# Weed control around electric fence?!



## garlandgal (Mar 24, 2011)

I have roughly 13 acres of electric fenced area and as I was painstakingly cutting the weeds under the fence today (I turn off the fence and use these special clippers that allow me to stand up and cut grass--which I do once a week). While doing this, I thought "surely someone has designed some sort of roll out 'carpet' that goes underneath the fence to keep weeds from coming out'. I have used weed spray, but it's very expensive (I can only us organic) and I have to spay about a foot underneath the fence because the weeds/grass grow so long/tall that they bend over and touch the fence. Is there something out there that can be put under the fence that keeps the weeds away (I realize that there are ground clothes that are suppose to keep weeds down. I put that stuff around all my fruit trees/garden and all the weeds still come through as if it wasn't even there).
I'm thinking I can't be the only person with this problem?


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

I have has some success with painstakingly tilling under the fence, then digging out a shallow trench (about a foot wide and 3 inches deep), then pouring rounded river gravel in it.

It won't COMPLETELY make the weeds go away, but there will be far fewer of them as they don't seem to care as much for gravel as a top soil.

What weeds do grow I can take care of with a gas powered weed-eater. That's like A weed every few feet, rather than spending hours trying to cut down brush. ( I have about 11 acres)

It is time consuming to do, and you will need a hefty load of gravel, but it is a long-term solution.

Try it around one of your gardens first to see how it would work in your area.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Solution of vinegar and salt.

Vinegar Weed Killer: Grandma's Recipe For Fast Weed Control


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Great link Alice 
I really don't have trouble with weeds along the electric fence because my fence fries any weeds that touch it.


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## garlandgal (Mar 24, 2011)

Thanks for the responses....I have noticed that vinegar kills weeds (last year my hard apple cidar went all wrong and I ended up with vinegar....I poured some out on the grass to dump it and it fried the ground). The expensive weed killer I bought smells like vinegar...
I have to be careful about the electric fence frying any weeds that touch it...I live two hours away from anything (and that's during the warm months....I get snowed in completely during winter....so if a fire starts I'm screwed....especially for the fact that I live in the middle of a national forest full of nothing but trees for hundreds and hundreds of miles....so any sparks are not good).


Thanks again!


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## Nancy_in_GA (Oct 20, 2004)

I think Roundup would be cheaper than vinegar. They sell 2.5 gallons at Tractor Supply for $70. The highest concentration calls for 3oz per gallon of water. That would be less than $3 per gallon, and you don't have to drench the plant and soil like you would with vinegar, only wet the leaves. It lasts a long time. We only spray our fenceline _at most _twice a year. I think there is a generic version of Roundup now, since the patent ran out recently, which is even cheaper. Sorry, I forgot the name.


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## BarbadosSheep (Jun 27, 2011)

She's organic....can't use round-up.


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## Nancy_in_GA (Oct 20, 2004)

Oh, OK, thanks Barbados. I missed that.:smack


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