How to keep rabbits and raccoons out of your garden orchard

I show you how I'm keeping rabbits and raccoons out of my garden orchard.
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[@gmag3253]

The aerial shot really put the orchard / garden in perspective. Really looks nice.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@stevenjames1951]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading Pete I have a couple of questions how tall were your T poses and how far apart did you space them? In total what did it cost for the T posts and the fencing? The fencing looks to be about or it looks like like it's 6 ft tall. Am I right? I've got to have at least seven or eight feet for the ground coyotes jump over my fence easily at 6 feet

[@intothenight9256]

Absolutely beautiful garden and orchard! You’ve designed and built it well. Top notch!!! Thank you for sharing this much appreciated!!!! 👍🏼

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@cltinturkey]

This is an amazing and intricate solution. Like most people, I don't have $1,000 or so to solve the critter problem. I plant 2-3 times the volume we need. If critter damage is low, I have a ton of produce to share. You have a beautiful garden and orchard. Precision built and planted!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@ByDesign333]

Extremely good use of your God-giftedness and worthy use of it, wow!!! I once worked for a genius guy, much like on your level of inventor/resourcefulness, but at 73, you have done a greater job of sharing! (With humor) Thank you! I am glad as can be to have this to help me get back to gardening in spite of every pest you have like us here, minus the fire ants/dillos!

[@reginaschmidt7923]

Thanks for including the aerial shots. Really looks great 👍 You do such great work…learning lots 👩‍🌾

[@timsworld9875]

i have been following your channel for a long time...you really do things right and seem to spare no expense...when i watch your channel i think heres how it should be done if money is no option...unfortunately for me is i have to always improvise because money is in short supply here..but i enjoy watching your videos...keep on keepin on....God bless you and your family...

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@kdegraa]

Yeah it’s difficult when money is tight. When money is an issue it’s best to spend money on what is needed and what will last. So for example in this situation buying good steel fence posts. Once you have them they will last. Also looking at second hand goods that is in good condition.

[@jenniferandrade4512]

Beautiful garden. Love the organization and convenience. I just cane across your show because I have raccoons and bunnies too! Cute little buggers but destructive! Thanks for the info 💚🌿☘️

[@bethatz252]

I have been watching videos & reading articles on fencing solutions for the past year and this is by far the BEST. Thanks so much for your detail & explanations of why a certain product or method works.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Glad it was helpful! 👍

[@steveb4992]

Nice job! What a great looking garden/orchard and fence system!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you!

[@johnkeyes8699]

Very , very nice Pete... Your orchard/garden is a work of art. Exceptional !!! Will need to check your other videos for an update on rabbits and raccoons, plus any other predators.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 🙂

[@mauriciochavez914]

Pete your videos are so helpful. We bought some land west of Houston and your videos have definitely helped us.

[@lauralynnlaman9431]

This channel is wonderful ! i have just what you have and i have never been so happy in my life with a bumper crop of everything and still producing i cant keep up ~! your garden is so beautiful ! Everyone who has land should be doing this ~! i get so excited gardening !

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@eleanormcmurtrie746]

Hello from Tauranga New Zealand. I learned soooo much from this video..just like being there. Also enjoyed watching the process at gentle speed. Now I know what I intend to expect from contractors who will need to do my 'rabbit-proof fences'. I'm 82 now...brought a farm last year for the Community to grow food ...but this job I'd rather watch. I'll enjoy watching more Pete. Many thanks. Eleanor...Great-Grannie.

[@aligzaidi]

Thanks for sharing. I fenced my orchard garden just like yours in 2012 but a little smaller only 35x100 feet. I did a few mistakes, first; I did not extra treat my posts with roofing tar over bottom 3 ft before installing under ground. They just lasted 8 years and now all my corner posts are rotting and falling one by one, tar would have given me extra 10 yeas or more. Who knows how many more years...Second, the very next year my heavenly garden was invaded by rabbits and groundhogs. I should have covered the bottom with 2x2 inch “L” fence just like you did, but with 2x4 inch gap on the bottom. The rabbits will still get in without any problem but it will still protect from groundhogs digging in. Oh boy! It will be a big project to re-do this again correctly. I paid too much attention to the beauty of my orchard fencing and paid less attention on protecting and future proofing. So I still say your orchard looks pretty good and happy gardening 👍

[@ajfvajf5]

You can spray paint the plastic insulators with UV resistant Plastikote or Rustoleum white primer paint. That'll block or delay the sun decay by a few years. Then for visibility you can spray yellow over the white, if you wish.

[@joemartin1196]

Pete, love your videos. I have been watching for a couple years. I lived in the city and was dying to move back to the country. Anyway now I have and I recently ran a fence with those yellow insulators. I had the same problem you did. I figured out if you take a small flat tipped screwdriver you can pop that back part on very easily. Hope that helps you with future projects. Lord knows I've borrowed a few of your ideas!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you for the tip 👍

[@karenplante422]

Awesome video! We need to do this, and this is a simple, straightforward approach with plenty of helpful detail. Appreciate the help!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Glad it was helpful!

[@HiddenSpringFarm]

Hello, good day. New subscriber here. I love how you built the fencing for this garden. I searched for "the best garden fencing" and found your channel. Looks really well laid out and put together. I was really interested to see how to do the electrical. I'll be building my massive ultimate veggie garden this year and I'm planning it out now, it's 120'x60' so it's pretty large just like yours.My plan was to use posts and pt wood beams and use the animal wire rolled fencing and just staple it on, but wasn't sure to bury the fencing or do a security apron like what you did folding the fence at the bottom. I think I like your way better...less trenching for me lol. Thanks a million. Cheers, Chad

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@lenpellerin]

Hi Pete from South Louisiana. I remember when you and your wife were building the orchard and you did the video on installing the fence posts. I do have to say, you made that look really simple and very instructional. The entire area is really nice and well maintained. Just wanted to say keep the videos coming. I really enjoy them.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you so much 🙂

[@markprescott2011]

I am building a 1.5 acre garden, and was planning the same setup. Thanks for sharing this. I like your practical solutions to problems.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Wow that's a big garden and that's awesome 👍

[@markprescott2011]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading I was going to use Hardware cloth bent to a 90 degree angle, place part on the fence and part along the ground, the add the electric wire. Should keep out the rodents. What do you think?

[@dorisgodfrey448]

Love this project. Very good. For the birds get one of those battery operated beepers for birds. We had egrets and in 2 weeks they moved on. So did the rabbits.

[@wayneleamon3186]

Pete, I ordered my ladies first chicken door today. They wanted to know where I heard of them. I told them Pete B. on his You Tube channel. Maybe they'll send you a thank you. If all the solar doors I've seen, I think that is the best one. Thank you for showing it to me. Still loving your channel.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you Wayne, my chicken door has worked flawlessly since I installed it last year, once you set it up, it's set and forget.

[@stephanieganas6872]

What a beautiful garden.!!! I'm glad you had so much success last year growing your food. That orchard will give you fruit for many years to come. You garden is soo neatly done. I am hoping the electric fence and all the work you did will deter the critters. They are always a problem in my garden. Happy gardening!!!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you so much

[@w.harb2022]

Nice looking garden mr. Bete I love it 🥰 good job 👍

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks so much

[@bbtruth2161]

Nice set up. I like how neat and orderly it is. My land is hilly and tree filled. Cleared over 100 trees to make room. I'm a bit more strewn about. Slowly but surely getting fencing in and layout worked out. Really excited about my new plot. The more orderly I get the better and easier it gets. My fencing keeps deer out. Raccoons and woodchucks are the worst. Rabbits don't give me too much trouble as I have a low perimeter of tighter knit fencing. Next seasons project may be burying some fence to keep woodchucks out. Not a fun job. That said I use the perimeter fencing for trellising etc... so I will have to bury it rather than place on top. Raccoons haven't been too bad last few years, but have done major damage to my corn in years past. I use every trick I can think of to keep them away. Don't know if it did any good, but last year I hung my dirty socks on the fences. Anything to combat critters here in critter central. There may be some electric fencing in the future. Good luck. Keep up the good work. Got to get myself one of those hog ring deals.

[@Raul28153]

thanks for posting this. I am going to try it on my new garden. I will build a bending rig from lumber and a couple hinges. Or a V channel made up from lumber and a roller in the bottom and I'll just pull the fencing through. That process you were using looks like work to me

[@joerucinski1962]

I truly love how neat of a job you have done with your fencing. It is straight and clean. At the location of your fencer, I would recommend splicing a wire from your 'ground' rod to the bent lowest fence that you showed the installation of. During the dry times this angled fence could be isolated from 'ground' and not give a shock to the critters, tying your ground rod to this lower fence will ensure a good jolt to them.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, I did end up doing that putting a wire from the grounding rod to the lower portion of the fence and yes it does get dry here in the summer.

[@AnnaBananaRepublic]

Straight and clean, just like nature 🤷🏼‍♀️ 😆

[@kensearle4892]

Nice orchard garden! I am almost there. Trying to get my posts and gates in before the ground freezes, then fencing. I went with an 8' plastic deer fence and a 4' lower metal fence to allow for ground overlap and tall enough for rabbits. Yours looks nice!

[@philliplamberth4075]

That a nice looking orchard you have put a lot of work into your place its really nice

[@ritabrunetti381]

You and your household are definitely about gardening. Enjoy all of your produce!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you👍

[@mossymaple]

I RECENTLY SAW A VIDEO OF GROUNDHOG SQUEEZING THROUGH 2X3 INCH FENCING GAPS. UNREAL....

[@markhoyt8643]

I do want to say that is a great looking garden you have worked very hard on it. I’m jealous

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@SlackerU]

10/10, the garden+orchard combo looks amazing. The only thing that'll be different from mine is I'd size it 4 parts compost crop (grass clippings & fall tree leaves) to 1 part garden with no grass in the garden area. In the 1800s they'd use three acres compost crop / animal manure to feed one acre of their garden. Also the parameter anti-dig fencing would only last 2-3 years here before it'd rust so while stainless costs 2x more it'd last ten years in the ground.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@ohanastrand5793]

Great job. Your place looks fantastic!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@JennySimon206]

you should put a night vision camera out there and add a blooper reel of raccoons flying off the fence.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Just might do that thank you 👍

[@normacardenas8861]

I’d tune in lol

[@ThaDiscoFreak]

Mate u read my mind for the prevention, loved the release around the door. thanks

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@ThaDiscoFreak]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading question dont the birds eat all your food and fruit

[@hondaturbo666]

Beautiful setup you got there man

[@tonygough8713]

As always great job Pete.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I appreciate that

[@ryveralexander8511]

Wow6, Congrats, you made it all around!

[@bigalshomestead4999]

I love your garden!!! That’s my dream!!!

[@patrickjordan7670]

Just seen you spraying your yard with salt water i see its a few years ago so you might have perfected it since. We live out in rural Ireland we been using salt for years the way I do it is boiling water 1 gallon of highly concentrated salt water diluted to about 1 in10 it kills all grass and moss.try it out it works for us👍

[@Steve-ps6qw]

lol, i love it....i will put them every two feet but the caption says 6 feet! that is funny as once you start beating those stakes in with high heat and humidity and a long long fence line, things change.

[@2007KB]

Wow you’re so patient! I would be so mad. Great job 👏

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@robertgonzalez8419]

Very nice job Pete, thank you for sharing. God bless be safe.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you and God bless you too.

[@shorty1103]

Very beautiful garden setup

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@cheesekake1841]

Hi, You have a very neat and good looking garden orchard. I love to see the land you have. Everything is big in Texas, right? 🙂 I found your channel when searching for how to make a garden gate. Also we just put in a fence on a low budget for our backyard garden. To keep the rabbits out my husband used chicken wire, I hope that will work but he didn't do the L installation so we might still see those rabbits when they're hungry enough. Your video is very informative. Thank you.

[@stephendavidson1998]

Ha friend if you put the back clip of the wire hanger on the T-post first it snaps right in place , nice garden !

[@mattpeacock5208]

I always felt that a garden rabbit "problem" was actually a more productive garden. You just have to get up early with a .22LR to harvest the protein.

[@fukyoindigoblossoming5087]

Hey can you share this with Good Simple Living they are starting a homestead. This week they are putting in their fence on 1/2 acre or so just as you are. They are mostly concerned with elk, dear, bears...and will later need to see this. I feel it would come better from you since you are doing it. What great ideas for those who need to know. Thanks for sharing.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

You could copy this videos URL and put it in a comment in one of their videos.

[@eduardogarrido2805]

When you put nets on the grapes make sure they are those nets that don't damage the bats. Bats help pollinate the surroundings. They are necessary for the environment!

[@johndowns7536]

Thanks for the details and appreciate the lack of sentimentality about the tender feelings of these dirty, destructive animals. Gonna try this on my strawberries.

[@eozen81]

Amazing tips here Pete, thank you and I wish you a raccoon and rabbit free gardening my man :)

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@rwg727]

you're a god worker and you have a very neat garden🌟🌟🌟

[@DanSathmar]

Good job !!! (like always) 👏🏻 👏🏻 Greetings from Germany! 🇩🇪

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@Tnapvrvideo]

Thank you! This was a great demo. Very Much Appreciated!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@robinmiller3863]

Wonderful video! Thanks for sharing!!

[@KatrinaLPate]

For those of us that have dogs that dig out of their pens, you can use this same Tecnice but you put it on the inside of the pens.

[@luistello1971]

This is a sound solution. Thanks for sharing.

[@jessicachin3739]

Rich man garden, beautiful! Spraying red pepper 🌶️ liquid to the fence once a week, it will work.

[@fukyoindigoblossoming5087]

If you need more juhls, jewels(?), Justin Rhodes just got one this week that does 36 jewels. He has a lot of premier one fencing for cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, and was just commenting how this doesn't ground as easily for multiple uses.

[@Tufenuff83]

As an East Texan, I enjoy your videos. I learn something here and there and enjoy seeing your orchard/garden. Supposedly Marigolds keeps rabbits away... though science says they don't. If anything.. bees love em! =D

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@YSLRD]

I've never seen a plant actually repel anything. I do plant lots of marigolds for fun.

[@Tufenuff83]

@@YSLRD Poison ivy repels me real good =D

[@nlwh1947]

My resident rabbit has eaten my marigolds!!

[@jethrobodine2586]

Nice Job Pete. I had something similar on a smaller scale at my old place. I have a question. At my place I put down the weed cloth and used mulch in between. Within 3 years with seeds blowing in the wind I had grass and weeds everywhere, I then tried rock in between and same issue. How do you keep yours so weed free? Thanks

[@grjoe4412]

You could place the hot wire somewhat higher and use the original fence as the ground. You don't have to drive a ground stake and no need to worry about the conduction of the ground. The conduction is guaranteed to work.

[@Aquagirl-wf5ur]

What an amazing garden! I am just starting out and am having a difficult time trying to figure out how I'm going to have any sort of garden with my resident groundhog and a mamma bunny and her 4 new babies. Removing them is not an option, the groundhog has lived under my shed as long as I've been in this house - he's part of the family. Any suggestions?

[@s.sturnertrucking1039]

Beautiful property ,,,, Awesome Great job.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@philliplamberth4075]

Yhank you Pete! You sure work hard. Thar great way to keep animals out thanks for showing it so we can understand

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks 👍

[@larryschmitt2513]

Very nice layout you have

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@kennethhuff7158]

You could check the Army Depot for a used Abrams tank that should help.garden looks great, you would shake your head at mine but I do grow some mean veggies.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@soonzach4017]

New subscriber, your channel is very interesting.

[@susannemeyer9084]

Tell me if I'm wrong, but, a rabbit can easily squeeze through chain link fence, anything that they can get their head through. This gauge of fencing looks about the same with some extra because of the shape. Most other videos of this type use a tighter spaced grid, and, they don't stake the bottom to the ground. They bury it a foot or more out to prevent digging.

[@jamessteffens8337]

Good video. You worked very hard.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you!👍

[@janetolp9547]

Beautiful garden. Hope this project works.

[@pondholloworchards]

I used the solar powered motion detector spotlights seems to work pretty well

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@melanieconner9193]

GREAT VIDEO!!!

[@lindahernandez7768]

I'm going to try some Toole, ballerina material over my nectarine tree. It's in a caged garbage can for root cutting puposses.

[@sonshine2030]

Oh Boy, l Love the video. Now I have to figure out How to get it done. Financially and help wise. Thank you.

[@onedazinn998]

very organized garden...wow! and security is now Ft Knox tight :) I'm wondering if you are eventually going to be putting down gravel or mulch on top of the weed barrier?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, from experience I never put anything on weed barrier, it just give a place for weed seeds to germinate.

[@futebol6700]

That is one of the coolest gardens I've seen! What part of Texas is that?

[@fredwienbarg5051]

I sure hope that it’s successful cause that was a hell of a lot of work!

[@nancyhaywood6486]

that was quite a job, good luck, i hope i can the results

[@brad4237]

What is that black plastic sheeting you have laid out between your beds? Is it easy to install/maintain? It looks awesome!

[@Pamtube100]

Where are you ?. . . everything is so lush and beautiful . . . would like to know your climate. Thanks for your wonderful video, I am inspired even though my conditions are rougher.

[@gregwoolley]

Nice work!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks!

[@unionse7en]

More complicated, but for dry areas climates people could install a similar mesh on the ground that is err also a ground, for creature foot contact.

[@Our479Show]

Try a flat tip (medium to large) screwdriver on the side that you filed off. Put the screwdriver in from the top twist just a little and push the rest on with your hand

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I tried that too, but after stabbing my hand a few time 😮 it would have been too much work for all the t-post I have.

[@genemccarthy2847]

Well done Sir!

[@rayvin357]

after all this. i mean ALL OF THIS. any racoon or deer is going to open your gate! i've got the same problems but i cannot turn a $100 tomato into a $259.06 tomato- i did enjoy watching your excellent video.

[@kdegraa]

I’d be tempted to run an electric fence close to the existing fence around 4cm above the ground. However your solution to stop burrowing animals looks good. Whoops, I see you do install an electric fence later on. Double protection!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍🙂

[@mikalrobinson8678]

Three row electric fence with grass burner power. One very low for rabbits, one about 15 inches to stop initial climbers. Third near top that is extended out by the insulated holder bracket...so raccoons would have to reach out and over...knocks then off the top. No trees close for jumpers.

[@albundy1956]

Great job Pete, hope it works out for you.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks 👍

[@markhaumschild2282]

Hi Pete it's Mark again. I am just about finished with my orchard fencing (almost an exact duplicate of yours - thanks!!). I am not sure about the electric wire across the opening. Do I just attach a separate wire from the insulator to the handle which clips onto the other insulator. I will be running an electric wire continuously around all four sides of the orchard, going from the insulator on the right side of the gate to the left side of the gate. Does the handle clip onto the screw-in part of the insulator. Just not sure how the electric circuit works with the handle. I know this is long, but I want it to work right because of the raccoons. Thanks for your input. Mark

[@philliplamberth4075]

I love you Doberman Pinscher wish I had one.

[@everettsams349]

How does the electric fence hold up in the rain? Or when there's moisture?

[@BUTTEWORKS]

Hi Pete, fantastic video and better craftsmanship in the work you do. I'm thinking about how to do my orchard and I was wondering how big is yours since I was picturing something similar in size.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks, my orchard/Garden fenced area is 100"x 200" here are some videos I did on the corner posts and fencing. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJ_VmWqLrZuaaKM kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3aUamh9q7SmoJY kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH2XdmqFm66gnM0

[@BUTTEWORKS]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading Awesome, thanks you Pete, these videos are a huge help.

[@fukyoindigoblossoming5087]

You could put Blood meal at the gate, when they smell blood they instinctively think there is a predator around, it deters rabbits and small garden goes.

[@geaj4214]

When I use blood meal I get the opposite the animals start digging my plants up even my dog lol

[@mattpeacock5208]

I've used moutain lion urine to deter possums just because they drive the dogs crazy at 2AM. It worked like a dream.....just stinks like hell!

[@shelshele]

How well did your deterrence measures work and for how long?

[@davidthomas2126]

I've used a electric fence, and mount it low. That really works and cheaper. Use solar power fence charger. Good luck!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@offgridbydesign3826]

Great project!!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you!

[@sshaw4429]

And the bunny said, “….challenge accepted!” 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@emedlock1]

Has been awhile since this post but curious if the electric fence at the 2' height solved your raccoon problem? Anything you would've done differently since? Thanks so much for the detailed video and all your efforts! So helpful. A beautiful setup.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yes the electric wire going around the orchard stopped the raccoons from getting in. The only thing I'm going to do differently is I'm replacing the fence that I put around the bottom portion of the orchard with 1"x1"x3' wire mesh type fence instead of the 2"x4"x3' fence. I'm getting some rabbits squeezing though the 2"x4" opening in the fence.

[@emedlock1]

Thank you for following up. Those rabbits are determined! I saw footage where a groundhog (!) was able to squeeze through this guy's 2x4 mesh fencing. Some critters are just beyond determined and pretty remarkable. Thanks again!

[@madisonleecoe292]

What is the spacing of your garden beds?? How big are they and how much space between each?