Understanding Low-Cost Ways to Protect Fall Seedlings From Wildlife

Hardware cloth cages, row covers, and secure fencing can protect vulnerable fall seedlings from rabbits, deer, and other wildlife without requiring expensive garden equipment – Shutterstock

Fall offers a wonderful window for planting seedlings, but the garden buffet can look even more appealing to wildlife once summer food sources disappear. Young vegetables, herbs, flowers, and newly planted trees often present tender stems and leaves that rabbits, deer, squirrels, voles, and other hungry visitors can find remarkably convenient.

Thankfully, protecting those plants does not require turning the garden into a miniature fortress or buying a cartload of fancy gadgets. A few inexpensive barriers, some careful placement, and regular inspections can keep hungry animals from turning fresh fall plantings into an all-you-can-eat snack bar.