Fence Basics

[SteveB]

I live in rural Utah. Extreme SW. We have all manner of critters around here, mainly, but not limited to rabbits, some deer, skunks, gophers, chipmunks, marmots, and a few others.

We are putting in the garden and I'm wondering about border wire. I have heard of "hog" wire, "chicken" wire, "horse" wire, and all sorts of wire. I "think" I want some that starts off with smaller squares toward the bottom, then larger as it goes up so as to keep out the small critters at the bottom, and the bigger ones higher up.

Is that what I need? What's the name. Garden wire? I'm sure they would steer me right at the feed store or Ace, or HD, but I thought I'd ask some seasoned gardeners here.

Thanks.

Steve

[Tom J]

Chicken or poultry wire is what I bought at the farm store in south Georgia. It was a light weight fence very closely stranded at the bottom and got wider apart as it went up. We used 5 or 6 foot high.

For the chipmunks and gophers, you'll need 1/2 inch mesh hardware cloth 36 inches wide buried a foot in the ground, or they just tunnel under any fence!! The chipmunks are still going to climb the fence if it's real tempting!!

Tom J

[JC]

It will cost you more up front but you'll be glad ever after. Get the smallest squares you can all the way up. What I'm thinking of comes in 50 or

100 foot rolls. Hang it on metal T posts about every 8 feet. You can move it later, expand it easily, take it down and store it and nothing will get in.

[Puckdropper]

"SteveB" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

*snip*

I've heard of people using motion activated sprinklers to keep critters away. I haven't tried it yet, but am planning on doing so this season. (We recently moved to a place where wild animals are much more common, so I haven't had a need before.)

You will find some animals don't mind the water, though. (Our cat was sprayed with water in an attempt to get him off the counter. He turned around and looked at the person spraying the water with a look that said, "Oh, did you want something?")

Puckdropper

[TomC]

"SteveB" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Rabbit Fencing. But, ground hogs will climb over. :-(

[phorbin]

Ah yes, groundhogs.

I stuff their holes with saplings, harass, hunt and trap them as necessary. Stuffing their holes and harassment is usually enough in this urban location to send them to a more tender hearted city person's garden.

You could try a taller fence the top part of which is unsupported and floppy. When the varmint tries to climb up the floppy part, it bends outward and drops them off... or so the theory goes.

I forget whether I read of this in Mother Earth News or some other magazine but it may work and there may be more details out there somewhere.