I am attempting to find ideas for economical fencing of my yard. It is a decent sized corner lot and would need to be fenced on all four sides.

I am living in town (sort of the out-skirts of town) and having trouble with neighborhood children entering my yard and pulling up plants and trees we have planted as well as teenagers using my yard as a short-cut between streets and a place to gather or take a break, etc.

I cannot put up barbed wire nor electrical fencing here, of course. I don't want to put a lot of money into this fencing . . .just simply something that will keep people from using my yard to congregate, cut through or pull up plants!!!

Thanks for your help!!!

-- Quinn Wolfe (wolfiequinn@hotmail.com), March 17, 2002

Answers

Hello Quinn, The first things that come to mind would be a split rail fence. You can make these yourself providing you have some good size trees that you can split up. Start by spliting the tree at the end, once a crack appears just hammer in wedges until you split the tree in half. Then split each half until you get the right size rails. Use the shorter pieces for post by crossing them and wiring them together like a bipod. Then use the longer pieces to be your cross members.

Another idea might be wooden pallets. If you can get enough of them you can just nail them together in a neat row. I would paint them as they would look much better.

Sincerely,

Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), March 17, 2002.

I doubt split rail would be much of a deterrent. Your cheapest most effective fencing would probably be chain link. If you searched around, you could probanbly find some used alot cheaper than buying new.

Why can't you use barb wire or electric fencing if you put a few no trespassing signs on the fence? I've seen prison-type razor wire used in town for commercial lots.

-- Dave (multiplierx9@hotmail.com), March 17, 2002.

I like the pallets. I've thought of doing this my self. Except, I would take them apart, using the 2x4's overlaped and nailed together to make 4x4's for posts. Take the other boards, saw them to a point. and make a classic picket fence. Go to the local toxic waste day and take everybodys old paint mix it all together for your paint. You'll probaly end up with a drab brown color. You end up with the cost of nails maybe a drill bit or two to pre-drill nail holes. Just make sure you get all latex or all oil based.Most pallets are 4ft or so, a picket fence is a pain to climb. Write me back, I might have plans for gates,and such. jack

-- jack c (injack1@aol.com), March 17, 2002.

Some areas do not permit barbed wire (in any form), or electric fences. And, most courts do not consider children to be intelligent enough to read signs, so you could be looking at a lawsuit, even though the kids are trespassing. I was taught, for example that you never just went into someone's yard, even to retrieve a ball or a dog--you knocked on the door and asked permission, always, but such is not the case today. Kids are not taught that someone, somewhere, owns every piece of property.

Chain link is probably your best bet, along with some "no tresspassing" and "Smile, you're on camera" signs. The bigger ones may still try to climb the fence, but a few arrests and some hard work making it up to you (or just charge the parents for the damage) will stop most of it.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), March 17, 2002.

Bamboo. Cut it and wire it to poles and posts. If you cant find free bamboo, you live in Arizona or arent much of a homesteader- its everywhere here.

-- Kevin in NC (Vantravlrs@aol.com), March 18, 2002.

Field fencing is pretty reasonably priced if you get the lighter weight variety. They are hard to climb over too. It might be worth looking into.

-- Sharon (chessyemailaddy@notreal.com), March 18, 2002.

After you get the fence, put a dog in it. It doesn't have to be a german shepherd, just a dog. Excepting for some golden retrievers most dogs will bark when a person hops a fence, and then you can catch them in the act. It won't make the teenagers good, just cut down on their fun.

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), March 18, 2002.

I agree with the chain link fence idea. We have found it to be the most economical "city fence". It's easy to learn to install it properly yourself. If you want to add a very attractive further trespasser deterrent do what my mother did. She planted climbing rose bushes on our chain link fence! NO climbing kids!

-- Mrs.Rick in SW West Virginia (Ann1956ann@hotmail.com), March 18, 2002.

Using a few posts and some small gauge cabling you could set up a very nice and fairly attractve espaliered blackberry fence. Multi- purpose (good for eating and for bees and birds) and even a low fence would definately be a deterrant should you forgo the thornless varieties (not a problem with no reaching into a bush to worry about!). If not that, how about a nice, wide border of those giant prickly pear (also good for fruit and such) or swordgrass.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), March 18, 2002.

What's up with bamboo anyhow? I've read about it here now a couple of times. Thought it only grew in China. I don't live in Arizona, I'm in Minnesota. Don't think it likes THIS climate! Does it actually grow in the USA?

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), March 18, 2002.

Paul, bamboo grows quite well in many areas--almost too well, some would say. I don't think it has quite made it to the category of "nuisance" (like kudzu), but it is frowned on in some areas because it is a "non-native, invasive species" (like blackberries) and you have to keep up with the pruning of it.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), March 18, 2002.

The rose bush and berry bushes are great ideas. Think I'll try both of these on my fencing.

-- Hank (hsnrs@att.net), March 18, 2002.

I think in some areas multiflora roses are not legal. It they are legal in your area email me as I have way too many. Maybe we could work out a trade. The chain link would be good but I think for less money the field fence with vines using them to grow on might be you best bet and the extra landscaping might even raise the value of your home. Also besides the multiflora roses I also have an abunduce of hunnysuckle. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gefozarks@centurytel.net), March 18, 2002.

Field fencing stretched taut can make a very attractive fence. Barberry makes an attractive stickery deterrent, and comes in red and chartreuse, and if placed on the outside of the fence, the little terrorists will find it hard to get a grip on the fence to climb over.

-- Roma Milner (rmiln@aol.com), March 19, 2002.

I'd think about going with 48" field fence. (I think this the same thing as stock fence...the stuff that has smaller retangular holes at the bottom than at the top) Using wood posts and 2x4s for framing (bottom and top edge), the wood painted or not, makes a very attractive fence for less than the cost of chain link (where we're from anyway). Try growing virginia creeper or woodbine, they really take off and fill in along the fence(never to the point of being invasive though, they both will stay where they can climb, and they look nice.) Or grape vines... Oh, and Kevin in NC -- No bamboo in western NE either...or anywhere in WY.... bamboo won't grow over a couple feet tall around here and the canes are weak (some friends grow it but only as ornamental foliage, as it won't produce anything worthwhile)

-- teddy (millerfam@panhandle.net), March 19, 2002.

The field fencing around here is about $80 for 330'.

Paul: I've been looking into bamboo a little bit. I'm in zone four and there are some vatieties that'll grow here. Its kinda pricey but it would be handy to have some for different things. Also I'm thinking it might sell at the farmers market.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), March 20, 2002.

Southern States has Rangemaster field fence. Ask for high tensil, it's very lighweight, smaller rolls, and a really cool little fence. It's 59.00 for 330 feet, 39 inches tall. 65.00 for 48 inches. It's good for anything except bulls.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), March 20, 2002.

Premier fencing Co. carries woven wire field fence 330 foot rolls at $90.00. A little higher than some of the above posts, but it's a green washed galvanized, very long lasting, and practically invisable when the grass is green.It can also be stretched tight. We use it around the sheep pastures and are very satisfied with it.We have added a couple of smooth hot wires above, but you wouldn't need to electrify those, just to give you added height. Their website is www.premier1supplies.com.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), March 20, 2002.

nettles

-- kim in CO (kimk61252@hotmail.com), March 21, 2002.

Bouganvilla, kept trimmed to a hedge.

The rich folks in Palm Beach, Florida, use it for security hedges. Grows fast, too. Beautiful flowers, deadly thorns. Nothing but rats and rabbits can get through it.

-- Hank in Oklahoma (hbaker@ipa.net), March 22, 2002.