Have a great invention to help with gardening? Are you the self-reliant type that prefers Building It Yourself vs. buying it? Share and discuss your ideas and projects with other members.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Jersey
Posts: 1,183
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have a fence along eastern edge of property. plan on adding 2 3x16ft beds running north to south.
how much room between beds? how much room between bed and fences to walk? basically what dimensions should the fence be? thinking 12x20? make sense?
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 1,992
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How tall is the fence on the east exterior line?
I would go for 3 ft. walkways so you could run a wheelbarrow down them without issue. 2 1/2 ft. would be minimum no? |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,543
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Will the beds be adjacent on the short end or the long side? I'd guess the main issue would be the fence height.
At one of the community gardens, the paths between some plots are excessively narrow, with hardly enough room to maneuver -- something like 15-18 inches! There's no leeway for overgrown plants, and barely enough room to get by if the beds on both sides are fully planted (but as in most community gardens around here, that's not often a problem because the space is paid for but not used). It's much easier to plant and harvest where the beds are 2.5-3 ft. apart. I've tried configurations in my own plots where I maximized growing space and minimized path space, and in the end, that turned out to be a false economy. It was too difficult to get hoses through the jungle, and picking tomatoes was like playing the game Twister. |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 2,052
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I don't know if I am understanding your plan, but here's my take on what I think you are considering.
If your 12 x 20 ft dimensions are for a fence around your two 3 x 16 ft beds inside your eastern fence it will leave you only 2 feet on the ends and 3 ft isles lengthwise if the beds are side-by-side as opposed to end to end. Your 3 ft isles would probably be good, but only 2 feet on the ends will be tight as mentioned above. Also, your bed next to the east fence will be in morning shade until the sun clears the fence (assuming the fence is made of solid material). Depending on how high that east fence is, your bed will be in shade since it is only 3 ft from the east fence. Charley |
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Jersey
Posts: 1,183
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Sounds like 2.5-3 feet spacing is better than the 2 i was thinking of going with. space for a wheel barrow is a good idea too.
next question is minimum fence height to keep deer out?
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Piney Wood Hills
Posts: 423
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minimum fence height to keep deer out?
Around here I'd start with ten feet. Anything shorter they can clear from a stop. Give them a running start and they can almost fly. ![]() |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: zone 6b, PA
Posts: 5,664
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We have deer browsing along the exterior of our now 60' x 60' see-through fence daily. It is only 7' tall and they have never jumped it in the 18 yrs. it's been there. I've read that they are less likely to jump a solid fence because they can't see what's on the other side and that they are also less likely to jump into a small space. Jm2c.
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: southeastern PA
Posts: 760
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Jeff,
Take a look at a thread started by RebelRidin in this same forum--scroll way down--called Raised Bed Garden Conversion, especially the later photos. Photos take you through the whole process; his final garden of beds is absolutely beautiful! Maybe you'll find some design ideas that will be useful. I have a 4' fence that kept deer out for years. In the last couple of years, I extended it by using zip ties that hold 1" x 1" stakes to the t-posts. I cut strips of deer fencing 3" wide and secured to the extensions with more zip ties. The strip also runs across the top of the gate. It's kept them out--so far. My neighbor does basically the same thing but uses electric fencing at the top with great success. Sometimes, we divide a pasture with electric wire and the horse is terrified of it. However, deer have taken it down several times (I know it's not the horse as he rotates between pastures and hasn't been in there when the damage happens). I'm a little afraid to rely on a couple of electric strands to keep the deer out. Darlene |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake
Posts: 1,244
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'Deer fences' as we call them around here are 8 feet tall woven wire. They are designed to contain mule deer, antelope, elk, and moose. Our mule deer bound right over 6 foot tall chain link fences.
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