Milk Carton Fence

This upside down milk carton is protecting sedum from munching deer. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Milk Carton Fence

This time of year carefully tended gardens become fodder for wildlife looking for food. The newest marauders are black bears now making a comeback in Missouri. Short of bears, the usual culprits mowing garden areas to the ground are deer.

Most deer deterrent suggestions talk about building a very tall fence to keep the large garden visitors at bay. Several products on the market are also focused on chasing deer off. There is one more thing gardeners can do to protect their greenery, and that is to use plastic milk cartons to protect plants.

You can find plastic milk cartons for sale at thrift shops and online sales outlets. i found several a couple of years ago to use as storage containers in my garage.

When deer started to nibble on a newly-planted Autumn Sedum Joy, pulling them out of the ground every night, I decided to use the plastic milk carton to protect the plant.

Now a good two weeks later, the plants seem to be finally settling into their new growing spot without daily deer interruptions.

The cartons would also work well to protect other newly-planted additions.

If you can’t find milk cartons, you can make something similar out of folded chicken wire.

You are basically buying your plants enough time to get themselves in the ground.

Charlotte