Apple/ pear fencing $$$

[dipper]

I'm starting to make progress on starting 2 orchards on my 2 properties. I've got the room for roughly 100 standard sized trees on each orchard. As everyone probably knows by now, I don't like spending money if don't have to. At this point fencing is going to be my major expense.

I am buying a brand new post hole digger, not gonna cut corners....I have all the posts I need from my own supply, so I can throw 4 posts in/ tree.

I got the middle finger from the county highway department to use their retired snow fence, they have a large pile of it that is just rotting away. Would have been perfect It's depressing thinking about my local property tax bill, and how they treat you. That was my master plan, and it didn't work out. GRRRRRRR

I'm thinking of going 15' of fencing/ tree in a square. Sounds big enough? If I have 8' fence I'll cut it in half and raise it a couple feet off of the ground if I have to. I've been getting away with fence suspended off of the ground. I'll need 4 posts to hold it off the ground....that's fine.....the post price is right and digging holes won't be a problem.

Anyway, I've been wheeling, dealing, and networking. Here's what I got
-concrete mesh $90, for what is it 150'?
-used 9' deer fence at .50/ foot-I will have to travel 3 hours round trip, free fence posts, but I have to take the fence down
- (which I think I'm going with) 9' fence at $1/ foot local.

Basically, my ? is- what do you guys think 15' of fence in a square will be good? I would have no problem raising that 4.5' to 6'. I'm just crunching #s of how much fence I should buy. The $1/ foot stuff comes in 600' rolls (which have to be huge). I'll probably end up buying 2 rolls either way. Just wondering how some of you guys think I should deal w/ the 9' fence?

thanks in advance
dip

 

[Turkey Creek]

Have you thought of enclosing each orchard rather than individually ?? Depending upon layout that may be cheaper.

Exactly what I was thinking. You can run a (white tape) hotwire out from the fencing and go with a lower height so the deer wont jump it. Seeing as how you are going with standard rootstock they will eventually be out of the deers reach.

 

[dipper]

My numbers indicate it's way cheaper fencing/ tree (But I HATE crunching number, and am not real good at it)haha. I would need at least 1,800 linear feet of 9' fence for the 2 orchards. That's obviously $1800 at $1/ foot.

If I can actually fit 200 trees(which is a general estimate), I'll only need $1500 worth of 9' fencing because I am cutting it in half.

So I will be saving a minimum of $300, with 200 trees. I'll probably fit less than 200 trees, so I will be saving more fencing/ tree.

There is no way I would ever go anything less than 8' high fence. You can't get away lifting the fence up in a full enclosure, because the deer will than crawl under. An electic fence would work during the summer, but not the winter. A solar E fence isn't cheap, and it requres maintenence. I could never leave these trees unprotected in the winter, my high deer density would mow a young tree to the ground. Any bud outside fencing, or below the browse line on the trees I have now, is gone.

The most cost effective fencing is/ tree. Trust me, I actually have a full enclosure already. I went with concrete mesh everyone uses and I have extra fence above it(to give me enough height-which was free). At that time, it cost me $10.59/ tree. If I would enclose that orchard with that new 9' fence now, it would cost me $22.22/ tree.

I'll be able to pull it off for $7.50/ tree with the new 9' wiring and $3.75/ tree if I go with the used stuff. That price hinges on the 15' of wire needed, which is my ? If 15' of wiring is safe for the tree, I'm saving a ton of money. Almost enough to pay for a brand new 3 point post hole digger.

 

[CrazyEd]

Concrete Mesh can be purchased onsale at menards for $74.99, I think my dad said it's onsale right now. Cut it so you get 10-12 cages per roll. Don't use tpost, use rebar or conduit or something cheaper. We have some old 1/2" rods that are about 3' long. We just use one per cage, just enough to keep the cage from moving. Deer haven't been an issue.

Block enclosures are more expensive in my experience.

 

[dipper]

Concrete Mesh can be purchased onsale at menards for $74.99, I think my dad said it's onsale right now. Cut it so you get 10-12 cages per roll. Don't use tpost, use rebar or conduit or something cheaper. We have some old 1/2" rods that are about 3' long. We just use one per cage, just enough to keep the cage from moving. Deer haven't been an issue.

Block enclosures are more expensive in my experience.

Ed how long are those rolls?

 

[CrazyEd]

150' long by 5' wide. For $74.99/role you wont find a better deal. We hit up this deal earlier this spring and stocked up.

 

[CrazyEd]

I think we are cutting them like 25 squares per cage. I think that will get you 11 or 12 cages per roll. We used to do 32 squares per cage for a slightly larger diameter cage but with the volume of trees I am planting we are trying to stretch the roll into more cages. So now if you do 25 I think it comes out to 12. I have not had a single issue with deer and smaller cages. At the end of the day you want to just protect the central leader. If a few limbs get nipped big deal.

 

[sandbur]

The last Menards sales flier had a price of $95.99 for 150 feet.

 

[BJE80]

Dipper,

I got the same Concrete mesh stuff from Menards on the 150' rolls and it works awesome. You can check prices locally on menards.com



This is the stuff.

http://www.menards.com/main/buildin...-x-150-reinforcing-mesh/p-1479879-c-12502.htm

 

[CrazyEd]

My local stores shows up as onsale for $85.99 currently at the link above and that price ends tomorrow. I would say if you are not in a hurry just keep an eye on it. It should drop again I would think. The rock bottom sale price I have seen has been $74.99 and we hit that towards the end of march. I know others have seen that price as well.

 

[leexrayshady]

I know you said posts were a non factor price wise, and not sure if yourin Bear country or not, but I don't even use post with my concrete mesh

 

[dipper]

Ed it sounds like you basically have 12.5' of fencing/ tree. WHich costs you $6.25/ tree. My price/ tree would be the same as yours if I went with 12.5' of fencing/ tree. That's what I needed. Thank you I don't have to wait around for any sales, I'm going with my stuff. However, that used stuff is teasing me...$3.13/ tree is real tempting, that would save me another $630.....that's more than enough to cover a 24" post hole auger
thanks again

 

[BJE80]

Ed it sounds like you basically have 12.5' of fencing/ tree. WHich costs you $6.25/ tree. My price/ tree would be the same as yours if I went with 12.5' of fencing/ tree. That's what I needed. Thank you I don't have to wait around for any sales, I'm going with my stuff. However, that used stuff is teasing me...$3.13/ tree is real tempting, that would save me another $630.....that's more than enough to cover a 24" post hole auger
thanks again

12.5' of linear fencing circumference x PI = 3.97' diameter circle. That is only 2' radius in all directions. To me that is a little small but what do I know. I used 16-17' of fence per tree to try and get more to the 5' or larger diameter circle. But I only have 10 trees and the extra cost isn't that much extra.

 

[CrazyEd]

Not having to deal with posts saves a crap ton of time. Add that to your price per cage too. Time = Money.

 

[dipper]

Not having to deal with posts saves a crap ton of time. Add that to your price per cage too. Time = Money.

Ya-that's why I'm buying a post hole digger, pounding t posts into rocks isn't alot of fun either. Watching a post hole digger eat up rocks is........thanks again

 

[CrazyEd]

even with a post hole digger seems like a lot of added time per cage Concrete mesh you pretty much just drop over your tree and you are done. Let me know what your average install time comes out to be.

 

[BJE80]

So I went a little over kill on putting Tposts in hey. Maybe it will help keep the bears out.

 

[CrazyEd]

So I went a little over kill on putting Tposts in hey. Maybe it will help keep the bears out.

if you have bears there is no thing as going overboard. Whatever it takes to keep them out.

 

[dipper]

Nothing beats the price of free stuff....score

I don't know how many feet are here, but I couldn't lift this roll in the back of my truck by myself. I'm guessing it weighs 300 plus. It's chain link, and kinda an overkill, but I'll take it

 

[BJE80]

Sweet pick up Dipper. Might be a little bit harder to work with but you can't beat the price.