Fence Posts - Cement or No Cement??

MICHELLE H. · 2013-04-22T16:19:00+00:00

I see that some people debate over whether fence posts should be cemented into the ground or not. Some people say yes, you need cement to keep the fence sturdy, other people say putting the posts 2 feet down in soil or even crushed rock is perfectly fine. Would it be okay to install 50 feet ( length ) of 4 to 5 foot high chainlink fence, and NOT have the posts cemented in?? We have a small backyard, only about 50 feet wide between houses. We have a small wooded area behind our house, and no backyard fence. Last year we tried to have a vegetable garden, but either deer, or raccoons or something ate all our vegetable plants!!! They loved eating the tomato and pumpkin plants. They ate everything right down to the stalk!!!!! The local fence company wants $1,000 bucks to install a 6 foot high Cedar stockade fence along the 50 feet of property line. They want $700 for 50 feet of spruce. "Pressure treated posts", and the fence will be "nailed on". We don't have the extra money right now, so thinking of just putting up a chainlink fence with the metal chainlink fence posts. We would like to get either a wooden or PVC 6 foot high stockade fence in the future, so would like the chainlink to just be temporary, so that we can TRY to have a vegetable garden this year, and so we don't want to have to dig up heavy cemented posts in the future, when it's time to take the chainlink fence down. So would it really be that bad to install 50 feet of chainlink fence and NOT cement the posts in the ground, and maybe just pack them down with dirt, 2 feet deep?? Thanks.

Apr 22, 2013 46 Replies

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trader4 13 years ago

All in all, the simplest solution to the whole problem would be to forget the garden. If you factor in all the problems, it may just not be worth it and buying produce at a local farmers market might make more sense.

I've had vegetable gardens mostly a long time ago when I was a kid. Attempts at growing more limited gardens here in NJ in more recent times, resulted in deer being a big problem. And as Michelle is finding out, the solutions aren't cheap or easy. Besides deer, here we have ground hogs that are a big problem. Then you have to fend off the insects, deal with disease, etc, and what you get is still a crap shoot. I've managed to grow some tomatoes and hot peppers, but the deer even mowed them down when they were still in the early stages. The one thing I have had success with is herbs, eg oregano, rosemary, sage.

You also have to factor in if you want an ugly chain link fence to look at 365 days a year, what it does to the look of the property, etc.

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generic 13 years ago

You can buy T-posts from a farm supply. They pound in and will work for plastic fencing. If you want chain link, that is not what I'd consider a temporary fence, and they are usually cememted in. If you want temporary, buy T-posts, pound them in with a driver made for that use, or a sledge hammer. Wire or use xip straps to attach the plastic fence to the posts.

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Dean Hoffman 13 years ago

There was a robin repeatedly hitting my living room window one day. I finally noticed that the window's reflection showed clear blue sky where the bird was hitting it.

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Harry K 13 years ago

Depends on the area. Some deer would have a problem looking over a 4' one.

Harry K

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HerHusband 13 years ago

It's really more about opportunity. The deer could easily jump into the garden if they really wanted in. But we live in a rural area with plenty of other options for them to munch on without having to jump a fence.

Sometimes they just have to develop a taste for a new plant. I planted several Golden Euonymus hedge plants. The deer walked around them for more than a year without so much as a nibble. Thinking I found a plant the deer would leave alone, I planted several more. Another year went by without an incident. Then on year three they tasted one, and proceded to chew off every leaf on every single plant. Since then they have eaten the leaves on every single plant as soon as they appear.

Put food out for your cat. They'll leave the corn alone. :)

Mom and her babies used to come up on our porch to feast on the cat food that was left in the bowl. Our cat died a few years ago so the raccoons moved on to better pickings.

Anthony Watson

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dpb 13 years ago

Indeed...one garden patch here has only one row of 2-ft corrugated tin on edge and the deer don't even bother to hop over it...

They love daylily and moonflower blooms... :(

...

That only serves as an appetizer if there's corn they can get to ime w/ 'coons...

The best help I can do here to protect yard/garden areas is to keep waterers in the corrals on which is away from the house. It's access to water that is the magnet at least here in SW KS where it is at a premium...

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