When the fence is a highway, not a wall

Curious if anyone’s had luck with those “no-dig” fence posts? The ones with the big screw base you twist into the ground?

I actually tried those screw-in posts last summer for a section of garden fencing. I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first - seemed a bit gimmicky, and I kept picturing them slowly leaning like the Tower of Pisa after a few storms. But honestly, they surprised me. The trick is making sure you hit solid ground and not an old root or buried rock (which, knowing my luck, I always seem to find). They went in quick, and I didn’t have to haul bags of concrete or deal with the mess.

That said, I’m not totally sold on them for anything that needs to be super sturdy. For a lightweight fence or something temporary, they’re great. But if you’re putting up something tall or dealing with heavy wind, I’d still lean toward gravel or even concrete, pain as it is. And yeah, raccoons are basically tiny engineers - if they want in, they’ll find a way, no matter what you use.

I’ve used those screw-in posts for a quick dog run, and they held up better than I expected, but I wouldn’t trust them for anything taller than four feet. If you’ve got rocky soil, it’s a bit of a gamble - mine hit a chunk of concrete and went crooked. For small projects or temporary fencing, though, they’re a lifesaver. Just don’t expect miracles if you’ve got determined critters or high winds.

I get where you’re coming from about the screw-in posts, but I’ve actually had a bit more luck with them, even in less-than-ideal soil. I used them for a temporary privacy screen in my backyard - nothing too tall, maybe just under five feet - and they stayed put through a couple of pretty windy days. I did reinforce the corners with some heavy planters, though, just to be safe. Maybe that’s cheating, but it worked for what I needed.

I do think you’re right about rocky ground being a pain. I hit a buried brick once and had to move the whole line over by a foot. Not fun. But for quick fixes or if you’re just trying to define a space without pouring concrete, they’re hard to beat. I wouldn’t trust them for anything permanent or if you’ve got big dogs that like to test boundaries, but for a seasonal setup or something you want to move around, they’re pretty handy.

If you’re worried about critters or wind, maybe try adding some tension wire or even weaving in some flexible bamboo panels? It’s not bulletproof, but it does help with stability and looks a bit nicer than plain wire. Just depends on how much effort you want to put in for something temporary. Sometimes the “good enough” solution is all you need, especially if you’re just trying to keep things tidy or create a little privacy for a while.

I did reinforce the corners with some heavy planters, though, just to be safe. Maybe that’s cheating, but it worked for what I needed.

Hey, if it works, it ain’t cheating - just creative engineering. I’ve used cinder blocks and even a stack of old tires once. Not pretty, but the fence didn’t budge. Rocky ground is the real villain here... my post hole digger still has trust issues.

I hear you on the rocky ground - my backyard’s basically a boulder field, so I had to get creative too. Ended up using some old bricks from the original chimney (long story) to brace a sagging section. Not exactly period-appropriate, but it’s held up through two windstorms and a nosy raccoon invasion. Sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got, right?

Curious - has anyone tried those metal post anchors that supposedly work without digging? I keep seeing them online, but I’m skeptical they’d hold up in uneven ground.