The Fence Post

Protecting Your Yields

What can you do if deer are ravaging your vineyard? Deer can be very damaging to your vines, particularly if your vineyard is near a forest. Newly planted vines, tendrils, shoots, and blossoms are appealing to hungry deer and of course, the new shoots on older vines. The interruption caused by munching deer can substantially lessen your harvest or delay a new vineyard's harvest by a year.

Strength and Flexibility 

High-tensile woven wire fencing is perhaps the most effective fence material to use as a vineyard perimeter barrier. Woven from 12½ gauge high tensile wire using "fixed knot" construction, these fences are very strong. The one-piece vertical stay wires give added strength. They are bound to the horizontal wires by a knot formed by a third wire. The fence will not unwind under pressure. The characteristics of woven mesh give the fence flexibility, enabling it to more easily conform to uneven ground.

Little Maintenance and Years of Service

In addition to their strength, these fence materials will last for years. Woven wire fencing requires little maintenance throughout its lifetime. The strong high tensile wire used has a heavily galvanized Class 3 coating, guaranteeing superior resistance to rust and corrosion.

Some sizes of woven wire fencing for vineyards are available with a black painted finish over a zinc/aluminum coating.  Although not exactly a Class 3 coating, these will last four to six times as long as standard Class 1 fences. The black color fence material is more attractive than the bright galvanized. From a distance, a black fence becomes virtually invisible against the background.

With Graduated Spacing

There is a wide selection of heights available, from 48" (4') up to 120" (10'). You can make a tall fence without having to double up two shorter rolls. The spacing between horizontal wires is graduated - smaller at the bottom, larger at the top. Rolls are usually 330' in length.

Woven wire fencing for vineyards is the ideal material to use. What's your choice?

Building it Yourself

This helpful video shows you one way of building a chicken wire run.

Chicken Wire Pulled Tight  

Stop Replacing Wire 

You can use black vinyl coated 1" hexagonal chicken wire for the added benefits of a longer-lasting product--reducing the cost, frequency, and hassle of replacement--plus a more attractive pen. The black coating of the wire makes the fence virtually invisible. You can see your birds through the fence more easily.

Do you have other ideas or suggestions about building a chicken run using chicken wire?

Galvanized - Built to Endure

Black vinyl-coated apron fence is a strong hexagonal netting fence that will last for years, eliminating the inconvenience and extra expense of frequent replacement. This 1½" hex mesh is woven in the USA by Keystone Steel & Wire in Peoria, Illinois. Heavy 17 gauge 100% U.S.-produced galvanized steel wire is used throughout. The high-quality rolls are then shipped to a different mill. Here they are prepped and custom-coated with a thick, flexible, durable coating of black PVC, the same material used on lobster trap wire. You can be assured of a superior product when you buy this vinyl-coated apron fence.

Vinyl coated apron fence is available in 150' rolls in two heights: 60" (48" with a 12" apron) and 72" (60" with a 12" apron). It is not necessary to use the apron. You can have a full 60" or 72" fence.

For A Very Effective Barrier

• Made and finished by two of the leading US mills
• Tight quality control during both phases of production - weaving and coating
• Double protection against rust and corrosion by zinc and PVC
• This thick coating is tightly bonded to the wire
• PVC is flexible - will not crack or peel 
• PVC is treated to resist UV degradation
• Heavy, strong 17 gauge wire before coating - over twice as thick as the light 20 gauge wire used in regular hex netting
• Unique design - the bottom 12" of the fence can be bent to form an apron
• No need to dig a trench to bury the wire when you want to keep small critters either in or out of an area
• Lay the 12" on top of the ground for an effective barrier
• Black color blends with the background, becoming virtually invisible
• Hence, a black vinyl-coated apron fence is less distracting to your view

Vinyl coated apron fence is a great choice for:

• Gardens
• Tennis courts
• Beagle training pens
• Deer exclusion fence
• Chicken, poultry, and game bird pens

How could you use this fence?

A vinyl-coated apron fence is a high-quality product and a fine investment for your property's protection.

 First, begin with this helpful overview of protecting raised beds. 

• Does the damage caused by gophers cost you money?

• Are you tired of gophers destroying your lawn, garden, fields, and flower beds?

• Have you been looking for a gopher deterrent to solve the problem?
  
  

Zinc-Coated Hardware Cloth

One type of mesh ideal for this purpose is 19 gauge hardware cloth with ½" x ½" square mesh. This galvanized after weld mesh lasts a long time underground.  The zinc coating resists rust and corrosion. It is available in 24", 36", 48", 60" and 72" widths. Roll lengths are 50' and 100' except for the 60" and 72" sizes which are only available in 100' rolls. The wider widths work well when you need to cover a large area like a lawn.

An Impenetrable Barrier 

An effective way to eliminate damage and destruction of your lawn, garden, and planted areas is to lay down wire mesh under the soil. This will form an impenetrable barrier, preventing gophers from digging their way to the surface, forcing them to stay underground outside of protected areas.

Gophers, Moles, and Voles

Here's one man's answer and an excellent use of hardware cloth: 

More Protection

If you want a product that will last even longer, use wire that is black vinyl-coated. The same mesh is available in all widths in 100' rolls. Vinyl coating over the galvanized mesh gives significant additional protection against rust and corrosion.

Have you tried other methods of gopher exclusion? Do they work?

What other types of gopher deterrents do you find effective?