The Fence Post

 

Plan Your Garden 

Hello to all you passionate gardeners!  Are you planting a garden?

         Do you already have a garden that you are getting ready for the season?

                          Do you have some unwelcome visitors--well, animals--that are sampling the produce?

Your fence built with welded or woven wire mesh - either galvanized or vinyl coated

• Use a smaller mesh, especially at the bottom of the fence, to keep smaller animals from getting into your garden.
• Bury 12" or more of the fence underground to discourage burrowing.
• Bend 12" or more of the fence to the outside of your garden laying it on top of the ground for an effective protecting apron.

Easy 1" hexagonal chicken wire netting - excellent barrier fencing.

• Black vinyl coated 1" hex is ideal - black blends with the background making the fence virtually invisible.
• PVC coating adds years of life to the fence.
• The wire is easy to work with.
• Rolls are available in different widths to suit your needs - from 12" through 90".

Need Smaller openings? Hardware cloth is available in ½" square mesh. 

• Vinyl coated 19 gauge wire welded into ½" x ½" mesh will discourage the smallest animals.
• Vinyl coated extends the lifetime of the fence.
• Rolls are 100' in length.
• Three heights are available: 24", 36" and 48".

Larger mesh fences - 2" x 2", 2" x 3" and 2" x 4" with a combination of smaller mesh "ground wire."

• The smaller mesh gives protection where it's really needed.
• You have greater strength in the higher sections.

There are many possibilities that allow you to be creative in your approach. Here's a video with one man's solutions:

 

You will reap the benefits with some advanced planning. And! Check out this video blog for another helpful garden fence tutorial.

 

Wood slat snow fence is another possibility. Although it may be difficult to get a smooth flat surface for smaller pots, it is a simple, quick and inexpensive solution. The possibility of rot and broken slats can present problems over time. If you want a longer lasting and more permanent bench, use a metal mesh.

Expanded metal can be used for the tops of greenhouse benches. Rugged and strong, these products are usually available in sheets of different dimensions as well as different finishes.

 

 

What do your animals need?

Are you planning to get some animals that will need cages or pens?

Do you already have animals and need to upgrade, enlarge or improve their containment?

From hamsters to horses, birds to buffalo - there is a welded or woven wire mesh fencing available to do the job right.

Small Animal Enclosures

There are galvanized before, galvanized after, and vinyl-coated meshes available.

• Cages for canaries, for example, can be made using light weight galvanized after weave 1/2" hex netting
• For larger birds, welded meshes such as 1/2" x 1", 1" x 1", 1" x 2" and 1/2" x 3" can be used to make cages
• Chicken, turkeys and game birds require larger pens; galvanized after weave and vinyl coated hex netting works well for the sides and you can use welded wire meshes for ground wire; the extra galvanizing and vinyl coating extend the life of the wire
• Cages for rabbits, hamsters and the like can be made using 1/2" x 1"and 1" x 2" welded meshes; galvanized after weld products, when used, will last longest
  

Larger Animal Enclosures

Stronger meshes made from heavier gauge wire are required, and the opening size of the mesh can be larger.

• Dogs - smaller dogs can be contained with 16 gauge 2" x 2" woven or 2" x 3" welded wire mesh; for large dogs, 2" x 4" mesh works well; this is available in woven 12.5 gauge and welded 14, 12.5 and 11 gauge galvanized before, galvanized after and vinyl coated
• Horse corrals can be made with 12.5 gauge flexible woven horse fence in a 2" x 4" or diamond mesh pattern
• Secure enclosures for sheep and goats can be made using 12.5 gauge 4" x 4" woven mesh
• For ostrich & emu pens use 12.5 gauge 2" x 4" woven mesh
• Use field fence for cow pastures; there are different choices of 1047 style available
• Extra tall (up to 10') woven fences are excellent for deer and wildlife containment or exclusion

 

 

 

 

The Wonders of Automation--

    

The Need for Protection 

As more undeveloped land is taken for house lots and commercial areas, the natural habitat for wildlife is increasingly restricted. Sightings of animals such as coyote and deer are more frequent. The need for a way of protecting pets from potentially aggressive wildlife increases.

One of the best ways to keep pets safe is to build a wire fence. To protect against coyotes it is best to use a six-foot height. You can either bury 12 inches in the ground or bend it so it lays on top of the ground to the outside of the enclosure as an apron. This will discourage digging.

Welded wire and woven wire meshes available:

Welded wire fencing - Galvanized Before Weld (GBW), Galvanized After Weld (GAW) and Vinyl Coated (VC) 

• 14 gauge, 1" x 2" and 2" x 4" mesh
• 12.5 gauge, 2" x 4" mesh

Woven wire fencing - 

• Apron fence - 17 gauge, 1.5" hex netting mesh
• Deer & Wildlife fence - 12.5 gauge high tensile wire
• 2" x 4" mesh non-climb fence - 12.5 gauge
• Emu & Ostrich fence - 12.5 gauge
• Poultry & Garden/Deer & Orchard fence - 14.5 gauge wire

Any of the fences listed above can make your yard safe for your pet. Follow the links above for a more detailed description of their features. If you have specific questions, give us a call at (866) 328-5018.  You might be interested in our other blog, "Guarding Your Pets from Wildlife Aggressors."