way to keep everything, including weeds, under control. It’s also a very good way to go if you have a critter problem because it’s easier to protect a small area than a large one.

Keeping Deer, Rabbits, and Groundhogs Out

Her problems started before anything even got in the ground. The rabbits came right up to the garage door, and chewed off her cabbage and broccoli plants.

I don’t think the deer have been in, yet, to hurt anything, but it’s only a matter of time. When you pull into their drive, particularly in the mornings or evenings, it looks like Wild Kingdom. There’s a herd of deer that frequent their place, and can be hidden from view in just a couple of steps into the dense brush that surrounds the yard. It’s the same with the rabbits. They’ll be out nibbling in the grass, then hop off into the weeds.

And now the groundhog has shown up. Groundhogs do as much damage as deer, and they’re almost more difficult to control because they can burrow underneath the garden. Thankfully, this is one reason the wooden raised beds are helpful. Theoretically, the groundhogs can still dig under the wood, but they won’t unless they’re truly desperate.

Scarecrow Motion Triggered Sprinkler

I knew Mom was going to have issues with deer so I gave her the Scarecrow motion triggered sprinkler, to place near the gardens. The only trouble is the deer can come at the garden from so many different directions, she might need a few of them to cover her bases. By the time it’s all said and done, her backyard might look like the fountains at the Bellagio in Vegas.

Wooden Stakes

To keep the rabbits and groundhogs away, she can simply pound wooden stakes in at the corners of the beds, and staple chicken wire around it. It should be a couple of feet high from the ground level. This is short enough to reach over, but tall enough to discourage the rodents.

Electrified Poultry Netting

Another option for her, or even for someone with a conventional garden, is to stretch the electrified poultry netting around the garden. I’m a big fan of electric. It’s fairly easy to unroll and set up. You need to create a space that’s a “gate” and remember to turn it off before you handle it (you’ll only forget that once!), but at least you don’t have to reach over it.

Even if a rabbit tries to squeeze underneath it, it’ll receive a non-lethal, but unpleasant shock. And while the deer can jump over it, between the shock from the fence (if they get too close) and the Scarecrow, they’ll learn. (I’ve also heard of someone who actually puts peanut butter on contractor’s ribbon and ties it to the electric fence. If the deer lick it, they learn that’s a bad area.)

The sad thing is I know it’s terribly frustrating to put forth the effort to build a garden only to have the local wildlife destroy everything. The good thing is Mom knows what she’s up against, and is taking measures to keep them out of the garden so she can enjoy good food this summer.

The groundhog photo is copyright of Photowa from istock. Thankfully, we don’t have them in Montana!