Raccoons in the Vegetable Garden

Question from Deedee:
I live in Palos Verdes where I haunt our local farmers’ market and wish I could grow my own organic crops. My dog seems to have shooed off the ground squirrels but can’t control raccoons which are not afraid of anything. They eat a wide range of vegetables, pull up drip lines, and even trash local fish ponds. Is there any way to control raccoons and keep them out of a vegetable garden?

Answer from Pat:
Dogs and cats can control many animal pest problems, including rats, ground squirrels, and opossums, but raccoons and skunks are more difficult to control. Raccoons especially can trash a garden pond and eat all one’s valuable koi. If one builds a pond with the sides going straight down 2 feet around the edges, racoons won’t be a nuisance. Shallower ponds make perfect swimming and fishing holes for them. They also do serious damage to many vegetable gardens, though I did manage to grow vegetables myself despite the depredations of a family of raccoons.

The best defense against all small animal pests is an electric fence. Several kinds are available for vegetable gardens. One of these is called Mr. McGregor’s Fence® and it is designed to keep out rabbits, woodchucks, raccoons, possums, skunks, squirrels, and other small animal pests. There are other types designed for raised beds. http://www.mrmcgregorfence.com/

This is just one of several brands, including other types designed for raised beds. Another good brand is Nixalite:
http://www.nixalite.com/gardenprotector.aspx?gclid=CPPYy9jW_aMCFQl5gwodH1F2JA

So compare before purchasing.