A Simple Garden Fence

May 6, 2013

I have been spending most of my time outdoors these past few weeks getting the yard in shape.  I have mulched, planted the vegetable garden, and have been busy with the beehives.  The chicken coop got an inspection and will need some reinforcements of the latches and some dabs of paint here are there.  But this past week, most of my time was occupied with building a small garden fence to keep the bunnies out of the raised garden beds.  I also wanted to add a small extension of the fence to keep the puppy away from the beehives. As of today, the only final touches left to put on the garden fence include trimming down the fence posts and adding the decorative caps.

I have never put in a fence before, but with a bit of research and muscles I think it came out nicely.  It had to meet a few criteria.

1.  It had to be attractive.
2.  It could not block the view into the garden.
3.  It had to be cost-effective.
4.  It had to keep out the critters and deter the chickens.
5.  It had to be simple enough not to be intimidating for me to tackle.

 

 

Here is what I did:

Map out your fence blueprint style.  Take measurements.  Decide on placement of your gate and which way it will swing. Determine how deep and how you wish to secure your posts. Also determine what type of lumber you will be using.  It is best to avoid pressure treated lumber in the garden. 

Working on one side, place the first and last post into the ground with a post hole digger.  Be sure that they are level on adjacent sides.

Once the posts are level, tie a string between those two end posts to create a straight line for your fence posts on that side of the fence.  Typically fence posts are 6 to 8 feet apart.  Place the posts at equal intervals.

Using deck screws, screw in some cross rails to the top and bottom of the fence posts.  Be sure they are level.  Repeat the above steps on the remaining sides of your fence.

Build and hang your garden gate.

Finally, with heavy- duty staples, staple some garden wiring or chicken wire from the top rail to the bottom of the ground to keep the critters out.

Thanks to Susan at Itzy Bitzy Farm for lending a hand on my
second to last day and to David with the gates!

Photo Credit:  Tilly’s Nest

 

Melissa

Author/Blogger/Freelancer-Sharing adventures with backyard chickens, beekeeping, gardening, crafting, cooking and more.

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35 thoughts on “A Simple Garden Fence”

    • I used 4 x 4 posts. I actually cut 8' posts in half. The fence is about 2 1/2 feet tall. 18 inches or so is buried into the ground. I used strapping for the cross rails. and 2 x 4 for the gate with strapping used again for the decorative accents. All non-pressure treated wood. Best to be safe around the food we eat. Thanks for stopping in today!

      Reply
  1. Nice job.
    Question. Did you dig the netting in lower into the ground to discourage burrowing under by bunnies and other critters?

    Just wondering.

    Reply
    • Thanks so much. Yes, I did bury it down just a few inches-enough to deter the diggers. There is green grass around there so the bunnies tend to stay outside the fence. This does not keep out all wildlife but has deterred some.

      Reply
    • Hello Lily, I don’t recall specifically, but I believe the cost of materials was a few hundred dollars. You can price out many items that you will need online. I purchased my supplies through Home Depot.

      Reply

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Sharing an inspired life from the New England seaside. Chickens, Bees, Gardens, Art and Yummy Goodness.