I took over my community garden and the fence needs to be redone. I’m struggling with what the best route would be and I’m hoping for some suggestions from people who have done this before and learned a bit along the way.
Attached are current photos. The fence right now is held it place by metal stakes and skinny wood posts, wrapped in chicken wire on the inside of the garden, and has an assortment of pallets in the outside.
My question is what would be a cost effective solution to renewing the fence? I have a few thoughts and looking for feedback on them. All fencing would be 4 feet tall.
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Do it right with 4X4 posts below the frost line with gravel and cement. Build a square frame between posts with chicken wire in the frame down to the ground. This would look nicest, but there is the issue of this being the most costly. I’m also a bit hesitant to add cement and gravel to the community garden area. This could be an issue for a future garden lead, but this fence would likely last the longest.
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Same as above but no gravel or cement. I’m worried about the longevity of the 4X4s. I’m also questioning if it would be best to use treated wood or not. I’m worried about using treated wood around food plants, but it would be the longest lasting compared to untreated wood. This option is cheaper and would be easier, but still has a higher cost.
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Do a similar set up as it is currently. Metal stakes with chicken wire around the circumference and use free or cheap pallets to make the outside look nicer. I am concerned about how to stabilize the pallets so they don’t eventually fall over themselves from rotting support like in the photos. I’m worried about this being a fence that would need to be repaired every 2-3 years and looking a bit dingy after some weathering. I would try to match pellets or take them apart and reassemble them to be more consistent and nicer looking.
Any suggestions or best practices you’ve used? My main concern is cost and longevity and how to balance that out. If I can have a fence reasonably last 4-6 years that would be fine. I’m not expecting cheap solution to last over a decade. Thank you!
by TheLifeOfTheParsley
3 Comments
Not sure your budget but I like woven or welded wire fencing. Comes in rolls. Put a 4×4 pressure treated post at the corners and then pound in t-posts every 8ft. Fence staples for the wood posts and then wire clips for the t-posts.
It would last pretty much forever and costs could come down if you find creative ways to get the materials! Facebook marketplace always has lots of posts for that kind of stuff.
I just use a rake handle to slide in the fencing and brace against the post to help tension it.
How big is the space you want to fence?
Drill pipe and cattle panels.
If it were me, I would try to fix the current set up to get just a couple more years out of it. Simultaneously, I would plant willow whips to create a woven crossed living fence just outside the current fence, (or, just inside it, if property boundaries prevent outside placement.) Then, once living fence is established, tear down the current fence, make it into biochar, or use it for hugelkultur, and try to recover all the nails from it before using it to benefit the garden. Good luck with your gardening.