EZ Rabbit Garden fencing panels were designed to install around gardens. Most gardens have tilled soil where rocks and roots have been removed. This type of soil makes installation very simple. If your soil type is compressed, clay, or lawn then you may want to water the area with a sprinkler for a couple hours to loosen up the soil. Well hydrated soil will make all the difference in a easy installation or a difficult one. If your soil is extremely rocky then our fencing may not be a "EZ" choice. (We are working on inventing a panel for these extreme soil conditions.) You will have to use a shovel to separate the soil. Please note to only separate soil and don't dig. (Overly disturbed soil cues rabbits to dig. Compacted soil makes digging difficult.) Many of our customers with rocky soil, do have to do this and still say it is still easier to install than other methods of garden protection.
Most fencing needs to be installed at least 2-3 inches in the ground in order to prevent rabbits from digging under and to support panel properly. Remember, our panel doesn't require staking. Most of our customers install it 4" underground.
If you do encounter a rock or root you can either dig up the object or reposition the panel or tine to avoid it. If the object can't be removed then you may cut the tine that is unable to pass the object, instead of repositioning the whole panel.
Home Depot sells a great bolt cutter for around $15.00. Some hardware stores will cut the tine for free. We have also heard of customers using a rubber mallet to hammer in panel.
As far as installing our panels... it is EZ!
First, kneel in front of panel. Hold panel so that crosswire is on inside of garden and eyes on end of panels line up correctly. Pull down with enough force so that one END of panel pierces the ground. Continue pulling down, along the crosswire, all the way to the other side of panel. Continue this process until panel is at desired height. It is important to remember to PULL down on crosswires and not to push down.
Your fencing should last many years without significant rust damage.
Rough use, such as encounters with the lawnmower or having fence fall onto concrete will scratch off areas of powder coating and expose the galvanized wire. Galvanized wire will not "rust". But it does slowly break down until the wire below is exposed. This process usually takes a couple years. Touching up these areas with enamel paint(car paint)is the best way to keep your fencing protected and looking new.
