Hedgerows for deer fencing

I found this site while doing a search about hedgerows.

We have grown Asian pears on our small commercial orchard for more than 20 years in Virginia. The deer situation reached to be a disaster with the loss of 40 % of our crop to deer in 2010.

We decided to install a living fence/hedgerow as regular fencing will not keep deer out of croplands. Standard "anti deer" fencing systems are ineffective and very expensive to build and maintain. We now have 4,900 feet of hedgerow that has reduced the damage drastically. The hedgerow was started with brush, our prunings and some older trees from orchard to construct a dead hedge. At the edge of the dead hedge we planted small rugosa rose seedlings and wild pear trees every 30 inches. The hedge has protected the seedlings from damage during the these first few years and we expect the living fence to take over the exclusion as it matures. Whitetail deer can jump high but not wide.

Our experience to date indicates that 4-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide works super well.

We pass this on to anyone that wants to have a low cost fencing system that works.

I bet a 30.06 would have been faster and cheaper...and tastier

ill second the use of a brush fence works well. i made mine 5 ft wide and 6 tall. the brush was free from our land. does not keep small critters out like squirrels, skunks, racoons, etc..

Tom-
We have homes and a federal highway nearby so the 30.06 is not useable. in addition, we have to dispose of the prunings and old trees so the cost is negligible.

Jordan-
The small critters are welcome but even more so are the migratory song birds that eat insects. skunks dig out and eat the japanese beetle grubs, june bugs etc in the middles.

Interesting information. There are a couple of "fedge"/hedgerow threads that could benefit from cross-pollination with this thread, as there were some discussions about how to get animal controlling living fences started.

Glad to help

just send an email to:paul@virginiagoldorchard.com