How To Protect Hemp Plants From Deer Browsing.

By Jennifer Smith, Deerbusters Deer Fence
With the arrival of spring, outdoor hemp cultivators are excited to begin planting hemp seeds. Like other types of agriculturists, hemp growers face concerns about how they can protect their cash crop from deer browsing – after all, spring is prime season for deer movement; and they are hungry to eat all sorts of crops. Here are two methods for deer management to protect hemp plants

Trellis Netting
Trellis nets are used by cannabis growers to help climbing plants stand tall; however, it is also a common growing method when planting indoor cannabis, often used as tray liners during the drying and curing process.
Trellising allows plants to receive direct sunlight while staying protected against wildlife encounters. Nets can be used vertically or horizontally, based on the type of plants that are being grown in the garden.
Trellis netting can also be used as tray liners and drying netting for hemp flowers. There are many advantages to using plastic drying netting as tray liners. For one, the mesh is lightweight and easy to manage. Plastic drying netting is easy to clean, non-stick compared to other types of lattice netting, and reusable. Lastly, plastic lattice mesh is much cheaper than alternative mesh and can be used for outdoor use as trellis netting for cannabis, tomatoes, cucumbers and other climbing plants.

Deer Fencing
Installing deer fence is virtually maintenance free and is the most recommended deer management strategy for protecting plants from deer browsing.
While there are many types of fence on the market, not all are suitable for land protection against deer damage. The best fence materials to consider are made from polypropylene or metal with PVC-coating as a secondary layer of protection against chew marks.
Like steel deer fence, plastic deer fence is available in different heights and strength grades. This type of fence is recommended to growers for light to moderate deer pressure. Those dealing with heavy deer pressure will need to install a metal deer fence – the stronger option.
Deer fencing is easy to install and will stand strong for up to 30 years. For best results, consider installing a 7.5-8’ deer fence system.

Conclusion
Natural resources were scarce in winter; and now that spring is here, white-tailed deer are ready to get first dibs on plants – and they have eyes set on hemp farms and gardens. The best deer management strategy to protect hemp plants is to install deer fencing and/or trellis netting for plant protection. Either tactic will yield a reduction in deer damage this spring season.