~Very~ satisfying using the post shovel!

Just chuck some insulation on top, old rags, bubble wrap...

If you use damp, not wet mix rammed in, and you cover the top with some soil a frost won't get near the postmix, let alone hurt it.

It's takes a lot of sustained cold to make "below ground" actually freeze - certainly more than a night's frost.

You'll be OK :)

Thanks for all the replies on this topic. I thought it would actually be a much more difficult task, but it wasn't. Might be harder if one had very stony ground to get through. I would certainly attempt the same job again. I've been putting this one off for months because I thought it wouldn't be straightforward, never having put in any kind of fence. The 4" fence post (8 foot) was £13.33 including VAT.

MM

The last two times I've used one was to dig a grave for a cat. They are amazing considering how simple they actually are.

Tail or nose down?

What's wrong with using the food recycling bin?

Same as a human sort of laid out in a box.

Was that the sort which has two curved spades hinged together, or the corkscrew type?

As others have said, don't worry about it - it won't freeze below ground level unless the temperature remains below freezing for a long sustained period.

By which time the concrete will have set, and will be frost proof.

Can't have been a very large cat then!

Yes its cold, but the earth is still pretty warm so some top insulation should be enough. Brian

It does seem to be taking an age to "go off". I tested the top of the sand/cement/pea gravel mix this morning and it appears just as loose as when I filled the hole yesterday afternoon. Maybe I should have used more cement? But I stuck to the 8:1 proportion recommended.

Worst comes to the worst, I'll suck out the gravel with a vacuum cleaner and use PostCrete instead.

MM

The post will be considered "reasonably supported" in 2-3 days. 1st day it will be very weak so don't be leaning on the fence. It will still continue to set further over the next couple of weeks.

Cement is not a terribly fast setting thing - but you get the impression it is because you often see very strong mixes (1:3 or 1:4) in use like for pointing or concrete so the initial part set is enough to make it hard after 24 hours.

Also, the top will always be flakey - again don't worry - the bulk will be set and that's what matters :)

If that's a wooden one then you've been had. I buy 6' x 4" posts for about £3 each.

Go and get thinnings off a forested hill for 50p each.

I can only buy what's available locally. I can't drive around dozens of miles just to save a few quid.

MM

Hills? Forests? In south Lincolnshire?

MM

If I wanted a *lot* I might. The £3 are pressure treated though which might increase the cost of the thinnnings.

I don't drive anywhere, I use the internet! :-)