Protect Individual Plants or Beds

Place floating row covers or construct small cages and cloches from chicken wire or hardware cloth around specific plants or raised beds. This shields high-value crops and vulnerable seedlings from rabbits, squirrels, and browsing deer without fencing the entire garden.

Why It Works

Physical barriers at the individual plant level deny access without requiring a full perimeter fence. Row covers also provide frost protection and reduce insect pressure, offering multiple benefits from a single material. Wire cages are durable and reusable season after season.

Tips

• Use hoops to keep row covers from resting directly on plants, which can cause damage
• Make wire cages tall enough to prevent deer from reaching over -- at least 4 feet for deer-prone areas
• Secure the base of cages to the ground with stakes so rabbits cannot push underneath
• This approach is most practical for small beds or prized crops, not entire large gardens
• Remove covers periodically to allow pollination on fruiting crops