# Timber Garden



## LivinGreen (Mar 26, 2013)

Any thoughts on how to make a primitive fence in the timber to start a garden? If SHTF we wont have nice fence netting avail. but wr still need to keep all sizes of critters out from deer to **** to rabbit and squinties.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

You're looking for a fence for a garden? 

I wouldn't worry too much about the critters as they'll be eaten pretty quickly.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

O.K. I'LL bite what's a squinty?


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## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

A squintie is sort of a cross between an hedgehog and badger I believe. Tiny yet ferocious!! Big teeth, sharp claws and eyesight like a 90 year old driver. Pray you don't encounter a squintie.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

Sounds sort of like a "Snipe"


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

LivinGreen said:


> Any thoughts on how to make a primitive fence in the timber to start a garden? If SHTF we wont have nice fence netting avail. but wr still need to keep all sizes of critters out from deer to **** to rabbit and squinties.


I think this is where a good homestead dog would come into play.


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## farmers (Jul 28, 2012)

I take it you have plenty of available wood. Take a log, lay on ground. Use log on ground as a guide. Put 2 logs in ground, like fence post across from each other. Place post 

between 5'-6' apart. You can use pieces of wood as spacers. Between logs. Be sure and debark logs, they don't rot as fast. It helps to tie up logs to post with wire or leather strips.
You can also notch your post and place pieces of wood between post to lay logs on.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

We include fencing supplies in our stores. Long term it'll be simple timber fences and dogs.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

There are quite a few options, it is the smaller animals that are harder to keep out without wire of course if you have just a bit of wire you can make snares
You could use a living fence or fedge as many are calling them, these can be made fairly tight but need time to establish, you can use a thorny variety for best protection.
Log fences are "easy" to build in terms of design but they require a lot of labour and are easy for a raccoon to climb. Basically you are building a wall, in fact this can be done with stone or cob etc.
Woven small branches is probably the least physically intensive, albeit time consuming method.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

A living fence works with some critters but not all.  Goats love them and well some cows do also. Multiflora rose was used in W. Va. as a living fence (1800s) that was quick to become an invasive bush. (In some places it just about covered the farm) 

(Thanks for the pictures)


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## LivinGreen (Mar 26, 2013)

FYI - a squinty is another name for a chipmunk. I dont know wherw or hoq it got started.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

*Andi said:


> A living fence works with some critters but not all.  Goats love them and well some cows do also. Multiflora rose was used in W. Va. as a living fence (1800s) that was quick to become an invasive bush. (In some places it just about covered the farm)
> 
> (Thanks for the pictures)


I have heard of osage orange being used but not up here. The native hawthorns up here have some pretty nasty spines  and the "berries" themselves are very useful.


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## LivinGreen (Mar 26, 2013)

Thanks cowboy and farmer.
I like the woven fence concept. I think if I can keep out the deer and rabbits, I can trap anything else that gets in.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

I am putting up a fence to stop deer now, it should last 45-60 years.
300' X 48" roll takes up the area of a 55gallon drum which is 24" x 32"(give or take a lie or two).
If you use "T" poles you can reuse the pole with the new fence. Chick wire or a rabbit box can take out the small animals.
That is everything but the Squinties, with their BIG teeth they can chew though most anything. 
Thanks for the pic.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

*Andi said:


> A living fence works with some critters but not all.  Goats love them and well some cows do also. Multiflora rose was used in W. Va. as a living fence (1800s) that was quick to become an invasive bush. (In some places it just about covered the farm)
> 
> (Thanks for the pictures)


Some idiot state ag person brought it to our area of Tn. years ago. The Rooster has fought those rosebushes for over 50 years. He told me once that the only way he could get rid of them was to hook a chain around the bush near the roots and pull them out of the ground with a tractor or truck.

Honey locust thorns were used occasionally where I grew up, but not if children were around because they are poisonous and puncture wounds from the thorns are extremely hard to heal.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

This is something I would consider as a general boundary fence, simply because we have PLENTY of osage orange here, all for free. And the stuff grows fast.

mother earth news living fences (the illustrations are helpful - need to scan through them)

LivingGreen, that might not help you with the rabbits (and might take too long to grow big enough to keep out deer), but maybe it will be helpful to someone else reading this thread...


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## Tank_Girl (Dec 26, 2011)

I've started growing different clumping bamboo varieties for this very reason.

I'm over paying through the nose for fencing materials and for garden stakes.

I've planted Oldham, weavers and slender weavers bamboo and they'll cover most of my needs.


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