Your backyard isn’t just for entertaining and lounging. Many residents of places like Washington D.C. like to keep elaborate gardens full of beautiful vegetation and useful plants and herbs. Maintaining a garden takes hours of careful planning, attentive care, and thorough hard work. While different species of wildlife can be extremely exciting to see, and spectacular to look at, they aren’t quite as fun when they infiltrate your garden. There are tons of tips and tricks out there to help you keep your garden pest-free, but a fence is the only way to truly protect your garden from deer, rabbits, and raccoons. If you’ve got a particular animal offender in mind, cater your fence to the culprit.
Those Darn Deer
The biggest trouble with deer is that they can jump. Deer can jump about eight feet in the air, so your standard fence isn’t going to do much in the way of deterring them. Even worse, they are very motivated to steal your tasty treats, and will duck, dive, and wiggle their way in if they deem it possible. Make sure that when you construct a fence to keep Bambi out, you are careful to make it solid, high, and low to the ground. Most companies and gardeners recommend installing fences that are between eight and ten feet in height. Shorter fences can be effective if you slant them about 45 degrees outward, making them appear to be wider than they are. Solid fences are your best bet; as if the deer can’t see the food, it likely won’t even try to get it.
Uh-Oh, Raccoons
Raccoons are a major problem no matter where you live. They may be cute, but those tiny paws can ravage your garden and leave you with nothing to show for your hard work. Unfortunately, they are highly adapted to urban culture, and can get through almost any fence. They will find its weak spots and exploit them. The best thing to do is to get the sturdiest fence you can find, and think about adding electric strands to it. Vinyl fencing is a great option because it rarely falls into disrepair, and is one of the most durable options.
Beware of Bunnies
Easter may be coming up, but that doesn’t mean that bunny rabbits deserve special treatment. Compared to raccoons, bunnies are an easy pest to keep at bay. Most fences will keep them out, as long as you build them right. Wild rabbits are pretty small creatures, and can easy fit under a fence, or dig a bit to get to the treats on the other side. You won’t need to worry much about height (three feet will do the trick), but you should make sure that you build about six inches into the ground. Opt for materials that won’t be chewed through easily, and make sure that any gaps are smaller than two inches.
Hercules Fence has six offices ready to serve your fence needs. Whether you live as far north as Baltimore or south to Raleigh Market, Hercules has an office near you. Our experienced sales and installation staff can handle any fencing projects. And if you’re looking to buy materials, Hercules can ship our product line anywhere in the world. Take a virtual stroll through our website. Check out the latest fence products along with the “Signature Projects” we’re so proud of.
To have a professional, reputable fence contractor for your fence project, contact Hercules Fence of Washington D.C. at (757)316-3600 or click here today to get started on your ornamental fencing design and other fence product installations.
