If you have ever planted root crop vegetables such as potatoes, carrots or parsnips, you have probably encountered their dreaded enemy, the gopher.  Gophers aren’t the only critters who can completely decimate a root crop.  Rabbits are notorious for their destructive habits as well.  It can be very difficult to convince one of these pests to move on once they have discovered the bounty of your garden.  If you have very stubborn guests, a raised garden bed can help keep your crops safe.

With a raised garden bed, you have complete control over the layout and contents of your bed.  If you are building one for pest prevention, lay down some type of wire mesh below the bed before you begin building.  Make sure it is fairly thick – a rabbit can chew right through chicken wire.  It also cannot be a solid piece because your bed will not be able to drain.

Once you have created a barrier that the pests cannot dig through, begin building your bed.  A popular method that utilizes raised garden beds is lasagna gardening, where alternating layers of nutrient-dense compost and organic matter create a mixture that works well for high yield crops.

Your raised bed can be fenced off from the top as well.  You can create wire panels or other physical barriers to prevent gophers and rabbits from climbing in the top, keeping your crops safe from attack over and under the bed.

Raised garden beds work well to deter pests and are also excellent for containing plants that like to spread, as well as giving you a better opportunity to provide high quality nutrients to your crops.