Untreated wood stakes

[brooklynodog]

Our lotties are mostly open plan and I have decided to erect some chicken wire with untreated wooden stakes as I have read that treated wood can have a detrimental effect to the soil. What life do you all think I can get out of said stakes, 5 ft, with approx 2 ft in the soil?

[oldie]

There are non-toxic wood preservatives available. Procol is one I know of - expensive but if you are concerned maybe worth it. I don't think much of todays treated woods would actually have much effect if you are only using them for fence posts. Many people use things like treated gravel boards for their raised beds and don't seem to be affected. Untreated fence posts would I think last for 3-5 years.

[Paulottie]

Depends what you mean by 'wooden'.... untreated softwood maybe 3 years max..pressure treated 6yrs+....creasote and engine oil 10 yrs+(no longer allowed anyway+ not soil friendly)...hardwood (oak, chestnut etc.) 15 years+ natural and best but cost a bit more

Posts will rot at ground level where they become wet, then dry, then wet etc. You will also need a tensioning wire at the top and bracing posts if you don't wish it all to sag.

Why you should wish to erect chicken wire fencing unless you need to keep animals in or out is beyond me. It is a nightmare you can't strim or mow up to it thus it provides breeding area for weeds to invade from, It looks untidy and is a pain to remove oncew grown in. It would not even much use at keeping badgers foxes or rabbits out(especially at 3' high without underground wiring.) box hedging?

[brooklynodog]

Mostly to deter rabbits & pheasants and opportunistic kids, hoping they will go to next, unfenced plot. Untreated pine stakes about 4-5" in diameter

[oldie]

Pheasants can fly higher than 5ft and kids could climb over it. Untreated pine is not going to last very long and you would need to bury the wire a foot into the ground to stop rabbits burying under it.

[brooklynodog]

Pheasants tend not to fly around our allotment, they wander about. We have minimal rabbit activity, and thoses we do have tend to go to the easily accesible plots. The plots are next to a busy public footpath. Kids yes, but its about deterrance only. This is moving away from the purpose of my thread which was to enquire how long untreated pine stakes of 4-5 inch diameter would last in the soil before rotting through?

[oldie]

I think we have been saying not very long, 3 years has been quoted and pine is a softwood so I would think thats about the most you could expect. There are hardwoods which would last a lot longer, but are a lot more expensive. I still think you should not worry about treated wood for fence posts, they will not affect you crops. Rabbits might just find a fence a challenge especially if you are growing food they enjoy.

[bluemoon]

We've just used untreated chestnut posts, which are expensive to buy, but we were given them. We've tacked some chickenwire across them, it's to divide the plot in half and keep the poultry away from the veg. It would be useless to keep people out, but seems to be doing the trick with the chickens. Though next week it will be corralling the geese in too, hope it's up to it.

[Paulottie]

A 4" post is quite hefty...(5" very) should last about 5 years but most will come treated anyway. You could get 'met post' bottoms....metal spikes that posts fit into....this will help longevity but again it all adds to the cost.....got to say I can't see treated softwood poisoning the soil much anyway...not like tarred railway sleepers

If you can find split chestnut I'd go with that...we have loads of coppice round here though. For rabbits make an 'L' shape to stop them digging under so quick....not noticed pheasants doing much damage as a rule. Kids.....perhaps one of those 'mosquito' whining alarms?