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redchickn

Stopping voles with buried hardware cloth -- how high?

redchickn
14 years ago

Hi everyone. New to Garden Web, although I've been checking the site for gardening tips and advice since starting my first veggie garden three years ago. Last summer, after the loss of our two outdoor cats, our property was overrun by voles. Before I start planting this year's crop I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with burying hardware cloth around raised beds?

I've found quite a bit of information here and through various extension service websites, but there doesn't seem to be any consensus on how high the hardware cloth needs to stick out of the ground. I have two raised beds, each 12Lx6Wx10H. I am thinking of burying the wire 12" deep along the outside of the beds and just stapling it to the wooden sides, but am wondering if anyone has tried this and whether the voles have bothered to climb up and over the sides? Also read about folding the wire out in an "L," but does doing that at ground level provide enough of a deterrent or do I really need to have the wire stick 12-18" out of the ground?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions -- I'm looking forward to being able to grow beets and radishes again!

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