How Can I Protect My Raised Garden Beds from Animals?

If you want to keep rabbits out, strong fencing is a must since they'll chew through crops fast. Make sure the openings in your fence are small enough for the babies too. Squirrels and birds can be trickier, but they usually don't do much damage. Interestingly, birds can help control insect pests, so keeping water available for squirrels might actually keep them off your tomatoes!

Have you looked into wildlife netting with hoops? That could be a good option!

I've tried deer fences, but the rabbits just dart right through them, haha! For my beans and peas, I set up some chicken wire frames because they love munching on those tender plants. After a month, I can just take it off since they leave everything else alone. Squirrels don't bother me much since they spend their time raiding my bird feeder. However, raccoons are a real problem for my corn, so this year I'm thinking about adding a line of barbed wire above my 8-foot deer fence!

We’ve built our raised beds out of cinder blocks and use PVC pipes bent across them, attaching netting with zip ties. It keeps the critters out, and the netting can easily be pushed up when I need to access the beds. Plus, it's a breeze to top it with shade cloth or a cover for winter freezes.

I once read about using red, round Christmas ornaments and hanging them on tomatoes before the fruit appears to trick birds. They might get confused with the plastic and not peck at the real fruit later. I was thinking about using blue ones for my blueberry bushes!