nate_m said:
I have also added 2 x 2 wire mesh to help keep smaller critters out.
I have moved the electric wire from the top of the posts to an 5 foot outside perimeter location. I am using fiberglass posts that are readily available and won't detract too badly from the aesthetics of the primary fence.
I am also considering sinking pvc pipe into the ground to locate the fiberglass posts. This would make it easily removable for mowing and to remove during the non-growing season.
Anybody know why you would use electric wire versus electric tape? What are the benefits and drawbacks?
I realize that no fence design (other than maybe the Great Wall in China) is going to be 100%. I am hoping that what I put up will be enough of a deterent to save most of my veggies. We live in farm country and there is plenty of corn, alfalfa, soybeans, etc that will be much easier to get to.
Your design shows significant improvement.
Wire is cheaper. Tape is more visible and if you don't want an animal to get cut if tangles in the fence then tape is better. I think in your case I'd probably go wire but you need little cloth flags on the wire to make it visible to the animals or they will tangle with your fence necessitating more work for you and probably injuring the animal.
Foil and peanut butter is not needed and is a waste of time unless you want to make a clip to send off to "America's Most Inhumane Videos." The deer will investigate the cloth flags unless they already know what it is associated with.
It is your fence but I don't feel comfortable agreeing with the 5 ft separation between the two. They may jump the first and then the second. I'd try about 4 1/2 ft which would crowd them a bit and still not be too narrow.
The PVC in the ground is an excellent idea. I have a friend who has electric fence posts with stirrups at the bottom so you can move the fence and just step on the projection near the bottom to replant the post. No pounding, super easy to do, and you won't need to bury PVC pipes (which will work OK if you can't find the other posts.)
Deer will eat what is closest and won't walk across the street to get into farmer Brown's corn if they are passing by your garden and only have to jump a fence for access.
I'd consider tilting the electric posts outward 30 degrees. The fence will still be 87% as tall as if the posts are straight up and will gain in width 1/2 of their height above ground. That would give you a wider barrier while still keeping the space between fences from being too wide apart to deter a double jump.
Another advantage of the buried PVC is that you don't have to bury as much of the electric posts. The PVC can be buried deeper than the posts and provide the rigidity needed. This will give you a tallelr electric fence and make up for the little height lost by tilting the posts outward to gain more effective width.
Pat
