Post and rail fence for berries

[running_muttley]

I'm hoping someone can help me please. I've had a feeble post and wire fence for my berries for several years but the post keep rotting. I'm using treated fence posts but they never last. I've tried postcrete but I suspect I'm not putting enough in. Have been advised that the end of the posts should be in gravel not postcrete and then been told exactly the opposite. Any advice please?

Also I've never been able to tighten the wire so that all 3 runs are tight. If I tighten the top one the other 2 look slack so I tighten the middle one then the top and bottom are lose. I'm going in sane. What am I meant to do please?

[rustylady]

The reason your wire tension problems is that your posts aren't fixed firmly.

What is your soil like? I would imagine it is light and sandy like mine so the posts aren't staying in place.

[running_muttley]

Soil is heavy clay. The damn posts bend!

[Mikey]

I would say they are ever so slightly out of level which is why some are tightening and others going slack. If you put the post into post crete you need to make sure that you chamfer the concrete away from the post so that the water can drain off and don't then cover over with earth as this will only hasten rot. You can paint the bottom of the post with some waterproof sealant which will help with splashing.

[rustylady]

Ye gods Muttley, you must be putting some strain on them to bend them.

[running_muttley]

Snapped one!

[running_muttley]

When you say out of level are you telling me the damn wires have to be the same height accross the 3 posts?

[Mikey]

What are you trying to support on them?, a berry or a boulder?

[Mikey]

When you say out of level are you telling me the damn wires have to be the same height accross the 3 posts?

Well being level by eye helps, no I was saying that if you tighten them individually then as you tighten one the others will automatically become lose. They shouldn't be so tight though that you can strum them like a guitar., it'll put undue stress being constantly that taught.

[chris]

Permanent fixings on my plot are discouraged, but you need to dig your holes deeper and sink the posts in deeper... The gravel comment was probably as the committee don't like concreted posts.

All mine are just sunk a good 2-3 foot deep, with rocks around the post and ground compacted solid.

[Bill HH]

You dont say what wood the post are or how big, some timber rots quicker than others, the best is oak or cedar. Also the bigger they are the longer it takes to rot. Timber rots most at the ground level, pulling away grass and weeds and paiting preservative around the base helps. As for keeping the tension the best thing is to attach timber along the tops of your posts at least 2" x2", then the posts cant move towards each other.

[running_muttley]

Have done just at least 3 feet that but they moved once I tightened the wire, it wasn't too tight just not drooping. That's why I tried postcrete. This at least stopped the posts moving sideways but they still rot quickly.

[running_muttley]

Posts are tree poles 6cm diameter "Guaranteed against rot for 15 years". Mine last about 4.

[rustylady]

As a matter of interest, what berries do you need your post and wire supports for?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Can I ask how high they are above ground level.

60cm dia posts would take an awful lot of bending unless they were a good height above ground to give the required leverage.

Potty