Build a Garden Fence on a Budget

article image
by Jake Lasorsa

When we moved into our new home, we were thrilled that the previous owners had already installed six raised garden beds in the sunny backyard. Unfortunately, our dogs were just as thrilled as we were. They loved digging in the rich soil, and they would beeline straight to the beds whenever we let them outside. That was fine in winter, but we knew we’d need a secure fence come spring.

While designing our fence, we had four goals: It needed to be cost-effective, simple enough to build ourselves, attractive, and sturdy enough to hold up over many years.

Our garden beds butt up against our neighbor’s fence, so we designed a three-sided fence to capitalize on their existing wall. This saved us about a quarter of the price on materials, along with a significant amount of time. If you can go this route, check with your neighbor before building to make sure your fence doesn’t interfere with the structural integrity of theirs.

Our fence is rectangular in shape, with two 35-foot-long sides and one 18-foot-long side that includes a 4-foot-wide gate. (The other short side is our neighbor’s fence.) You may need to tweak it based on your garden’s size and whether you have scrap lumber to use or an existing fence to build off.

Finally, we primarily grow flowers and medicinal herbs, so we don’t battle much with food-eating pests, such as squirrels or rabbits. If you do, however, you may want to use a tighter weave than the welded wire we selected to keep our big dogs out of the space.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368