How to deer proof your raised garden

Take 4 six-foot metal T-post and drive them into the ground about a foot. You will need a metal driver to make this go easy. It only took me about 15 minutes to get four posts in the ground.

Using the 30 pound monofilament fishing line, tie one end to a post and then pull it very tight. It will stretch. Wrap it a few times around the opposite post and finish with some half hitches.

Notice that I left about a 1.5 foot buffer around the raised bed to walk and work. I placed about 6 strands of the fishing line evenly between each set of posts.

On one end of the garden I created a gate of sorts, using brass snap latches. Make sure that your gate is tight also.

The deer will feel the line, and it spooks them. They don't want to jump into the raised bed, not knowing what they are jumping. Deer cross my yard all the time, but they stayed out of the garden.

One safety consideration: for areas of high traffic like pets and people, you need to add ribbon or some other visual so people won't walk into the line. The line does stretch really well.

As an added measure, I would occasionally sprinkle a commercial repellant called Liquid Fence around the edge of the garden. Feel free to share any deer-proofing methods that work for you.