It seems like everything is expensive these days. To help you save a bit of money, here are some affordable ways to add a fence to your garden.
Affordable ways to fence your garden: Garden fences can be made of wood, metal, mesh, or even sticks. Cut costs by using re-purposed materials and doing most of the labor yourself.
What can I use instead of a garden fence?
Before you look for alternatives to a garden fence, you should first consider what you are trying you keep out. This will determine the height and strength of the fence.
Deer are not aggressive but when they want access to a new place, a small fence will not deter them. They are able to leap quite high, so your fence will need to be tall enough to keep them out.
If you have dogs you want to either keep in your backyard or keep out of a garden, strength will be a deciding factor in your fence. Larger dogs have a lot of body weight and can easily knock over less sturdy structures.
What is the cheapest kind of fencing to put up?
Plastic is a cheaper material than both wood and metal. There are many plastic types of fences so you can choose from them.
A simple plastic mesh fence may be high enough to keep out animals and if installed correctly, can be strong enough for some medium-sized animals. However, plastic fences can break over time, so you may need to pay more to replace them.
How do I build a cheap garden fence?
If you want a cheap garden fence and don’t care too much about what it looks like, there are plenty of options. The first step is to take stock of what you have as you may have old boards or pieces of wood that are salvageable.
An easy way to build a cheap fence is with pallets. Most people have a wooden pallet or two kicking around and as long as the wood is still sturdy, you can move the pallets upright to create a fence.
Another alternative to a cheap garden fence is to start with metal posts and then string an inexpensive material, such as plastic netting or chain link between the posts.
Finally, you can ask around as some neighbors may be in the middle of landscape changes. There is always the possibility to salvage the fence from another garden and transplant it to your own.
Cheap Ways to fence your garden
Split rails and mesh
For this method, all you need are some sturdy wooden posts set at intervals of about 6 feet. Then, attach horizontal wooden posts to create a frame. Depending on the height of the fence, you can use either two or three horizontal posts.
Attach the wire mesh with a stapler to the fence frame. You can use chicken wire if you are worried about small pests escaping or a wider mesh if you just want to keep larger animals out.
Simple net fence
If you are only worried about small pests getting into your vegetable garden, you can make a very simple net fence. This will prevent rodents, pets, and small children from trampling your plants.
To start, gather small wooden posts about 4 or 5 feet high. They do not need to be thick and can come from wood that is already lying around your yard.
Place the posts about 4 feet apart. Then, use a roll of netting to secure your garden. You should be able to staple the netting to the wooden posts.
Galvanized metal
If the goal of your garden fence is to keep pests out and provide ultimate privacy, then using sheets of galvanized metal is a good, inexpensive option.
You will need to secure your wooden posts into the ground using concrete for this option, as the metal weighs more than mesh or netting. Then, add the panels of metal, which can be found at most home improvement stores.
Wattle fencing
This is a completely natural fence idea and not only does it look cool, but it is one of the cheapest options on our list. You will need to use a bit of physical power but the results are worth it.
Start by collecting lots of long, sturdy sticks. The more the better, so this is a great activity to engage your children in.
Place vertical posts in your garden, about 5 feet high. Then, bend the sticks slightly so that they are woven behind and in front of the posts.
Continue the process until you have a sturdy fence. The longer the sticks the better, but you may need to place the vertical posts closer to create a more compact design.
Hedges
Growing a hedge around your garden won’t keep small critters out but it can stop dogs and deer from getting too close. To keep your costs down, head to a local nursery at the end of the season as they will have discounted shrubs.
Many shrubs such as boxwoods will grow quite tight together, making a natural and structurally sound fence. It also adds to the greenery of your garden.
How cheaply can you fence a yard?
The cost of your fence will always come down to the materials you use. The wood used to be affordable but is now expensive, and even metal is on the rise.
The more materials you can find around your home, the better. It is also worth it to ask around to see what materials your friends and neighbors have. Sometimes, you might even get lucky enough to gather someone’s fence that they’re trying to get rid of.
Pre-made fences will save you a lot of time and effort but they will be more expensive. The more you can do to create a fence, the cheaper the cost will be.
Conclusion
Fences are a necessity for most gardens but they do require some work to build them and money for the materials. To save money, look for materials you already have on hand or ask around to see what other people have. While wooden fences look nice, they can cost a lot, so think of alternatives such as chain links or plastic mesh.
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