Squirrels, Rabbits & Neighborhood Cats! How to Protect Your Veggie Garden From Outdoor Wildlife

Veggie gardening on the East Side can have its occasional "fluffy" challenges. Two summers ago, some of the local rabbit population began treating my snap peas like a private buffet, so I had to upgrade the security around the garden bed.

Ahead of the 2025 growing season, I installed a 48-inch chicken wire fence around almost the entire garden, leaving me one small opening in the corner to get in and out.

It's definitely helped mitigate the problem! While the squirrels still jump around the fencing like parkour experts, the rabbits are finally locked out. Neighborhood cats still jump in once in a while, but don't seem to like the sprinkler too much.

What do you do to keep animals and pests at bay? Drop me a line!