Basic fencing supplies and punchy paint create a protected, brightly blooming spot.
Fence Your Garden In
A modest eight-foot by 16-foot planting patch provided enough space to raise veggies for new homeowner, Lacey Howard, but without a fence, the plot was a constant temptation for hungry critters. A new 18-inch-tall wood fence, lined with chicken wire that visually disappears, borders the garden, keeping produce safe. Two bright shades of exterior paint offer fresh color all season.
Tip: To minimize cutting, let pre-assembled panels guide the dimensions of your garden. Most panels are eight feet wide, but check the options at your home improvement center before you finalize your design.
Rather than digging post holes, mixing concrete and waiting for everything to set, Lacey hammered metal post holders into the ground and dropped in wood fence posts.
Tip: For a post less than three feet tall, use post holders that extend 24 inches into the ground; for taller posts, use holders that extend 30 or more inches.
Hot pots: To create a great spot for tomato plants, stack terracotta pots and top with a trellis made from three furring strips bound with rope.
Post haste: Save money on fence posts by cutting four by four weather-treated lumber to size — leave it squared off or tops with a finial.
Create Fence Panels
To create two panels for the price of one, determine where to divide the three-and-a-half-foot-tall fence panels horizontally. Mark the cutting line with a piece of straight lumber and a pencil. Cut off any decorative details on the vertical fence slats with a circular saw.
Reinforce the panels with eight-foot strips of one by four lumber before cutting them in half. Place strips eight to 12 inches from existing horizontal rails, depending on the fence panel's design. Secure the strips with deck screws. Elevate the panels for cutting by resting atop two four by four pieces of lumber.
Cut the panel horizontally with a circular saw. Before assembling the fence, prime all wood elements with exterior primer and let dry. Apply two or three coats of exterior paint to all wood elements.
Drive post holders into the ground with a sledgehammer. Cut all posts to desired height. Slip posts into holders and tighten base screws. Secure panels between posts with deck screws and braces made from one by one furring strips. Staple chicken wire to panels, leaving eight to 10 inches on the ground. Cover wire with mulch.
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