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Digging near fence posts?

Tim82@tim82

3 Posts

#1 · 14th September 2023, 8:46 pm

Quote from Tim82 on 14th September 2023, 8:46 pm

This might be a silly question, but I couldn't seem to find an answer anywhere. I'm digging a new border but this is on the fenceline - How deep should I go with the fork and turnover soil near the the fence posts? My neighbor has concrete posts sunken into the ground. Is there any chance I could disturb them turning over the soil if I went say 12inches deep? Or should I leave a gap where I don't disturb the soil close to the posts?

Should I also be leaving a gap when planting near the fence line? Say I'm planting a small red robin tree, how much gap should I leave between the fence and where I plant?

This might be a silly question, but I couldn't seem to find an answer anywhere. I'm digging a new border but this is on the fenceline - How deep should I go with the fork and turnover soil near the the fence posts? My neighbor has concrete posts sunken into the ground. Is there any chance I could disturb them turning over the soil if I went say 12inches deep? Or should I leave a gap where I don't disturb the soil close to the posts?

Should I also be leaving a gap when planting near the fence line? Say I'm planting a small red robin tree, how much gap should I leave between the fence and where I plant?

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Lee Garden Ninja@lee

525 Posts

#2 · 16th September 2023, 12:13 pm

Quote from Lee Garden Ninja on 16th September 2023, 12:13 pm

Hi @tim82

There are no silly gardening questions! Asking about the depth of fence posts is a great question.

As a rule of thumb, most load-bearing posts for fences, pergolas or archways should be 60cm deep as a minimum. Which is 23 inches.

So digging down 12 will be fine. You'd be hard-pushed to damage a concrete post with just a fork. You'd really have to dig all the way around it!

With your plants, you need to take into account their ultimate growth and spread. You don't want them crushed in.

Red robins or Photinia are slow growing and their roots don't do much damage so you'll be fine. 

Here's a guide on planting a deep border and avoiding beginner planting mistakes!!

https://youtu.be/QK_3kLREMyg

https://youtu.be/h7DfM3xqfR4

Hope that helps!

Lee

Hi @tim82

There are no silly gardening questions! Asking about the depth of fence posts is a great question.

As a rule of thumb, most load-bearing posts for fences, pergolas or archways should be 60cm deep as a minimum. Which is 23 inches.

So digging down 12 will be fine. You'd be hard-pushed to damage a concrete post with just a fork. You'd really have to dig all the way around it!

With your plants, you need to take into account their ultimate growth and spread. You don't want them crushed in.

Red robins or Photinia are slow growing and their roots don't do much damage so you'll be fine. 

Here's a guide on planting a deep border and avoiding beginner planting mistakes!!

Hope that helps!

Lee

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Last edited on 16th September 2023, 12:13 pm by Lee Garden Ninja

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