Thanks for your reply. I was afraid of that-that it was found in the south. I live near South Dakota and the freight would be cost prohibitive.
Field fencing vs. utility fencing for garden?
- Thread starter kubota4me
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Thanks for your reply. I was afraid of that-that it was found in the south. I live near South Dakota and the freight would be cost prohibitive.
Circle W
Silver Member
As much as the oil industry is booming in the Dakotas, I wouldn't think it should be that difficult to find some. Check craigslist, you can find people selling it on there quite a bit.
downslope
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No, you can use t-posts for the line posts. The thing is, if you're investing in high grade galvanized wire you should really use galvanized t-posts. If you don't, the posts will start to rust before the fencing does and you also may get a dissimilar metal galvanic effect. Were you planning to use painted metal posts?
About the round pressure treated posts, no you don't have to use them but on the fences I have seen they work better than square of the same dimension. Square fence posts with tension or pressure on them tend to warp or bend more than the round, depending on the orientation of the grain. Is there no reasonable price source of round posts in you area, or are you getting the square posts for free?
If you knew someone with a tractor or skid steer mounted post pounder you could pound in the round posts which would give a better job than digging post holes. But if you dig the holes and put some concrete in that will be good too, just more time/labor; try to widen the holes a little at the bottom if you can. If you do it in the spring you probably don't even have to mix concrete, just shovel some Portland cement and a few stones in first and let it set up for a few weeks. That will work unless you have absolutely no subsurface moisture at all. If the corners are well braced and deep in the ground you can get by with smaller line posts; if you go with wood, even 3 inch would work.
Good luck whichever way you go.
The lumber yard quoted me 14' green treated 6"x6" for $58.59. 12' green treated 6"x6" for $50.59. 12' green treated 4"x4" for $15.97. I believe you that round posts would be stronger. I will not use creosoted posts in my garden. I haven't found close any green treated round posts yet.
Western
Super Member
Thanks Western!
855atty
Member
Just my $.02 from south florida,
Several years ago, i put in 1500 feet of field wire around some land sing my post hole digger on the back of my JD. After digging the holes, i nailed 4 8 penny nails in the bottom of my 3inch PT posts and then 1/4 to 1/2 bag of instant cement, then backfilled. I took the auger off the digger "crane" attached a boat anchor swivel and chain to the digger. Then passed the chain down through the center of the 330' rolls and put a cut piece of post in a loop of chain at the bottom of the roll so the roll was hanging on the chain and swivel. I could let out 50-60 feet at a time before i would stop the rotation to tighten up the wire. The wire was anchored at first by nearly a whole wrap around the 8" corner posts. I would say that while hanging on the chain, the roll was at least three feet off the ground. that would help getting a second row. Thank goodness i didn't need that!
The building code here outlawed stapled roof shingles--so pneumatic staple guns were dirt cheap. So, with galvanized and/or stainless staples, i could pin the wire to about one post a minute. It was amazingly simple/easy for me and my wife to finish the fence in about 4 days after work and with lots of breaks [i like breaks]. After 3 major hurricanes, it still stands.
The point is this field wire only keeps out the big stuff--raccoons and small dogs get right through. Have not seen a deer since we put it up. Have not seen a bear since we put it up. I have seen bobcat and panther tracks though--or some really big house cats!! No wild pigs either.
Also. we put up 2 x 4 welded wire cross fences to make separations. Squirrels go right through. I've had to cut out 2 rabbits who died trying to get through. Rabbits don't go through and quit trying after the second death.
The welded 2x4 is now rusty and needs to be replaced. When it gets hit [like with a brush hog, it will break in sections. We're not happy with it at all and decided that the replacement will be galvanized hardware cloth--more $$, but will outlast the 2x4.
good luck with whatever you do!
Several years ago, i put in 1500 feet of field wire around some land sing my post hole digger on the back of my JD. After digging the holes, i nailed 4 8 penny nails in the bottom of my 3inch PT posts and then 1/4 to 1/2 bag of instant cement, then backfilled. I took the auger off the digger "crane" attached a boat anchor swivel and chain to the digger. Then passed the chain down through the center of the 330' rolls and put a cut piece of post in a loop of chain at the bottom of the roll so the roll was hanging on the chain and swivel. I could let out 50-60 feet at a time before i would stop the rotation to tighten up the wire. The wire was anchored at first by nearly a whole wrap around the 8" corner posts. I would say that while hanging on the chain, the roll was at least three feet off the ground. that would help getting a second row. Thank goodness i didn't need that!
The building code here outlawed stapled roof shingles--so pneumatic staple guns were dirt cheap. So, with galvanized and/or stainless staples, i could pin the wire to about one post a minute. It was amazingly simple/easy for me and my wife to finish the fence in about 4 days after work and with lots of breaks [i like breaks]. After 3 major hurricanes, it still stands.
The point is this field wire only keeps out the big stuff--raccoons and small dogs get right through. Have not seen a deer since we put it up. Have not seen a bear since we put it up. I have seen bobcat and panther tracks though--or some really big house cats!! No wild pigs either.
Also. we put up 2 x 4 welded wire cross fences to make separations. Squirrels go right through. I've had to cut out 2 rabbits who died trying to get through. Rabbits don't go through and quit trying after the second death.
The welded 2x4 is now rusty and needs to be replaced. When it gets hit [like with a brush hog, it will break in sections. We're not happy with it at all and decided that the replacement will be galvanized hardware cloth--more $$, but will outlast the 2x4.
good luck with whatever you do!
homeinwestIL
Bronze Member
I used 8 foot game facing to deer-proof my orchard/garden area but the fencing I used doesn't keep out the raccoons and possums that have been rough on my fruit trees and grapes. It has kept the deer out, though, for the five years its been up. I think I have seen a game fencing product since that has smaller spacing along the bottom that might have been better. Right now I am planning to add some welded and woven wire that I have left over from other fencing projects along the bottom that is 1" by 2" and run a couple electric wires along the top of that to discourage climbing. I did have some success with just keeping my dog in the garden during the summer to chase off any critter that got in but she got old and ineffective and has since died.
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Circle W
Silver Member
The 2 3/8" pipe is the way to go IMO. Around here you can get it anywhere from $1-1.50 per foot. A solid H-brace should that is buried around 2-2.5' with some concrete will be able to handle what you are looking for. Well that's assuming you can get the pipe in the first place.
If this is what you are going to do next, how high would you go with the hardware cloth. If you had to do it over again, would you use hardware cloth only and if not, would it be because it would not be strong enough by itself?