Garden Fence (Part 1): Garden Layout and Installing Natural Fence Posts without Cement

[@WinkTartanBelle]

My first time fencing my own property I was such a newbie! I fenced the perimeter of the entire 46 acres using a manual post hole digger and two comealongs to get up the cedar posts and barbed wire, along with three gates. Zero power tools, everything done by hand, and by myself alone. I was literally on the next to last post when a neighbor stopped on the road and asked if I had thought about renting a power auger. You can bet the cross fencing wasn't done all by hand. Nor all on my own, thanks to great neighbors. None of us are born knowing this stuff, and we didn't have YT back then. Thanks for sharing!

[@claudiaw9246]

Great job explaining the process, especially all the graphics! I had a good chuckle seeing the deer waggling his eyebrows as you acknowledged how good he was at jumping :-)

[@marshhen]

You are such a skilled pro in communicating with video. I watched the whole thing. You made posts in the ground fascinating, complete with informative graphics and animation. I am totally sold on this channel. I would watch your video about paint drying. Thanks for putting in so much work.

[@rodfurr]

Add a couple of small rocks under them to keep water from standing on the bottom of the post

[@rowanfernsler9725]

If you want that fence to last a long time I’d recommend to char the base of the poles

[@BackToReality]

Thanks for the tip! Do you mean to char the below-ground section or just the section AT ground level?

[@rowanfernsler9725]

Back To Reality the below ground especially but a little above the ground doesn’t hurt either.

[@truegrit8280]

@@rowanfernsler9725 To late now ,, I think it'll be good & last a long time .

[@rowanfernsler9725]

true grit yep, too late now but it looks good for nos

[@cleetussmith6652]

I lived for years in Eastern Idaho where winter temperatures routinely get well below 0 F (-18 C). Using cement to anchor fence posts there usually lasted around 3-4 years before the freeze that cycle destroyed them. As an alternative I put in a number of fence posts using a similar method to the one you describe. Instead of using dirt to pack in the posts, I used rocks with a diameter between half an inch (1 cm) and 2 inches (5 cm). I used an iron bar to pack the rocks down and the posts are still standing firmly after 12 years. The reason this works (as was explained to me) is that the rocks allow the moisture to drain away into the soil which helps prevent moisture from freezing and expanding thus weakening the structure. What water does freeze does not hurt in that the rock is already fragmented allowing the expansion to occur between the rocks while the rocks themselves remain impervious to moisture and subsequent freeze/thaw expansion. Also, by allowing the moisture to drain, the wood remain much more dry which inhibits wood rot. > Another step that some take to help prolong the post life even more is to char the wood that extends from underground to several inches (5 cm) above ground. The reason this works is that termites, fungi, and such, eat the cellulose in the wood which destroys the structure of the post (called the rotting process). If the wood is charred, then there is no cellulose available for the termites or fungi available on the surface for them to gain a foothold so they simply do not grow there and cause the wood to rot. I have not taken this step in that my posts are doing just fine and I have had no need to replace them yet. Why mess with something that works especially when it requires the extra work? > Great video. Thank you for taking the time to make it and informing us of your efforts.

[@austinpayton8643]

instablaster...

[@joanapotvlogs]

we use bamboo and coconut leaves for fence in Philippines..

[@christelchristely2816]

The posts last a lot longer if they are charred on the lower end. The day-night line is thereby the most important. We set a lot of wooden fenceposts every year and it makes a huge difference in endurence. Greetings from Austria.🇦🇹

[@realitytalkies7499]

Can I do charing in bamboo also ?

[@hectorbart]

My father grew up in Globasnitz Austria before coming to the U.S. in 1958, anyways, l asked him once what people did in the days before pressure treated lumber, and that's exactly what he said.

[@SharpWorks]

This is just what I was looking for. My little home garden will thank you next year when I have it protected with chicken wire from those dreaded rabbits.

[@karen4you]

Thanks this is a good idea. And thanks to commenters about charring them as well.

[@kathryncooper4001]

The deer in my neighborhood are SO healthy and happy … and plentiful. In the past, I just shared my front-yard garden with a shrug, accepting it was nature's way. However, this year they got EVERYTHING long before harvest time, even the plants that are supposed to be deer-resistant. I have recycled old t-posts, installed them around the perimeter, and will attach cattle panels and a gate before I start a new garden next spring. An expensive solution and not particularly attractive, but worth it if I can get a harvest, and still enjoy the beauty of flowers and vegetables from my living room picture window. Wish me luck!

[@timer664]

i did fencing for yrs on ranches and contracts you did it correct,good job post have to be dry,put green post they will rott,,and great video,tons of info,

[@jule9477]

Thank you for another wonderful video. You have a knack for explaining in the simplest terms with terrific graphic support. This fellow beginning farmer is very grateful!

[@jackpatteeuw9244]

If you have soil that drains well, rammed earth obviously works well. If your ground does NOT drain well (high clay content) the you want to back fill the first 2/3 with gravel and then finish with the native soil. Mounding the dirt up along side the post will help keep water away which is what cause the post to rot.

[@thedarknun300]

I love watching your videos. Thanks for all the hard work to show us your projects and informing us of the progress. I cant wait to see the fence finished.

[@rainydaylady6596]

I can't believe it's been 3 years since you started your garden. Time flies when you're watching KZbin. 😉

[@djack5112]

Thank you the great advice as always...we are currently building a log cabin from trees on our property. Once the cabin is complete the next project is a garden. And you can be sure we are going to watch and use every bit of advice you have offered regarding just about everything. Thank you again we really enjoy the videos.

[@iphoneslomo1772]

I always appreciate all the great graphics in your videos!

[@paulsmart5199]

It's been a pretty blah day, your video perked me up

[@DrDoktor60]

Cement traps moisture around the post. As it hardens it will shrink a bit which leaves a gap between the post and the cement. Putting the post in gravel mixed with small rocks is much better. It also naturally drains any water.

[@erikrosado4228]

I have a 20 year old split rail cedar fence that has a base layer of pea gravel (about 4 inches for drainage) then I packed pea gravel to the top stopping every 6 inches to pack down....lastly I put concrete on top of pea gravel in a hill shape to divert water...still sturdy

[@RichHernigle]

Very helpful video. Great animation. You really saved a lot of time having the cattle fence to use. I need to make a fence like this for our upcoming first summer with a garden.

[@joannthompson765]

Great to see how much you have expanded keep up the good work

[@Frumold]

Nice use of the pythagorean theorem :)

[@Scott-je4wc]

Coming from northern Canada and having build a few fences in ky day. Found that tamping road crush or 3/4 minus gravel works well in heavy clay soil. Some larger stuff for the bottom helps with drainage as well

[@msack6904]

That's how I set all my wood posts nowadays. I put some drainage gravel in the bottom then pack paver stone gravel or 3/4 limestone. After some moisture hits it, it becomes like concrete. My father and I set 12- 6x6 treated 14' posts that way for a carport 20 yrs ago, thing has not moved nor signs of rot.

[@d.w.stratton4078]

I should add to my previous comment: if you add layers of pulverized lime and cheap gravel along with soil (3 layers) and tamp that all down and then water it well, that really makes a nice binding. I used this ion my compost bins done in the Will Bonsall style. If you're not familiar with Bonsall's work definitely check him out because he's growing in Maine not terribly far from you guys so very short grow season and extremely cold winters. He's got a great book called "Will Bonsall's Essential Guide to Radical, Self-Reliant Gardening". I just finished reading it cover to cover and it is fantastic. He takes a vegan approach which is awesome as maintaining livestock is time consuming and expensive (and completely unnecessary for abundant health and yields). He even gets into growing, harvesting, threshing, and processing your own grains and oilseed meal. I'm definitely moving in that direction but an far behind where you guys are at. Planning to start a hugel mound or 3 this year. I'd be curious to know how long your hugelkultur mounds last as my understanding is over time they collapse as the wood disintegrates.

[@joanbarber5384]

Nice seeing you both again. More please!

[@werecanadian2]

so with keeping bark on your tree, you're making it the perfect spots for mould, and bacteria, and insects to decay the wood much like you'd see a fallen tree begin to soften and deteriorate back into the earth. so when you take off the bark you're essentially drying the wood therefore having it last longer and retain its strength! remember this if you plant posts underground as the enzymes within the bark will break down overtime beneath the soil love the video!! i love your excitement! This is for sure a dream of mine!!

[@scrapshackfarms1349]

Always enjoy your videos, I know it's hard but a little more often would be awesome...just saying

[@redinthethevalley]

Hey guys, I asked hubby just to help a bit and his suggestions to ya is this: I post every 9 feet or as he put it three large steps, (your depth is correct) Anchor post or corner posts brace them with brace wire on a 45 degree angle down towards a brace rail(post) ( notch your anchors so brace posts fits onto it) this will ensure stability for your entire fence and for tightening the fence wire or page wire whatever you use .. ( hubs is an old school lifelong farmer and enjoys sharing knowledge with those who want to learn he says farmers are a dying breed😆🤦🏻‍♀️) I can send an email as a visual cause it’s actually quite simple typing makes seems difficult😂 lol if you want I can ... take care

[@lightdark00]

The ground here has so many rocks in in it, I just collected rocks and set posts with the rocks. Broken glass worked well too.

[@frithar]

How nice to see Paula again. Either I'm missing her by chance, or she's just not in the videos any more.

[@swingingmonk]

One thing I will say about leaving the bark on the fence posts is that the birds and wasps will strip it eventually anyway. That’s what happened to mine.

[@jamesfra1311]

It's a good day when you guys upload, there's always something to learn and be inspired from your works. Also, those animations are super cute!

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Looks wonderful. Cant wait to see the end result. And thank you. Now I know how I will create fence posts if I ever need them in my small garden :)

[@servihomestead4324]

Great info and diagrams. I love geometry in real-life.

[@MINEEAE]

Hahaha... In the end the poles still didn't get a fence! Haha... Now half a year has passed, so do they now?! Hihi... ... But good explanation on fencing and nice recicling of wood poles... And high video production quality...

[@jwrappuhn71]

Good vid ya'll.

[@jasonjayalap]

Useful. Thanks. I wonder about the use of local rocks (not necessary gravel dust and home center stuff like that). Maybe mixing some in means less moisture. Dunno. I look forward to seeing the fence completed.

[@HB-C_U_L8R]

You are lucky there wasn't much clay in your soil. I used the same model of auger in heavy clay soil and it kept bogging down until the drive train broke with the bit sticking up about 8 inches above the ground.

[@Saw_Squatch]

Probably cost prohibitive to get ahold of any up North but the best materials for fence post is probably Osage Orange, it's a "weed" tree around me but it's some seriously useful stuff. Burns hotter than any other wood in North America, is more resistant to rot than cedar or even redwood and it's insanely hard and strong.

[@cometier]

I’m very jealous of your soil with few rocks. I’m in Ontario as well, but my soil is probably 60% rock.

[@tmorgan7939]

I'm surprised that when the critters saw that you had fence posts up thst they just didn't turn around and look for dinner eleswhere !

[@BackToReality]

That sure would have been more convinient for us! Lol

[@lynnevoyle]

Good things take time

[@MrJohnboyofsj]

I'm certain the deer will still find a way in. I had some very sturdy posts but used plastic bird netting and the deer tear right through it to make an opening for them.

[@d.w.stratton4078]

Try charring the section of the post that will be underground. Stick it in a fire for 5 minutes or so to get a good layer of charcoal on it. They've found hunks of charred wood posts in human settlements that are thousands of years old. This will make the post last *much* longer before rotting.

[@RamHomier]

How do you do you animation, it is very well done and professional.

[@hgw90026]

Look up fishing line as deer fencing. Just as you hate walking into a spider web you didn't see, the theory is that the deer will also not walk into something that they felt but didn't see. You only need a few continuous strands along the perimeter. I have not tried it as I don't have a deer problem so I can't vouch for it but since you're all about experimenting, a cheap 1500' spool might be worth trying.

[@cpnotill9264]

Harold Wong Yes the fishing line works very well for us , 20lb test with four strands 6' high. 👍🏼🌱😁

[@brianwhite9555]

I dug an 18" hole to mount a treated 4"x6" post in the ground, which was hard clay(Michigan). I used the water & tamp method as you did. When that clay dried out a week later, it was hard as cement! The post has never heaved out. Can't wait to see your finished fencing! The Japanese method of charring cedar for preservation is called Shou Sugi Ban, or Yakasugi. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakisugi

[@andreisalagean4760]

paint the posts with used motor (engine) oil . When you change it from your campervan . It will last many many years

[@bloodyricho1]

Mix in some creosote from the flue of your stove and it will never rot

[@frugalbass]

Hi guys. I've been watching you guys for a while now. Thanks for all the videos and experience you've shared about gardening. I have also started the Ruth Stout method a few years ago and really enjoyed that technique. I noticed that you guys also started a new on called back to eden with chips instead of hay. I know you guys covered a little on the subject, but I was hoping you guys would go into more details about the difference in results and some comparisons. What is better with ruth stout and what is better with back to eden? Thanks

[@budspencer2658]

For anyone watching, when orienting the direction of your rows you cant go by north on the compass. Thats magnetic north. True north requires adding or subtracting the specific "degrees of declination" for your place on the globe to give true north.

[@mezua123]

It is may now. Any progress on the fence? Love your channel! Im building my own ruth stout beds in the garden. Completely based on your videos :)

[@derrinbielski8363]

All the farm fencers in NZ are just rammed earth and stand for 50 plus years. I done it for a job years ago. We would aim for 5 chain per day. ( about 125metres) of 8 wire plus strainers and posts. Tough work it was...

[@saha6818]

Heads up that in my neighborhood, rabbits fit through 1"x2" wire fencing. They can't seem to make it through 1" chicken netting though. So I use that on the bottom foot or so.

[@tonkatoytruck]

Should have used gravel to fill the post holes. Allows air to circulate so the posts don't rot in the mud.

[@moochythecat3435]

I treated my posts with 50% mineral spirits and 50% linseed oil before putting them in the ground... the mineral spirits helped the linseed oil to penetrate deep into the wood...

[@jhonerojanc.mananquil4115]

New Subscriber here🖐️

[@connorwestgate]

very helpful, thank you

[@corralesman]

I thought you used meters in Canada. I learnt something today :D

[@BackToReality]

The metric system is standard in Canada, and we use it for most measurements (distance, temperature, weight, etc.), but due to our proximity to the US, most measurements used in the building trades (e.g. short lengths) are still often communicated in feet and inches.

[@corralesman]

@@BackToReality Ah! That makes sense. Right now we're building a windbreak in our garden. Same thing, we're starting with poles. :)

[@astol87]

Informative and entertaining as always. What do you use for the animation? It's fantastic

[@pamfoster3923]

Was doing some "chopping and dropping" today :)

[@corralesman]

I wish I could use a metal fencing, but we have wild hogs in our area and that doesn't stop them. An electric fence is the only thing stopping those stubborn piggies.

[@crpth1]

Grill, frying pan... are some possible ways to "reduce" the hog problem. You might not get your vegetables back, but it's pretty close. LOL 😂

[@mdnkhan9540]

Hi, "a question regarding Ruth stout method" we have a plot of 74ft x 74ft for gardening and planting trees. But it's said that when trees will go bigger then you can't harvest much vegetables or plant anything because nothing will grow in better way. So I need to know if I keep using this method, would it help in later years to grow vegetables when trees will become huge.

[@timd1191]

please make more videos.

[@RandyFelts2121]

Here in Texas if you go to deep the pole will catch fire during July and August and sometimes in June and September.. :(

[@ClashymasTV]

FINALY

[@jenmendez5651]

Does it mean that the cedar posts are 12 ft high? - 4 ft underground and 8 ft up (for deer fencing) ? I noticed that the post were very taller that you, which might tell is more than 5ft high... but the video says recommending 8 ft post, although you chose 4 ft underground.. thank you for the clarification.

[@BackToReality]

Our posts are 8 feet tall (above ground) but vary in depth. If I remember correctly, I’d say the average is around 3.5 feet below ground (due to our rocky soil) but 4 would have been better. So our posts were about 11.5 feet long on average.

[@Sarahlenea]

would it work to have a dense and high hedge of bushes and shrubs? Maybe thorny evergreen shrubs like pyracanthas? Or use dry bamboo canes.

[@BackToReality]

I think that's a GREAT idea!

[@Sarahlenea]

@@BackToReality lol, thank you ^^ By the way, my mom has a small bamboo grove (birds love it) and she uses dried bamboo ducks to protect her new plantations from deers. She uses bamboo for a lot of things, but she still had to put an anti-rhizome barrier to prevent bamboos from spreading. Good luck with your fence!

[@giansotolongo8037]

how do you do the animations?

[@chrissalmon3222]

Where in Ontario are you. I live in Ontario and want to start some gardens too.

[@BackToReality]

Hey Chris, we're in Eastern Ontario. How about yourself?

[@chrissalmon3222]

@@BackToReality Just North of Toronto, outside of Newmarket

[@ZGADOW]

Try eating some of the critters that are eating your garden. Rabbits, groundhogs and deer all make good table fare

[@f3wbs]

I wonder if cedar is better than pine...

[@jacqdanieles]

It is

[@MrSomethingdark]

google cuskija and go to images use that to make and widen a hole only for 3x3 posts max

[@eldiegoasecas]

that's one long measuring tape

[@鄧運霖]

這種工法在中文又稱為「夯土」。 如果做的好，又位在降雨不多的地方，是可以保持非常久的.... This kind of work method is called "夯土 ". If you do well, and it is located in a place with little rainfall, it can be kept for a long time....

[@lakelady185]

Ah yes, aspirational sufficiency vs the reality of becoming a grocer to wildlife. I know it well. 👋😂 Me: " I'm growing potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes , corn, beets, turnips, blah, blah, blah. 6 mos later...hmm well the dandelions look healthy." Never disassemble the labor of the previous owner. He may have known something we have yet to discover. Especially if it means cutting the lifespan of the fencepost in half. Plant first, fruit, nuts, herbs.

[@KODArunner]

Ya might want to think about installing TOP RAILS on your fence to help secure the top of the fencing. Another thought is, use Cattle Panels for fencing. They are strong and last a long time. Good luck and remember to ask God for His help . . . . now-n-the.

[@dgerdi]

I am not astonished, that farmers have a closer relationship to God. They can see him every day on their daily work.

[@ben_jammin242]

Are the animals just not that much of a problem? That you didn't have to finish the fence..

[@animusauthor]

Are you opposed to hunting?

[@chickenboi9529]

Hi

[@BackToReality]

Hi! :)

[@rowanfernsler9725]

Hello

[@giansotolongo8037]

finally lol

[@BackToReality]

Lol

[@travelinthru9519]

Also need to not plant and forget to maintain it

[@BackToReality]

Well yes, that's a god point too. But no need to rub it in ;)

[@alph8654]

Be prepared to keep feeding the deer. They can go over fences as high as 10 - 12 ft high. They can jump over your fence standing still, with no problem. Also when i was growing up on a small 32 acre farm we dug our fence posts 24 inches high and tamped the dirt like you did and the fence would last for years. That is the way everyone around did it.

[@doihavetohaveachannel8289]

Alan Fogle , I live in B.C. and we have a big garden and plenty of deer AND bears. I have had excellent success with solar panel, battery and an electric fence. I use two or three strands only of wire. Even though deer can easily jump it, it seems they must just touch it because it looks like nothing there. My garden has been mainly pest free. The only time I had visitors , was when I forgot to turn it on. Now if I can find a solution to slugs I would be happy.

[@middleway1885]

Om Ah Houm

[@LBurnsy]

👩🏼‍🌾💕👨‍🌾

[@daddyjohn2007]

😎👍👌🖖✌😁

[@ManWander]

why be so concerned your fence perimeter was PERFECTLY square?

[@Toure420]

Well that video was pointless 😂