Keep Critters Out of Veggie Beds with These Screens

One Garden Screen—Four Uses

I have approximately 25 squirrels that frequent my garden on a daily basis. That’s a lot of birdseed-stealing, nut-hiding, veggie garden digging going on!

I also wanted a way to prevent the moths from getting to my broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.

To slow the destruction of my veggie crops, I made these simple squirrel screens.

The construction is fast and easy and they keep a variety of pests out of the beds.

If you are growing things that do not depend on insect pollination, you can keep the screens on for the entire growing season.

If your crops require pollination, remove the screens when the flowers are ready for the insects to do their thing, and put them back when that stage is over. Even that will reduce a good deal of destruction.

There is a list of fruit and veggie plants that rely on insect pollinators here.

Simple Construction

Made from 2×2 wood pieces and hardware cloth (more details below), these garden screens have brought peace to my garden. No longer are the squirrels, chipmunks, and birds pulling up my freshly planted veggies. Plus there are some other uses for these simple screens as well.

Depending on the critters you are trying to outsmart and the type of crops you are growing, you may want to do a variation of this.

Examples include using a larger mesh (bigger openings) and adding meshed side panels (basically, a box made with mesh walls) to accommodate taller crops.

1. Seed Guards

Placed over freshly sown beds, the screens prevent birds and other nibblers from taking the seedlings.

If your beds are tall enough, you can keep the screens on throughout the growing cycle for any crops that do not rely on insects or birds for pollination.

Crops to Grow Under Squirrel Screens

• Brassicas: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kohlrabi
• Herbs
• Leafy greens: lettuces, mesclun mix, spinach, rocket, endive, mustard
• Legumes: peas and beans
• Onions and leeks
• Root Vegetables: beets, carrots, horseradish, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, rutabagas

For plants that need insect pollination (see the list here),

Here’s a basic rule for knowing which crops do not rely on pollinators: non-flowering prior to food production. I made that rule up but I think it works!

Also, if you use a fine hardware cloth (wire mesh) with a 1/8″ grid, the mice don’t come in the top.  Bonus! 

If you have burrowing pests (mice, voles, trolls), a layer of 1/8″ grid hardware cloth in the base of the raised bed may deter them.

I keep the screens on until the plants are well-established, and then remove them.  The critters cause much more destruction when the plants are young and tender.

Next, I use the screens as growing supports (see below).

2. Climber Supports

Placed vertically (with two long screws holding the frame against the raised bed), the hardware cloth gives climbing vines like cucumbers and watermelons something to grab onto.

3. Sun Protection

A few of my raised beds are in very sunny locations and the plants get too much heat. I attach the garden screens vertically on the sunny side and cover them with row covers (see them at Amazon.com), held in place with binder clips-see them at Amazon.com. This offers enough shade to prevent seedlings from drying out and older plants from bolting.

4. Frost & Snow Protection

In the colder months, I add hinges to the screens to secure them to the raised beds and place frost covers (tarps) on top to protect the winter greens (spinach, lettuces, mesclun mix, kale, broccoli, parsley…) from the cold and winds. You can see one of my winter veggie beds here.

Supplies

For each raised bed, I make two frames that together will cover the entire surface. You could also make one big frame but they get awkward to handle when they’re bigger and harder to store.

• 2×2 wood (not pressure-treated: you don’t want those chemicals leaching into food crops). Measure the four sides needed for each of the two frames. My raised beds are 4×8′. To cover each bed, I used (4) 2″x2″x8′ spruce and the guy at the store cut them exactly in half. In other words, (8) 2″x2″x4′ are needed for the two frames covering one 4×8′ raised bed.
• Hardware cloth – preferably 1/8″ grid – in the same width as my screen so I don’t have to piece it together (my screens are 48″ wide). Wire mesh/hardware cloth comes in a roll and is sold at most Home Depot type stores. You can also order it online.
• (8) 2 1/2 ” deck screws for attaching the wood frame pieces (one per corner).
• (24) 1/4″ wood screws for holding the hardware cloth in place or a good staple gun with strong staples.
• Hinges (optional-if you want to attach the screen to the raised bed).
• drill bit, screwdriver bit, electric drill.

Assembly Tips

• Pre-drill holes in wood before inserting screws (this keeps the wood from splitting).
• Make sure you configure the wood the same way for each of the two frames (how the ends butt together) and that together they fit nicely on the raised bed. The 2×2 lumber can be a bit twisted.
• Measure (and think) three times so that you will only cut once. Or, as the saying goes, measure twice and take the average. (Kidding!)
• Ignore the clicking sound the squirrels will make when they realize they can’t get under the screens and dig up your new garden. They’ll get over it and raid the bird feeders instead.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

Next

• The Best Wood to Use for Raised Garden Beds
• 20 Fast-Growing Spring and Fall Veggies
• Raised Garden Bed Options for Your Growing Space