Fencing: Effective but Kind to Wildlife

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Keep the Deer Out of Your Garden with These Four Fencing Options

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Although they are cute and charismatic, deer are one of the most invasive species in Australia, and if you are trying to garden, they are a pest. Although it can be challenging, with the right fence, you can keep the deer out of your garden.

Here are four types of gardening fences to consider:

1. Very high fences

Depending on the species, deer can easily jump 1.8 to 3 metres, and in most cases, they certainly do not need a running start. Instead, they stand right next to the fence and elegantly leap over it.

If you want to keep the deer out with a very high fence, you need to have it installed on all four sides of your garden, and you need it to be well over 3 metres tall.

2. Double Fences

Although deer can jump high, they cannot jump high and wide at the same time. Because of this, you can opt for a double fence. That simply means surrounding your garden with two relatively tall fences next to each other with about a metre between them.

Unfortunately, there is relatively little you can do with the extra space between the two fences. You can use it for storage of garden tools or as an area for your dog to run. If you have wire fences that let in light, you can plant flowers in that area as long as you don't mind the deer reaching in to snack a bit.

3. Fence and Trellis

Instead of having a fence contractor install a double fence, consider putting in a fence and trellis. Let the trellis hang slightly on the deer's side of the fence with the majority of it over the garden side. When the deer walk under the trellis, they will sense that they cannot jump it.

Even if they tried, the width of the trellis makes it impossible for them to clear the fence. The trellis can become part of your garden – it is the ideal spot for growing peas, grapes or other vines.

4. Electric Fences

If you don't want to use a trellis, you can deter the tree by add some electrified wire to your fence. You can buy strands of electric wire that you add to your existing fence by yourself, or you can hire fencing contractors to put in an electric fence for you. Unfortunately, although effective, this fencing option may not be right for people with dogs or children. 

 


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