I really can't afford a fence, but I wonder if anyone has used this method successfully: laying down flat sections of wire fencing around areas to protect. I've lifted this post off a garden web forum: "Get some wire fencing, like welded 2x4 fencing, and lay it down around the area you want kept free of deer. It only has to be 3 ft wide or so. When the deer step on it, they sense a foot trap and won't continue. Laid flat, they don't know where it ends, so they don't jump it. This is the same priciple as those cattle guards in roads, foot traps. Ruminants can't see their feet, so they can't really investigate what it is. I surrounded my vegetable garden like this. The deer admired and drooled over my lettuce, peas and corn, but never got any of it. Funny to watch." I also came across this website, with an illustration: http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/lamb39.html
Just thought I would mention, I went ahead with this idea two & a half weeks ago. So far so good, not a single hoofprint, where before there were many. So I have my hopes up that this might be working.
It's more likely just a matter of time: when your garden is full, lush and undeniably appealing to a hungry deer, or in the later spring season of young dumb bucks who don't know any better, I think they'll gingerly step across and un-gingerly eat your garden. More pressing concern, looking at the picture, is the statistical certainty that at some point, your trap is going to catch a human...but maybe you're just putting it out at night? I've seen this tried locally with fish net, farm fence, poultry wire, and bird net. Haven't seen it actually work long term to date: sooner or later, the deer seem to get over the novelty/fear of it, or the allure of tender growth overcomes their trepidation. Long term success will be the telling factor: best of luck.
Wire or similar on the ground is already most of a fence, all you have to do is add poles etc. - and stand the material on the ground up. If you spend the money to establish and maintain a garden but then leave it unprotected because you can't see spending the money on fencing then you are just throwing away the money already spent - if animals come and spoil your plants or even just spoil your enjoyment by presenting the mere potential of doing so. Some years ago friends effectively fenced a pretty big section of nursery using peeler poles, plastic deer netting and staples for about $300 US.
Thanks for the warnings! I'll try not to get too optimistic. Guess we have to live with the fact we have sacred cows in the city.
