On Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:19:00 -0400, (MICHELLE H.)
wrote:

I see that some people debate over whether fence posts should be
cemented into the ground or not. Some people say yes, you need cement to
keep the fence sturdy, other people say putting the posts 2 feet down in
soil or even crushed rock is perfectly fine.

It depends on the soil and the type of fence post. If you have sandy
soil, you'll probably need concrete around any fence post. In *any*
soil, you're going to need it around chain link posts. They're too
thin to hold without a slug of concrete. 4x4s in clay soil are
perfectly fine.

Would it be okay to install 50 feet ( length ) of 4 to 5 foot high
chainlink fence, and NOT have the posts cemented in??

Not IMO.

We have a small backyard, only about 50 feet wide between houses. We
have a small wooded area behind our house, and no backyard fence. Last
year we tried to have a vegetable garden, but either deer, or raccoons
or something ate all our vegetable plants!!! They loved eating the
tomato and pumpkin plants. They ate everything right down to the
stalk!!!!!


The local fence company wants $1,000 bucks to install a 6 foot high
Cedar stockade fence along the 50 feet of property line. They want $700
for 50 feet of spruce. "Pressure treated posts", and the fence will be
"nailed on". We don't have the extra money right now, so thinking of
just putting up a chainlink fence with the metal chainlink fence posts.
We would like to get either a wooden or PVC 6 foot high stockade fence
in the future, so would like the chainlink to just be temporary, so that
we can TRY to have a vegetable garden this year, and so we don't want to
have to dig up heavy cemented posts in the future, when it's time to
take the chainlink fence down.

A temporary chain link fence makes for some pretty expensive veggies.

So would it really be that bad to install 50 feet of chainlink fence and
NOT cement the posts in the ground, and maybe just pack them down with
dirt, 2 feet deep??

I certainly wouldn't.