Garden fencing

My2butterflies · #21 01/31/15, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnatgnome

We haven't had any problems with fox as far as I know. The dog is always on guard and probably scares them off. We do have skunks more often in the summer than winter. They look for the dog and cat food outside.

We do have problems with raccoons. We have to keep the dog chained up in the summer when the chickens are out or she will "play" with them until they want to die. She doesn't kill them just keeps playing until they lay still. Not too great for egg production. They can peak into her doghouse with her in it chained up (50' log chain) without fear of harm. But when she's free, game on! She's a black lab and you might have better luck with a different breed.

I'll try to figure out how to post some pictures.

Thank you!

My husband loves yellow labs. I'm not a fan. They are terrors as pups. Although the one I bottle fed from 2wks old was the most obedient boy. Sadly we lived in an apartment back then so we had to give him to a family that had an acreage. I think my husband wants a redo since he still misses his buddy.

I want a herding dog. Preferably a rough coated collie. I love everything about them. And I need a dog that can help me once we get going with birds. And even though I know a long coat will be a sticker megnent, I love brushing dogs. Back in the day we had a husky and I loved brushing him

But again, huskys don't make good farm dogs either.

gnatgnome · #22 01/31/15, 10:23 AM

I spread newspaper down first to smother the weeds and grass and topped with wood mulch in 2013. In 2014 I still had to pull out a few weed (mainly baby trees). I am making raised beds with glazed blocks rescued from someone that was tearing down a building after a storm and was going to bury them. Red raspberries and strawberries in larger beds with old clothesline posts on the ends. I am going to put hanging tomato planters on them. They will also help hold up bird netting when fruit begins to set. I am planning on trying several different raised beds. Tires, more glazed block, etc. My tomatoes did great in their long bed, 18" wide. No space for weeds as I mulch between the plants and the roots still get to go down as deep as they want.

We have blue clay beneath our soil. That's great when digging a well, not so great for a garden. No matter how much compost and grass mulch I put in the garden over the past 15+ years the soil would go from muck to cracks so wide I could stick my fingers in. That made it difficult to get into the garden in the spring and a lot of watering in the heat of the summer. Last summer it was totally different. I could go down and plant in my raised beds, add beds as I could, and water with milk jugs filled from the rain barrels. It's been a lot of work but each year it will be less an less.

Hope the pics come through.

My2butterflies · #23 01/31/15, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnatgnome

I spread newspaper down first to smother the weeds and grass and topped with wood mulch in 2013. In 2014 I still had to pull out a few weed (mainly baby trees). I am making raised beds with glazed blocks rescued from someone that was tearing down a building after a storm and was going to bury them. Red raspberries and strawberries in larger beds with old clothesline posts on the ends. I am going to put hanging tomato planters on them. They will also help hold up bird netting when fruit begins to set. I am planning on trying several different raised beds. Tires, more glazed block, etc. My tomatoes did great in their long bed, 18" wide. No space for weeds as I mulch between the plants and the roots still get to go down as deep as they want.

We have blue clay beneath our soil. That's great when digging a well, not so great for a garden. No matter how much compost and grass mulch I put in the garden over the past 15+ years the soil would go from muck to cracks so wide I could stick my fingers in. That made it difficult to get into the garden in the spring and a lot of watering in the heat of the summer. Last summer it was totally different. I could go down and plant in my raised beds, add beds as I could, and water with milk jugs filled from the rain barrels. It's been a lot of work but each year it will be less an less.

Hope the pics come through.

You have a very nice set up

The fence looks great!

The place I'm putting my garden was a corn field last year. So I won't have any grass or weeds to kill off or rid the area of. So that will be nice. I just have to wait till spring to see if the area I have picked out will work or not. Last spring the field had large puddles after the thaw and heavy rains. The water table was very high. So I want to be sure I don't plant in an area that will flood durning wet years.

Thank you for sharing the pictures

motdaugrnds · #24 01/31/15, 02:49 PM

I can attest to the fact that deer can jump (easily jump) a cow panel, rabbits, squirrels, coons, possums and even fox can get thru them as well.

What I did for my garden was use regular 48" field-fencing wire set 6" off ground and topped that (starting 12" above) with welded wire 3' high and let it lean toward the outside. (My posts were 8' tall buried 2' into ground.)( This created a very tall fence deer have not been able to get over. What I did for rabbits was place baby chicken wire 3' high around the base of the field fencing CURVED UNDER TO LIE ON TOP OF THE GROUND ON THE OUTSIDE to deter rabbits. (I put a V-shaped door into this fencing so my dogs could get in to take care of other critters.)

This has worked great for years!

Oh, as for your low spots that tend to hold water: Simply build yourself some "raised" beds in those areas.

big rockpile · #25 01/31/15, 10:27 PM

Ok 2"X4" Wire Weaned Rabbits will still get in so Chicken Wire over Panels might be better.

big rockpile

jassytoo · #26 02/01/15, 08:29 AM

We have 2ft of rabbit wire around our garden then 4ft of woven wire above that. The deer here are small but it needs 6ft to keep them out. If you live in a place with large deer then you'll likely need 8ft.

michael ark · #27 02/01/15, 10:05 AM

Have you looked at these they cost more than cattle panels but they work on more than just cattle.http://www.agrisupply.com/ok-brand-c...ampaign=SSIDE/

My2butterflies · #28 02/01/15, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michael ark

Have you looked at these they cost more than cattle panels but they work on more than just cattle.

The picture isn't showing up:/

I have no idea what size deer we have here. My brother is the one that saw the deer. But just hardly since it was 2am and the yard light wasn't bright enough to really see.

~MrsE~

am1too · #29 02/01/15, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My2butterflies

Thank you!

My husband loves yellow labs. I'm not a fan. They are terrors as pups. Although the one I bottle fed from 2wks old was the most obedient boy. Sadly we lived in an apartment back then so we had to give him to a family that had an acreage. I think my husband wants a redo since he still misses his buddy.

I want a herding dog. Preferably a rough coated collie. I love everything about them. And I need a dog that can help me once we get going with birds. And even though I know a long coat will be a sticker megnent, I love brushing dogs. Back in the day we had a husky and I loved brushing him

But again, huskys don't make good farm dogs either.

Most any dog including a wolf (husky, German Shepard) will perform as trained. It is true some dogs have more natural instincts about some things.

am1too · #30 02/01/15, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My2butterflies

You have a very nice set up

The fence looks great!

The place I'm putting my garden was a corn field last year. So I won't have any grass or weeds to kill off or rid the area of. So that will be nice. I just have to wait till spring to see if the area I have picked out will work or not. Last spring the field had large puddles after the thaw and heavy rains. The water table was very high. So I want to be sure I don't plant in an area that will flood durning wet years.

Thank you for sharing the pictures

Not enough organic matter in the soil/dirt.

My2butterflies · #31 02/01/15, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by am1too

Not enough organic matter in the soil/dirt.

But adding in fertilizer and mulch will fix that won't it? What should be done to get the soil conditioned after being used for corn?

~MrsE~

michael ark · #32 02/01/15, 12:34 PM

I fixed the link. I think.

Their called combination livestock panels.There are many different ones these are the first i found on the net .

tkhadre · #33 02/01/15, 02:23 PM

Great thread. It seems that cattle panels and chicken wire are a popular method. They are very versatile and hold their value really well. Plus they are really easy to put up. I think that one way way to keep out deer is to run electric tape over the cattle panels. Where are folks betting posts tall enough to hang 8' deer fence? The tallest t-posts I see are 8' and need 2' underground.

My2butterflies · #34 02/01/15, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkhadre

Great thread. It seems that cattle panels and chicken wire are a popular method. They are very versatile and hold their value really well. Plus they are really easy to put up. I think that one way way to keep out deer is to run electric tape over the cattle panels. Where are folks betting posts tall enough to hang 8' deer fence? The tallest t-posts I see are 8' and need 2' underground.

I feel confused and dumb for asking, but what would the electric tape do? Or am I thinking of the wrong kind of electric tape?

I'm glad that they seem to be so widely used. It makes me feel more sure about using them. Now it seems to just be a hight debate. And I wonder with such large fields all around the property if deer will really be hard up for what might be in my garden? Or are they curiosity driven?

~MrsE~

Chief Cook · #35 02/01/15, 06:10 PM

I think they are referring to electrified tape, it carries the zap! Not electrical tape used to fix an electric cord.

I got a giggle picturing the electrical tape wrapped around the top of a garden fence, with feathers and leaves stuck to it!

I needed that!

Chief Cook · #36 02/01/15, 06:13 PM

I believe they are referring to electrified tape, it carries the zap! Not electrical tape used to fix an electric cord. Thanks for the funny image that came to mind of electrical tape wrapped around your garden fence, with feathers and leaves stuck to it! I needed that today!

Chief Cook · #37 02/01/15, 06:16 PM

Oh great! Now I am stuttering! Sorry to post the same thing twice!

boerboy · #38 02/01/15, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwal10

Wood corner posts, 10' T posts. 2'x4' woven wire, 8' tall....James

That is good for deer. Rabbits could still get in under the fence.

My2butterflies · #39 02/02/15, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chief Cook

I think they are referring to electrified tape, it carries the zap! Not electrical tape used to fix an electric cord.

I got a giggle picturing the electrical tape wrapped around the top of a garden fence, with feathers and leaves stuck to it!

I needed that!

Haha! I figured I must have been thinking of the wrong stuff.

~MrsE~

tkhadre · #40 02/02/15, 02:04 PM

Yeah, sorry I mean electrified tape for deer jumping or what not. It's really hard to build a deer proof fence without fencing your garden like a freaken jail. My garden is 150'X40'. I'm going to have to eat a lot of tomatos to make up for the cost of fencing.