Natural Fence

[bwallace23350]

I got my 5 strand barb wire fence up. I was thinking of planting a natural fence right beside it to help keep the cows out. I was leaning towards holly bushes because they are evergreen and stick you. But my question is how much do honeybees like them. Surprisingly Google was not that helpful.

[BeeMaster2]

Wallace,
I don't have holly bushes but is have several species of holly trees and in the spring the bees cover the trees. I can hear the bees on the trees from a long ways off. What is nice is that they bloom on different weeks, not all at the same time.
Jim

[GeezLouise]

Holly spines probably won't phase cattle (if that's what you were thinking); they have thick skin. I don't remember if it's poisonous to them.

Also if you'll be in the area in sandals, hand weeding, or mulching with grass clippings from there, you may want to avoid spiny plants.

Says the person who planted about 75 feet of Oregon grape along a fence in a suburban backyard. The Oregon grape did keep humans from climbing over the fence.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[bwallace23350]

Holly was a thought but I would really like something that blooms in the July/August time frame. I have more research to do.

[bwallace23350]

Holly spines probably won't phase cattle (if that's what you were thinking); they have thick skin. I don't remember if it's poisonous to them.

Also if you'll be in the area in sandals, hand weeding, or mulching with grass clippings from there, you may want to avoid spiny plants.

Says the person who planted about 75 feet of Oregon grape along a fence in a suburban backyard. The Oregon grape did keep humans from climbing over the fence.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Poisonous to the bees or cattle?

[GeezLouise]

LOL, the cattle.

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[bwallace23350]

I have gave up on the actual natural fence idea and instead am just going to plant random herbs, lavender plants, butterfly bushes, lantana, and other such plants sporadically along the fence row.

[Acebird]

Just curious, what is the fence for?

[bwallace23350]

Just curious, what is the fence for?

I put up a 5 wire barb wire fence and expanded my fruit orchard garden. I thought about including a natural fence inside the barb wire to help keep the cows out and also as a way to give my bees something to feed on during a dearth.

[Acebird]

So the fence is to keep the cows out.  Got it.

[herbhome]

The pioneers here used wild roses as a natural fence. Bees don't care for it much. Once started they are near impossible to kill out without herbicide. Osage-orange, also known as Bois D'arc, is a good one I think the bees would like.

[bwallace23350]

I am thinking that I might just do a variety of herbs and perennial bushes. Target things that bloom in the dearth season.

[Nico]

Bwallace in Aust. lantana is declared a invasive pest, some species is definitely poisonous to cattle.
Nico

[bwallace23350]

Bwallace in Aust. lantana is declared a invasive pest, some species is definitely poisonous to cattle.
Nico

Thanks. I will skip the lantana because of the poison part. I might stick to lavender then.

[Jim134]

       I know where I'm located at you need electric fence. Bears !!!!! 


                   BEE HAPPY Jim 134. 

[bwallace23350]

       I know where I'm located at you need electric fence. Bears !!!!! 


                   BEE HAPPY Jim 134. 

Does an electric fence even keep bears out?

[herbhome]

[/quote]

Does an electric fence even keep bears out?
[/quote]

a good one does

[Dallasbeek]

Slows them down, anyway, and makes tem reconsider the plan.

[Jim134]

       When you live in Bear Country and get serious about keeping Bears out. This is something you may do. No bear has gotten in the past 15 years. Of course you need to maintain the grass growing against the fence.
        As you can see this is a chain link fence that is solar electrified





                   BEE HAPPY Jim 134 

[herbhome]

Jim 134,

That'll do it!