Hi Chris,

Thank you for contacting the UVM Extension Master Gardener with your question on growing onions or other vegetables near the woods line of your property.

I have experienced losing onions to deer. Although not their favorite snack in the garden, they eat the tops which in most cases stops growth. The only solution to limiting losses to deer is fencing.

If your garden is large you may want to consider installing a permanent fence. I have found using 2 rows of 4 foot fence 4 feet apart the easiest to set up and move. Another solution is to put in a fence 8 feet tall. Although two rows of 4’ is easier, the 8’ method takes less room. Both of these fencing methods work well on my homestead.

If you have a small garden, another solution is to place your fencing such that deer can not jump inside the fencing or reach over. We utilize this method for our herb garden located next to our home. I use a portable fence with a built in stakes and deploy it when herbs are young and fragile. One area of our herb garden is larger so I run a fence down the middle to prevent the deer from jumping in.

I wish I could recommend other vegetables to grow that deer will not eat, but they will eat everything in early spring. I remove the herb fencing when plants have matured and the deer have other plants to eat in early summer.

This link provides information on how to manage deer damage on trees and other plants

I hope you find this information helpful.

Enjoy,

Jeff Nummelin, UVM Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

www.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener

No endorsement of products mentioned is intended, nor is criticism implied of products not mentioned. Any chemical recommendations in resources included should be used for informational purposes only as these chemicals may not be registered for use in Vermont.