Hiya RRN
sorry to read of all the critter challenges. I can fully sympathise.
IMHO outdoor is just as much about setup as indoor. And you’re right that it can be easier and cheaper but that still requires set up - and reading the weather as well as the plants. And we don’t know what’s needed outside as easily as inside. You did heaps to mitigate the known risks, you’re just finding out now all the elements you have to account for - so, youre in the “surprises” phase. Next grow this year will be better and next season better again
On critters - I’ve got em! When I grow in the bush I do things like this...
the frame is made from 50mm ‘ag’ pipe. A short star picket is banged in at each corner and the pipe gets zip tied to it. The (bird friendly) netting is buried-in on 3 sides and I use steel bar offcuts and rocks to secure it after tending the plant (but if I set the grow up right I almost never have to open it).
On autos - unsolicited advice but unless your spot is literally baked in sun 8+hours a day, autos will (IMHO) struggle to do very much outside. That’s a generalisation but one from experience and lots of observation of many outdoor auto attempts - the great ones are outliers. If you have tons of hours of direct sun for them, then autos may be fine.
On legs -
I feel you.
I stopped growing in my bush pods because I cant walk to them anymore. I’m actually getting a bush-worthy powered chair so hope to revisit the bush growing sometime in the next few years. Meanwhile a have a plot in our very seriously enclosed and secured veggie patch. I didn’t grow there last summer tho - because we are in a la Nina weather cycle which means wet wet wet through late summer and autumn - I decided the best outdoor grow under those conditions would be none
LOL! Long post to say ‘hi!’, your circumstances inspired me...
excellent. Don’t be discouraged! it can take time to work out the best method for your particular piece of earth. So glad you have an alternative closer, for the legs 