Deer Fence for a Vegetable Garden — Tall Fence With Buried Rabbit Wire
Deer go over a short fence and rabbits go under a tall one. A garden fence that works does both jobs: height for the deer, buried wire for the rabbits.
A deer fence for a vegetable garden is a tall fence of welded wire or heavy polypropylene deer mesh on wood or steel posts set below frost, with a strip of hardware cloth along the bottom that is buried and bent outward so rabbits cannot dig under, and a gate the deer cannot jump beside. JMB Builders builds them across the Twin Cities metro and the north metro, priced per linear foot, gate included.
- Priced per linear foot, gate included
- Tall enough that deer do not jump it
- Hardware cloth buried and bent out for rabbits
- Quote from photos, reply within one business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Send photos and hear back within one business day — or book a free in-home estimate.
A garden fence is built for two animals that get in two different ways. Deer jump, so the fence has to be tall, taller than a privacy fence, and the deer mesh or welded wire has to run to the top of the posts with no sag they can push through. Rabbits dig and squeeze, so the bottom needs a small-mesh hardware cloth that runs down into the ground and bends outward in a trench, so a rabbit digging at the base hits wire and gives up. Neither animal reads a sign.
Posts are treated wood or heavy steel T-posts, set below frost at the corners and the gate so the tall fence does not lean, with the line posts between. Welded wire fencing is the heavier choice and looks like a fence; black polypropylene deer mesh almost disappears from a few feet away and is the choice for a garden you look at from the house. The hardware cloth is stapled to the bottom of the fence, run into a trench and bent out, and backfilled. The gate is framed to the full height and hung on a deeper post with a latch that closes behind you, because the gate left open is how deer get in.
Gopher State One Call locates before the posts go in, and the city's fence permit and setback rules are checked, since a tall fence near a lot line sometimes needs one. On acreage in the north metro the fence is often bigger, around a garden and an orchard together, and the same build scales.
What you supply
- The garden's size and where the gate goes, with a photo from the house
- Welded wire or black deer mesh, and wood or steel posts
- What you are keeping out: deer, rabbits, both, or also woodchucks and chickens
- Your property pins if the fence is near a lot line
What JMB supplies
- Gopher State One Call locate and the city's fence permit and setback rules checked
- Treated wood or steel posts set below frost at corners and gate, line posts between
- Welded wire or polypropylene deer mesh run tight to the top of the posts
- Hardware cloth along the bottom, buried in a trench and bent outward
- A full-height gate framed and hung on a deeper post with a self-closing latch
- A top wire or rail to stop sag, and photos in your job folder
How it is priced: per linear foot
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Perimeter of the garden and the fence height
- Welded wire vs. polypropylene deer mesh, and wood vs. steel posts
- Hardware cloth along the bottom, and whether it is buried or bent on the surface
- Number and width of gates; a cart-width gate costs more than a walk gate
- Soil and roots, and how far the posts are from where the truck parks
- A top rail and corner bracing for a large garden on acreage
Send a photo of the garden from the house and the rough size. Say deer, rabbits or both and whether you want to see the fence or not, and we pick the mesh.
How long it takes
A fence around a typical backyard garden: one day, posts and mesh together since the posts are driven or set and the mesh goes on the same day. A large garden on acreage: two days.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Black deer mesh on steel posts
Tall polypropylene deer mesh on black steel posts that nearly disappears from the patio. The pick for a garden you look at from the house. Hardware cloth along the bottom for rabbits.
Welded wire on wood posts
Heavy welded wire fencing on treated posts with a top rail, which reads as a fence and takes a trellis or a gate frame well. For a garden that is also a landscape feature.
Rabbit fence only
A shorter fence of hardware cloth or small-mesh welded wire, buried and bent out at the bottom, where deer are not the problem. Keeps rabbits and woodchucks out of a raised bed garden.
Garden and orchard enclosure on acreage
A larger deer fence around a garden and young fruit trees together, with braced corners and a drive-through gate for the tractor or mower.
Deer Fence for a Vegetable Garden — Tall Fence With Buried Rabbit Wire: questions, answered
How tall does a fence need to be to keep deer out?
Taller than any privacy fence, because a deer clears a privacy fence from a standstill. A deer fence is roughly a third taller again, and the mesh runs to the top of the posts with no sag they can push down. A shorter double fence a few feet apart also works, since deer will not jump what they cannot land past, and it is an option where a tall fence is not wanted.
How do you keep rabbits from digging under a garden fence?
With hardware cloth along the bottom of the fence that runs into a shallow trench and bends outward, away from the garden, then gets buried. A rabbit digs at the base of the fence, hits wire under the soil, and stops. The mesh has to be small enough that a young rabbit cannot squeeze through it, which deer mesh and most welded wire are not, so it is a separate strip.
Can you make the garden fence hard to see?
Yes. Black polypropylene deer mesh on black steel posts is nearly invisible from the patio, and it is strong enough for deer. It is the choice for a garden in the view from the house. Welded wire on wood posts is more visible and reads as a fence, which some people want for a trellis or a cottage look.
Do I need a permit for a garden fence?
Sometimes. A tall fence near a lot line or in a front yard runs into the city's fence permit and setback rules in a lot of metro cities, even around a garden. We check the rules for your address before we start and pull a permit if one is needed. A low rabbit fence around raised beds in a backyard usually does not need one.
What kind of gate goes on a deer fence?
A full-height gate, since a deer walks through a short gate opening in a tall fence. It is framed to the same height as the fence, hung on a post set deeper than the line posts, and fitted with a latch that closes on its own, because an open gate is how deer get in. A cart-width gate is worth it on a vegetable garden.
How long does a garden fence take to install?
One day for a fence around a typical backyard garden. The posts are set or driven in the morning, the mesh is run tight and stapled or clipped, the hardware cloth is trenched in along the bottom and the gate is hung by the end of the day. A large enclosure on acreage with braced corners takes two.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners, builders and dealers. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed October 1, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All landscaping pages
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