Last Updated on May 19, 2021
With grass growing into my fences on my farm, I needed a way to control it. Today, I want to show you how to keep grass from growing under a fence.
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How to Keep Grass From Growing Under Our Fence
On our farm we use a polywire electric fence system with step-in posts to keep our animals in. One of the great things about this type of fence system is that it’s easy to put up and it can be taken down or moved if necessary.
But one of the problems that we have is grass growing up into the fence. This is especially problematic with an electric fence because it can cause them to short out.
So, if you are looking to keep grass from growing under a fence, here are a few tools and options to help you out.
Spraying Natural Weed Killer Under a Fence
- A natural weed killer Made from ocean salt water, commercial strength food grade vinegar and soap.
- Our non selective ready to spray Natural Weed & Grass Killer is not normally used on the lawn.
- No Mixing, No Glyphosate and No Hormone Disrupting Chemicals
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One option is to spray weed killer under the fence. Normally, I wouldn’t want to do this because we don’t use synthetic pesticides on our farm, especially with animals grazing right up to the fence.
However, it is possible to use a natural weed killer, especially when you are dealing with livestock or other animals.
For that, I recommend this Doctor Kirchner Natural Weed & Grass Killer.
Because of the amount of fence I have on my farm, I needed a different solution though.
Using a Weed Barrier Under a Fence
- Dewitt weed barrier 12-years is an easy-to-use, environmentally safe fabric that controls weeds before they start
- The non-woven, hydro philic treated fabric allows air and water to pass through
- Dewitt landscape fabric minimizes light penetration to suppress weed growth
- Fabric is treated to minimize degradation due to UV light exposure
- The design also prevents unraveling and makes the material easier to cut; measures 4 by 50 feet
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For permanent fences and shorter fence runs, you can use a weed barrier like this Dewitt 4-foot by 50-foot roll. The great thing about this is that it’s somewhat permanent and means there is little maintenance required.
Simply stake it down under your fence and it will prevent grass and other weeds from growing.
Again, because of the amount of fence I have on my farm, I needed a different solution.
Using a Weed Eater Under a Fence
- Features a 28cc 2-cycle engine which powers the 17 inch (cutting width) trimmer head
- Trimmer engine runs on a mixture of unleaded gas and 2-cycle oil (2. 6 oz bottle is included, see bottle for mixing instructions)
- Easily release new trimmer line as you work by tapping the trimmer head against the grass to activate the Tap N Go line release feature
- Have no worries when it is time to replace the trimmer line - the T25 trimmer head is designed for simple and easy line reloading
- A translucent fuel tank allows you to visually monitor your fuel level as you work
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Another option is using a weed eater to trim the grass under the fence. And if you are going to do this, I highly recommend this Husqvarna 128LD 17″ String Trimmer
I personally own this string trimmer and love it. I’ve never had any issues with it and it always fires right up.
However, with the type of polywire fence I use, I found that it gets wrapped up in my fences and breaks it. I also use plastic posts with a lot of my fences and a weed eater can break those as well.
If you have metal posts and metal fence wire, this can be a great option for you. But for me, I needed something that would work well for the type of fence system I use.
Moving the Fence
If your fence is temporary like a lot of mine are, you could move the fence and mow where it previously was.
However, I have found that in the middle of the summer, especially when it’s hot and the ground is dried out, the posts are hard to pull out and even harder to put back into the ground.
And with the amount of fence I have, this would be a huge pain. I needed a simpler solution than this.
Using the Greenworks Hedge Trimmer Under a Fence
- G-max 40V Li-Ion battery system powers multiple tools for complete yard system-includes 2Ah battery and charger
- 20-inch Steel dual action blade for optimal performance and durability
- 5/8-inch cutting capacity for controlled, easy trimming of most bushes and hedges without the need of multiple tools
- 3 position pivoting head adjusts blade with extended reach handle for trimming at multiple angles
- 1) 2Ah battery and charger included
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This is a Greenworks Hedge Trimmer. Normally, this is used from trimming hedges but I have found that I can bend it all the way around and hold it like a weed eater.
I have been able to use it to trim underneath my fence without damaging the fence because, if I bump the fence with it, the blades are on the side and it won’t cut the fence. And, if I accidentally bump the the posts, it doesn’t damage them either.
The downside with this is that I wish it bent a little farther and made more of an “L” so I didn’t have to bend down as much when I trim under the fence.
Regardless of this, it still works great for me. I will typically spend around an hour or so trimming fences with it. For me personally, I just don’t make an entire day out of it because it will hurt my back.
It’s also battery-powered which means I don’t have to listen to a gas engine while using it.
Because of these features, I have found that this works best for the type of fence I have along with the amount of fence that I have.
The Video
Conclusion
These are all of the options for how to keep grass from growing under a fence. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments.
For trimming grass under your fence, Why don’t you use your trimmer upside down while it is in the “hedge” configuration. The only problem would be the position of any air flow vents dragging in the dirt. Are there any ? You would have to reposition your hands.
Hi Paul,
I put it in this configuration so the handle and trigger face the right way when trimming under the fence. If it flipped it all the way around (the way it would be used for trimming hedges up high) and use it under the fence, the handle and trigger would face backwards and I wouldn’t be able to use it the way that I do. Hope this helps.