By Trish Svoboda

While raccoons are known for being garbage pests, they also like to steal fresh snacks from home gardens. One particular food they’re interested in is sweet corn, which they tend to harvest right before is it going to be picked.

K-State horticulture expert Cynthia Domenghini recommends fencing as a good way to prevent raccoons from thieving the harvest.

One option is electric fencing. When installing, it is important to make sure raccoons cannot get under, in between, or get over the wires without being shocked. Domenghini said fence posts and insulators designed for electric fences, and using woven electric wire rather than solid metal wire works best for this setup. She also suggested using battery-operated fencing as opposed to plug-ins.

Another alternative is kennel fencing. Domenghini said to make sure the panels are tied well enough to where raccoons can’t get through and to consider a covering if raccoons are able to climb the panels. She noted that welded garden fences work well in this case.