Ground protection is a must for garden protection against deer and other wildlife. When deer see a fence, they will first walk the perimeter to see if they can easily access the garden. Then, they will try digging underneath a garden fence before attempting a jump. Their poor vision, at just 20/100 in the daytime, will not give them the confidence to jump the fence right away. To block deer browsing attempts from the ground up, home gardeners will need to install ground stakes.

There are two types of ground stakes to consider using: rebar and kinked. Rebar ground stakes are designed for harder surfaces including clay and rocky grounds. Kinked ground stakes are better used in smooth soils without many rocks. 

Whatever type of ground stake, install every 5 feet along the fence line for best results. They can easily be hammered into the ground.