On Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:37:27 -0400, Peter wrote:

On 4/22/2013 12:19 PM, 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.


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


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.


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??


Thanks.


You'll be wasting your money if your intent is to keep out veggie
chomping critters. Our area is infested with deer, racoons, rabbits,
etc. Our 6' chain link fence keeps out none of the above. The small
animals burrow under the fence and the deer jump it as if it were not
there. Our neighbors have been successful by surrounding the perimeter
of their veggie plot with vertical metal strips that are sunk down about
12" and protrude above ground level about 8". Inside the plot they've
put up some tent poles and attached strong, nylon netting and fastened
the margins of the netting securely to the metal strips. The holes in
the netting are large enough to allow bees in to pollinate the veggie
flowers but are small enough to keep out birds and 4 legged critters.
They built the tent with a flap that ties securely with nylon twine.
Seems to do the job.
Fence won't stop deer or coons - digging the chain k,link in a
minimum of 8 inches stops MOST diggers - and nothing stops the "tree
rats" - short of a well aimed .22