As sustainable living grows in popularity, the agriculture landscape welcomes many new faces. Whether you’re a livestock farmer looking to add a garden, a new hobby farmer, or an experienced horticulture professional looking for a better way to protect your produce–quality garden fencing is worth the investment.
Most garden fences are about three feet in height. These barriers are designed to deter entry by common produce-stealing animals like dogs, rabbits, and raccoons. In some areas, larger animals like deer or kept livestock like goats are the culprit. If necessary, a garden fence can extend up to six or eight feet. The right choice depends on who or what you’re keeping out.
Why Use a Garden Fence?
It’s not uncommon to see a mix of fenced and unfenced gardens. Is a garden fence necessary or just an extra precaution? That depends on what animals might have access to your garden or whether or not they’ve discovered the presence of tasty treats.
A garden fence can deter small pets and wildlife, like:
- Rabbits
- Squirrels
- Chickens
- Cats & Dogs (Digging)
Some animals can burrow, making it a little more difficult to stop them all. Consider a deeper garden fence depth to stop pesky animals above and below ground.
If you’re on a hobby farm or keep any kind of livestock, you probably already know that sometimes your garden foes are a little bigger in size. Large livestock and wildlife that like to damage a garden:
- Deer
- Goats
- Sheep
- Horses
- Cattle
Picking the Best Height for a Garden Fence
Tall or short, the decision for a garden fence comes down to who the culprit is. If there are larger animals on your property or neighboring properties–or if you live in a wooded area, consider a tall garden fence between six and eight feet in height. For most other situations with pets or free-range chickens, a three-foot garden fence is sufficient.
Other Considerations for Your Garden Fence
Garden fencing comes in a variety of materials. You’ll need to balance the cost of materials with the goals you hope to achieve with your garden fence. Woven wire field fence makes an effective and affordable garden fence. It’s sold in rolls, tensioned by corner posts, and secured to line posts for stability. Let’s take a look at how woven wire garden fences measure up against other common materials.
Common fence materials:
- Wood Fencing: Natural material with a tendency to rot with moisture exposure. Expensive to install and maintain. Solid wood panels work best for the garden as smaller animals may be able to fit between or under runner boards.
- Steel Fencing: Typically attractive and effective with six inches in between verticals, but also costly. Steel fencing is unlikely to wear in the weather and can often go maintenance-free for up to 20 years. However, higher material costs and skilled installation make steel fencing a cost-prohibitive option for larger gardens.
- PVC or Vinyl: These newer fences provide the style of wood slat or wood panel fencing with the moisture-resistant durability of vinyl. Vinyl is not impervious to environmental conditions. These fences often invite mold and bacteria growth, requiring extra cleaning. And, they’re expensive to install.
- Woven Wire Garden Fence: Garden fencing borrows the concept of affordable, safe livestock fencing and scales it down to meet the needs around the garden. You can use steel t-posts or wood fence posts with rolls of wire garden fence for an attractive, durable, and effective option at significant savings.
How Much Does a Garden Fence Cost?
As with any fence, the size and material determine the cost. If you’re working with a sizable garden that is approximately 600 square feet (20 ft by 30 ft), you will need 100 linear feet of garden fence. A rectangle shape allows for four corner posts and at least two gate posts. Then, fence posts placed on eight-foot centers require another 12 line posts.
Plan to spend between $100 and $150 for a 100-foot roll of garden fence and about $5 each or $60 total for steel t-posts. Additionally, you’ll spend $500 – $1000 on pressure-treated lumber and posts to create corner braces and about $50 on pressure-treated gate posts.
|
Material |
Low-End |
Mid-Range |
High-End |
|
100-ft Wire Garden Fence |
$100 |
$150 |
$200 |
|
Steel T-Posts (12) |
$3/$36 |
$5/$60 |
$7/$84 |
|
Corner Braces (Pressure-Treated Lumber) |
$100 ea / $400 total |
$250 ea / $1000 total |
$400 ea / $1600 total |
|
Pressure Treated Gate Posts |
$14 ea / $28 total |
$20 ea / $40 total |
$37.50 each / $75 total |
|
Entry Gate |
$75 each |
$150 each |
$200 each |
|
Total |
$500-$800 |
$1200- $1800 |
$2000+ |
Bottom Line: The Cost for Woven wire Fencing Compared to the Rest
The average cost to build 100 linear feet of wood-only fencing is $1,500 to $3,500. The average cost of steel garden fencing is $1,675 per 100 linear feet. The typical cost of vinyl fencing is $800 to $1,400 per 100 feet.
Final Thoughts on Garden Fencing
A durable, cost-effective garden fence can help protect your produce from pets, livestock, and wildlife that like to snack on fruits and vegetables or dig in soft soil. When choosing an appropriate garden fence, consider the animals that present the biggest problem. A hobby farm with munchy goats may have different needs than a sustainable living farm in the timber. Red Brand has more than 130 years of industry experience in providing quality fencing materials. See how we can help you protect your produce today.