7 Garden Fencing For Beginners That Keep Critters Out

You spend weeks nurturing seedlings, amending soil, and finally planting your garden, only to find your prize-winning squash decimated overnight. A good fence isn’t just a barrier; it’s an insurance policy for your time, effort, and harvest. Choosing the right one means matching the material to the critter you’re trying to stop.

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Yardgard Welded Wire: A Versatile First Fence

Welded wire is the workhorse of garden fencing. It’s a rigid grid of galvanized wire, typically with 2×4-inch openings, that stands up on its own better than flimsier options. This makes it a fantastic starting point for keeping out common, medium-sized pests like rabbits and groundhogs.

Installation is straightforward. You can attach it to simple T-posts with wire or zip ties, creating a sturdy perimeter in an afternoon. The key is to ensure the bottom of the fence is flush with the ground, leaving no gaps for a determined bunny to squeeze under. For extra security, you can pin the bottom edge down with landscape staples.

The main tradeoff is the size of the mesh. While it stops a full-grown rabbit, it won’t do a thing against smaller pests like voles or chipmunks that can walk right through the openings. It’s also not tall enough on its own to deter deer, but as a general-purpose first fence, it solves the most common garden pest problems effectively.

Hardware Cloth for Burrowing Pest Protection

If you have problems with pests coming from below, hardware cloth is your answer. This isn’t cloth at all, but a stiff, tightly woven mesh of steel wire with tiny 1/4-inch or 1/2-inch openings. Nothing is getting through this stuff, from voles and mice to chipmunks and gophers.

The most effective way to use it is as a subterranean barrier. You dig a trench at least 6-12 inches deep around your garden perimeter. You then install the hardware cloth vertically in the trench and bend the bottom into an "L" shape facing outward, away from the garden. This L-shaped flange stops even the most persistent diggers in their tracks.

This is not a quick or cheap solution. Digging a trench is hard work, and hardware cloth costs significantly more than other wire meshes. But if you’re losing your root crops to gophers or your bulbs to voles, it is the only truly permanent solution to burrowing pests.

Premier 1 Electric Netting for Deer & Raccoons

Sometimes a physical barrier isn’t enough. For intelligent or high-pressure animals like raccoons and deer, an electric fence provides a psychological deterrent that a simple wire wall can’t. Electric netting combines the physical barrier with a memorable shock.

These systems come as a complete roll of poly-wire netting with integrated posts, making them surprisingly easy to set up for temporary or semi-permanent use. You’ll need a fence charger (solar or plug-in) and a grounding rod, but the setup is beginner-friendly. The shock is a sharp, unpleasant zap that teaches animals to stay far away from your sweet corn patch.

The downsides are cost and maintenance. You have to keep the fenceline clear of tall weeds, which can ground out the fence and drain its power. It’s also a consideration if you have small children or pets who might not know to avoid it. But for protecting a high-value crop from relentless nightly raids, the effectiveness of an electric fence is unmatched.

Tenax C-Flex Deer Netting: An Affordable Barrier

If you have deer but they aren’t under heavy pressure, plastic deer netting is a very affordable option. Made from a strong but lightweight black polypropylene, this type of fencing works primarily as a visual barrier. Deer have poor depth perception and are hesitant to jump into an area where they can’t see a clear landing, and the black mesh tends to disappear from a distance.

For this to work, it must be installed correctly. The fence needs to be at least 7 to 8 feet tall. Many people also install it at a slight outward angle to further confuse a deer’s sense of the enclosure. Because it’s so light, it doesn’t require heavy-duty posts, making installation relatively easy.

This is not a high-security fence. A panicked or truly hungry deer will run right through it. It also won’t stop smaller animals, as rabbits and groundhogs can chew through the plastic with ease. Think of it as a low-cost deterrent for areas with casual deer traffic, not a foolproof fortress.

Galvanized Poultry Netting for Chicken Control

Poultry netting, often called chicken wire, is one of the most misused fencing materials in the garden. Its thin, flexible hexagonal mesh is designed for one thing: keeping chickens in a specific area. It excels at this, being cheap and easy to shape around corners or over frames.

However, it is a terrible choice for keeping predators out. Raccoons can tear it open with their paws, and a determined groundhog can chew through it in minutes. It simply lacks the strength to stand up to any animal that is actively trying to get through it.

So where does it belong? Use it to build a temporary "chicken moat" around your tomato plants to let your flock handle pest control without eating your harvest. It’s also great for creating lightweight trellises for peas or beans. Just don’t ever rely on it to protect your garden from wildlife.

PVC Coated Wire Mesh for Durability and Looks

For a permanent garden fence that you want to last for decades, PVC coated wire is the superior choice. This is typically a welded wire mesh that has been dipped in a protective plastic coating, usually black or green. This coating serves two important functions.

First, it dramatically increases the lifespan of the fence. The PVC layer seals the metal from moisture, preventing the rust and corrosion that eventually degrades standard galvanized wire, especially at the welds. This is a "buy it once, cry it once" investment that pays off over time.

Second, it just looks better. A black PVC coated fence tends to visually disappear into the landscape, providing a clean, professional look that is far less obtrusive than shiny silver wire. If your garden is a key feature of your yard, the aesthetic upgrade and longevity are well worth the extra upfront cost.

Raised Garden Beds with Integrated Wire Fencing

Sometimes the best fence isn’t around the garden, but built right into it. For smaller, high-value plots, building a fortress-like raised bed is an incredibly effective strategy. This approach tackles pests from all angles in one consolidated system.

You start by building your raised bed frame. Before adding soil, you line the entire bottom and sides of the interior with hardware cloth. This creates an impenetrable barrier against gophers, moles, and voles trying to tunnel up from below.

Then, you build a simple frame extending up from the corners of the bed. To this frame, you attach a taller fence of welded wire or more hardware cloth, creating a complete cage. You can even add a hinged lid on top. This integrated system is perfect for protecting a kitchen garden from everything from slugs to deer in one fell swoop.

Combining Fences for Multi-Layered Protection

The reality of hobby farming is that you rarely have just one type of pest. The rabbits that chew your beans are a different problem than the raccoons that steal your corn, which are a different problem than the voles that eat your potato tubers. The most resilient gardens often use a combination of fencing types.

A highly effective strategy involves layering defenses based on the target animal’s behavior.

• The Base Layer: Bury a 12-inch-wide strip of hardware cloth in an "L" shape to stop diggers.
• The Main Wall: Install a 4-foot-tall welded wire fence to stop rabbits and groundhogs.
• The Top Layer: Run one or two strands of electric wire around the top of the posts to deter climbers like raccoons and possums.

This approach lets you tailor your defense to your specific pressures without over-investing in a single solution that leaves you vulnerable to other threats. Observe what’s actually getting into your garden, and then add the layer of defense that specifically targets that animal. A smart, layered system is always more effective than a single, taller wall.

There is no single "best" garden fence, only the best fence for the critter you have. Start with a solid, general-purpose barrier, observe the specific pressures on your garden, and don’t be afraid to add another layer of defense. A well-planned fence is the foundation of a peaceful and productive growing season.