Thinking caps, please!

[mamabear]

Hello everyone! May I please ask each of you to put on your thinking caps for a moment?
Since we have just moved to NW AR this past August, I am eager to get my garden site ready for next spring. My DH says that we just cannot afford to fence in an area now, due to extreme economic reasons. Having a garden that is not fenced is worthless, since we have large deer herds that roam through everyday.
So, here's the question. I have nearly unlimited access to sawmill slabs from the mill just down the road. How could I use these slabs to build an enclosure for the garden or anything else I'd like to have? Because the area has never been used for gardening and there are amounts of rock, I'd like to use pigs to break up the ground. This means that the enclosure would have to be stout enough to hold up to an animal that is known for its strength and determination for escape.
Any and all ideas will be appreciated.
Hugs to all,
mamabear

[Gary in AL]

Hey Mamabear,
THe slabs would work good but they will rot if touching the ground. I don't like using chemicals to preserve the wood but ole timers used to char the bottom of posts before letting them have ground contact. I have used brush to build stick fences and they will last about one season but it could be a temp fix. Just an idea. Gary

[tinknal]

Electric fenceing can be had fairly cheaply, and is easily portable.

[the mama]

You can build a fence out of free pallets. Do a google seasrch, somewhere I saw directions/pictures. Pigs will chew/eat wood, so make sure any wood is untreated. Pallets usually are untreated since they are disposable. Good luck and post pictures.

[mamabear]

Thank you for the suggestions, especially the one about charring the bottom. I've also seen tar used. I figure if I could mount them just a hair above the ground so they wouldn't be making full ground contact, that might work.
Any other ideas of how to use these slabs for fencing? I'm thinking that I might have to attach them on the inside and outside of the upright posts to make it all stouter. Also, do I have to dry wood to use for posts if I cut some out of the woods?
mamabear

[dagwood]

I have never seen a fence under 12 feet that could keep deer out of a garden...... especially so if they are very hungry.

[bob clark]

most deer fences are 7-8 ft tall. I think i would make it 8ft myself. I would also put the slabs clear down on the ground. it will take at least a year for the part that is in contact with the ground to rot. hopefully your shortage of cash is temperary, so the entire thing will prolly be replaced in a few short years. get extera slabs and repair the chewed ones before they chew clear threw. or stack rocks in the holes that they make

[mamabear]

I do have enough wire and a fence charger to run one strand of electric wire around the enclosure if I size it right. What height would be best?
mamabear

[beowoulf90]

Here is an idea try planting some deer resistant plants around the border of the garden. I don't know if that will help at all. You may even plant some of the deer favorites at another location to draw them away from the garden..Deer resistant woody plants

[mama2littleman]

Originally Posted by beowoulf90

Here is an idea try planting some deer resistant plants around the border of the garden. I don't know if that will help at all. You may even plant some of the deer favorites at another location to draw them away from the garden..Deer resistant woody plants

Deer just use those as an appetizer. No such thing as deer resistant plants. There are just some plants they like more then others. I would go with electric if at all possible. If that isn't doable .. One way to get around the need for 7-8 foot fences is to have a double fence with about 5 feet between them. Far enough apart that they can't clear it in one jump but close enough together to keep them from getting a second jump in.

Nikki

[haypoint]

I'd suggest you build a fence with the slabs, point the ends and pound into the ground, nailing or baler wireing the horizonal pieces. Then run electric wire down low in side to keep the pigs from working the fence. Once the pigs have removed the vegetation, located the rocks and tilled the soil, mount the elect wire 6 feet outside to deter the deer. Hard for them to jump the electric fence and wooden one, too.

[mpillow]

Deer usually wont jump a fence if they cant see what they'll land on....

Pallets lined inside and out with the slab wood to tie pallets together ...yes you use green posts...sharpened cedar posts are maybe $2 here....but use whats available.
Hard wood ashes in the post hole will help prevent rot.

Put the charger/e-fence on the inside while pigs are in the area snout high...

Then if you have enough wire put it nose high for a deer on the outside.

If you have a dog kennel it in the garden at night(especially when the corn is near ready).....if you have a husband or teenage males have them pee on the fence posts....

[bill not in oh]

A single strand of electric will hold the pig(s) in. I use two, but mainly so I don't have to raise it as they grow. Let them work their magic then address the deer fencing when it's time. Since you already have the charger, a few 8' T-posts and 500' of high tensile wire should give you enough fence to discourage the deer. They probably won't want to bother jumping any fence if they have sufficient forage outside of it.

Side note: You SHOULD let the manure from the porkers compost for a year before planting the garden. That gives time for the pathogens to die off (think e-coli). You'll get many replies that will say this is unnecessary, but if you do some research, you'll find it to be considered a good practice by most soil scientists.

[Rita]

I have had good luck keeping deer out of the veg. garden by using metal posts or other (taller the better) and 50 lb. test fishing line strung at about l ft. height intervals. I hang plastic shopping bags here and there but it seems they know something is there but can't see what and are afraid to get tangled I guess. Three years this has worked and it's easy and cheaper than fence. To keep the rabbits out I have short chicken wire fencing at the bottom.

[logbuilder]

I put posts (actually small tree trunks) at each of the 4 corners and strung pink property marking tape at 3, 5 and 8 foot levels. Then I put another 4 posts 3 feet out and strung more marking tape. This makes it so they can't jump over. The tape flapping in the wind must scare them too. Looks wierd but it worked. I didn't see a single deer print inside the garden. Total cost was that of the tape. Less than $10.

Here is a pic. Look close and you can see the fence.

[mamabear]

Originally Posted by logbuilder

I put posts (actually small tree trunks) at each of the 4 corners and strung pink property marking tape at 3, 5 and 8 foot levels. Then I put another 4 posts 3 feet out and strung more marking tape. This makes it so they can't jump over. The tape flapping in the wind must scare them too. Looks wierd but it worked. I didn't see a single deer print inside the garden. Total cost was that of the tape. Less than $10.

Here is a pic. Look close and you can see the fence.

That is a really cool idea. I have some old crime scene tape that would probably work at least for a while. Thanks for the idea!
mamabear

[Old Vet]

The posts can be made from osage orange,Bow-dock, hedge apple trees. Cut them green and work them while green they will not rot like other wood. I have seen them last for 50 years.

[LMonty]

Mamabear- i think the double fence is critical part of that set-up- Ive heard both three and four feet in between the two, not sure if one distance is better than the other, but since he said three works, I'll remember that!!! apparently, they cant see a clear place to land if its three feet apart, so they wont jump it.

gorgeous land, logbuilder! Nice pic

[goatlady]

If I might suggest, mamabear, maybe use those slabs to build raised bed boxes for your garden rather than trying to work the rock! I just moved here LAST August, my garden backs 160 acre No Hunting State wildlife preserve so there are lots of deer here also. I have NEVER had one in my backyard where the garden is - my dog has peed that perimeter and they do not cross that line area. I did fence the garden area strictly to keep the chickens out of the veggies though. You can pick up cheap various fencing materials at the local Sat. Auctions in this area, cheap, cheap, cheap. But a dog works best for deer patrol. The tape fence would work well also.

[sewsilly]

We stake out the beagles in the evening, during the time of year, when we need to protect garden plants from the dear. Works everytime.