Keep Out Those Vegetarian Predators

During the summers of 2007 and 2008 I had one test raised bed vegetable garden, which taught me a lot of lessons including the need to keep animals out of the beds. At first I couldn't figure out why so few of my seeds sprouted. Then one day I looked out my window to see one dozen quail plucking their way through the garden box and feasting on my seeds! I found some chicken wire under my deck and contrived a way to pull it over the box and loop it over nails so it was easy to remove. It mostly worked, but it also tore holes in my pant legs more than once as I was working around the box.

Last fall in my Wal-Mart clearance shopping spree, I picked up four packages of bird netting for $1.50 each. Each net is something like 14'x14' and is made of plastic that (I hope) will last for several years. This netting has been so much nicer to work with. I've tried a couple techniques for covering the boxes and am learning which I prefer. For one box I drilled and zip-tied a frame made from 3/4" PVC pipe. I used ten-foot lengths to bend into arches, which are pushed into the soil in the corners of the box. Then I attached an eight-foot pipe (the length of my box) across the top midpoint and draped the net over. I secured it to the ground with garden staple every four feet. I didn't push them all the way in so I can pull them out easily when I need to lift the net out of the way. The net wasn't quite long enough to cover the open sides well, but if I fold it just right it still deters birds. I've seen the birds perched on top of the frame and pecking for food around the boxes...but they are not in my garden boxes! Victory. I like this frame and net because it allows plenty of height for the plants. However, it is a little awkward to pull an entire side back. I've found it's easier to just work my arms under the net to pull weeds or transplant seedlings--but still awkward.

The second system I tried was to drive wooden stakes on the outside of the box at the corners and midpoints of the long sides of my 4'x8' box. The stakes stand about 10" higher than the box sides. Then I just draped the net over the top and again held it down with garden staples. The shorter height of the "frame" lets me cover the entire box with no gaps. I also have enough extra netting on the sides to cover potted herbs that are working on sprouting. I like that I can easily lift a corner or one end of the net to work in the garden. The only disadvantage I've seen so far is the more mature plants are pressing against the net, but I want to still leave it in place to protect the seeds and seedlings that are in there.

The nets have been a great defense against the birds. I haven't had a problem with gophers, but my mom did something smart to protect her garden boxes against rodents. She attached chicken wire to cover the bottom of her boxes before putting them on the ground and filling them. She's also had a problem with neighborhood cats, so she wraps a long piece of chicken wire around the perimeter of the box and loops it over nails. The top is left open, but the birds aren't a problem in her yard.

The other pest in my garden are the ants. They are everywhere. They moved into my garden box the same day I filled it. Twice I've seen them carrying away seeds. So now whenever I fill a box with soil, I sprinkle insect poison granules around the perimeter. I've had to repeat that for one box, but it seems to be doing the trick as most of my seeds are sprouting.

Do you have any other tricks for keeping pests out of your vegetables? I'd love to hear them!