Yes, to the chicken wire idea....get the smallest holes, not the 1/2 inch stuff. I have to put these "collars" around my tomato plants in the summer when the gophers decide to jump above ground and gnaw the stalks of my plants. I plant all my tomatoes and veggies in wire baskets so they can't get them from underground but then many years I have to use the tall wire "collars" and also sprinkle around some Uncle Ian's squirrel and rodent deterrent around the base of the plants (it's mostly dried blood, yuck). You can buy the stuff at Lowe's.