Fence Ideas, Tips & Guides

Front gardens play an important role, particularly in our towns and cities. They can breathe life into grey streets, helping to provide wildlife habitats and reduce pollution. They can also make us feel good about where we live.

The month of May brings many beautiful flowers and other delights in the garden. However, it also brings potential insect pests. Many gardeners are becoming more and more aware of the potential dangers of the misuse or overuse of pesticides. The best way to keep insect pests in check is to practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which is a comprehensive effort of multiple control strategies to manage pest levels.

Rob Last reports, “Strawberry crops in the area are looking good with good crown development. We are seeing open flowers and some fruit set based on warmer conditions. These crops are cause for some concern as we are likely to see damage from forecast cold snaps. There is evidence of botrytis (gray mold) in crops on cold damaged flowers and fruit. Sanitation can really help to mitigate the spread of the disease. Spider mites remain active and in places are requiring treatment. Remember to avoid pyrethroids for mite control as these can flare mite populations.”

Zack Snipes reports, “We had a nice week of weather last week and are getting some rain this morning (10/25). Strawberry plants are arriving, and growers will be busy putting in plants this week. I’ve gotten several calls about doing plant dips to prevent disease for the upcoming season. Most growers are using Zivion, but it has been somewhat hard to come by, so others are using Switch. We are dipping plants to prevent crown rot diseases from wiping out our crop. Speaking of wiping out our crop…DEER. Get your fences up now BEFORE you plant. For more information on deer fencing, see HGIC 2902, Deer Management Using a Two-Tiered Fence System. We see black rot on brassicas every season, but it seems particularly bad this season.  Cultural practices such as crop rotation, using clean seed and transplants, and spacing plants out can help with the disease. Unfortunately, there are no products that will help with this disease.  We had a great fall watermelon crop that will be wrapping up here shortly.

***North Carolina State University is doing research about eastern carpenter bee management on private property. You can help by providing feedback in their survey, which should take just 10 to 15 minutes to complete. This information will help them develop improved management options for the future. To participate in the survey, see Carpenter Bee Survey.

Rob Last reports, “Pest and disease issues in the area remain very low; however, as temperatures rise, we expect activity to increase.  Although it is quiet, it is still essential to continue to scout. Assessment of crops indicates that we have escaped the worst of any chill injury or loss of plants. Pruning of fruit crops continues while dormancy holds and labor begins to return to the area.”

The effect of row covers on spider mite pest problems is not entirely clear. Studies in NC found that row covers did not influence spider mites during cold winters and when transplants were NOT infested with spider mites initially. Mite-infested transplants will likely fare worse. During warmer weather, extended row cover use appeared to exacerbate spider mite problems. Lastly, if you plan on buying and releasing predatory mites, you must release them when spider mite populations are still low and also avoid using broad-spectrum insecticides (e.g., pyrethroids). Some acaricides are also safer than others (e.g., Acramite and Nealta are safer than abamectin products). Furthermore, sulfur-based fungicides can also be harmful to predatory mites, so avoid spraying these fungicides immediately before or after releasing any predators.”

Today’s update will be our final update of 2022. With things slowing down in the field, we will take some time to focus on other projects, and the Weekly Field Updates will resume in January.

Do you have a chain link fence you’d like to hide? Cover it with evergreen vines. Evergreen vines are not only a great way to cover an eyesore, but they can also add vertical interest to your garden and even serve as a living privacy screen. Many of them have showy flowers, some even fragrant.

Perhaps as you’ve strolled through your garden lately, you’ve looked at a plant and thought, “What’s eating you?” It can be tricky to discern what is doing the munching when the muncher is nowhere to be found. Some telltale signs paired with a little knowledge can help you sleuth out the culprits.

TheseZucchini Trellis Ideas are a great way to grow the vegetable without any fuss in your garden!

YOUR NEW JAPANESE MAPLE MAY NOT HAVE ROOTED well, but it sounds like the Buffalo Springfied lyric paranoia strikes deep, into your life it will creep has rooted itself thoroughly into consciousness, hasn’t it? If we recall correctly, first you were going to pass the hot (homegrown?) potato for your plant problems back to the nursery the things came from, and now onto your neighbor? Oh, dear. (Is that the same neighbor whose fence you coveted, by the way, and considered stealing?) When I’m looking for reasons for why my plant died, I just refer back to this favorite poem; it mercifully has something to explain every situation.

LAST WEEK, SOME PLANTS TURNED UP DEAD. A week earlier, there was an incident involving a gun.

Garden visitors, average early January 2015 day:30 dark-eyed juncos 11 goldfinches 1 male Eastern bluebird 3 Northern cardinals 5 white-throated sparrows 12 American robins 7 mourning doves 9 blue jays 3 tufted titmice 6 black-capped chickadees 2 white-breasted nuthatches 1 red-bellied woodpecker 2 downy woodpeckers 1 hairy woodpecker 1 yellow-belli

I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THE ONLY THING that tears through my fence is the occasional bear. Apparently Andre Jordan has forgotten evidence of that invasion.

GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS or some such wisdom, but what do they do to marriages? Apparently, fences provoke “discussion.” Like this one.

I walked the perimeter of the deer fence, looking for breaches. (If you are considering thwarting deer once and for all in your landscape, start with this story.)I gently raked debris off areas that were dry enough, starting right near the house where I’ll notice my signs of progress most.I started cutting back evergreen groundcovers like hellebores, European ginger (above, ready for its haircut), epimediums.Next up will be ornamental grasses…and in a small gesture of hope, I think I’ll plant the peas and spinach.All these pre-spring chores are explained in detail here.

Next was an attempted nap on the grass, in the tree’s shade—but I interrupted that plan with more negative verbal feedback, and it ambled off, presumably to climb a tree trunk beside my 8-foot fence and drop down to the other side, away from the aggravation of my voice for the moment.I don’t mean to be flip about living in bear country, which requires vigilant attention and respect for these animals as for all wildlife. In a typical year, bears visit here at night a couple or few times a season, knocking down a piece of fence on the way in and tossing things about in search of food, leaving big pawprints in the garden (and sometimes on the porch, too, if the ground was wet with rain or dew).This year, bolder encounters by a number of different individuals have been happening locally by day along our road, meaning these bears

AS PART OF Garden Conservancy Open Day at Margaret Roach’s Copake Falls, NY, garden–including a plant sale by Broken Arrow Nursery–guest expert and garden writer Lee Reich will be doing a morning lecture on fruit espaliers.

If you’re looking for Foolproof Ways to KeepDeer Out of Garden, we have you covered. Here are some simple and effective methods to ensure your garden is safe!

If you're looking to add some life to an outdoor space, then grab some fencing from the dollar store to create this cute summer basket.

Do you dream of having a lush garden but don’t have enough space? Vertical plant towers are the perfect solution for urban dwellers or anyone looking to maximize their gardening space. Here are some Amazing Vertical Plant Tower Ideas that will inspire you to take your gardening to new heights!

Summer is just around the corner and that means it's time to get your cooler out and ready for all those backyard barbecues with family and friends.

Elevate your outdoor aesthetic with enchanting Rustic Fence Ideas. From weathered wood to vintage-inspired designs, explore charming options that bring a touch of countryside charm to your yard while privacy and defining your property’s boundaries.

When you grow plants for food, you're part of a cultural revolution that dates back more than 10,000 years. It might not seem very revolutionary today, but agriculture helped our hunting-and-gathering ancestors sow the seeds of civilization. It was almost like humanity had finally begun to wean itself off the wilderness.

I’m always being asked for ideas for breaking up the space in a shallow wide garden, and also how to make it look longer.

We have a fence for our fur babies that makes mowing and weed eating difficult. We go through way too much line due to our fence, raised beds, patio bricks, and cracks in the sidewalk. Our inspiration for eliminating the lawn fence trim came with the weed killer process we use in the cracks of the pavement.

As practical as a hose reel is, frankly it's just not that nice to look at. When I was making these planters for the side of our garage, I realized that because of their size, they would be a perfect place to hide the hose!

In order to ensure that your backyard gatherings feel a bit more intimate and special this summer, you may wish to to invest in a privacy screen or similar option. Fortunately, there are many products on the market that are both affordable and aesthetically pleasing. Below, we're sharing 13 privacy solutions for the backyard that are budget-friendly too.

Bird populations in the US and Canada have plummeted by 30 percent since 1970 – here's why, and what we can do.

Had this idea rolling around in my head for a while. The fence pickets are cheap lumber for experimenting, and they look good too.

From colorful and whimsical displays to elegant and sophisticated designs, there are endless possibilities when it comes to theseUnique Bra Garden Ideas. So why settle for a boring garden when you can make a statement and have some fun with a bra garden?

Do you want to ensure optimal growth and maximize the beauty of trailing plants in your garden? Here are some fantastic Tips to Follow When Growing Vines and Climbers.

Spruce up your home with our DIY Mobile Plant Stand Ideas. From repurposed materials to stylish designs, we’ve got you covered. Get inspired and create the perfect mobile display for your beloved greenery.

Long before the advent of electronic security systems, plants were used as “biological razor wire” to protect homesteads from marauding outsiders, or as livestock enclosures.By strategically planting thorny, spiky, dense b

Need a way to spruce up your patio or yard?