# The "Bee Blind"



## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

My hives have taken over the vegetable garden this year, so we decided to add a wind break/fence this winter in hopes that the neighbors aren't too disgruntled with my new hobby.









this is the 'before'









this is the 'after'









this is the 'neighbor's view'


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

I like it! What the neighbors can't see won't make them complain, hopefully. Nice looking fence also!


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## Maddy (Jan 20, 2014)

OOOOoooh, NICE!
We were just looking yesterday at the expensive solid 5' plastic fence panels, but I like what you did, it looks less like a wall enclosing me in, since it will be between our bees and the alley on one side, and the street on the other. Thank you for sharing this one!!!
If you don't mind, about how much did it cost you for materials?

~M


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

I couldn't afford the solid vinyl fencing either and it didn't provide the height I wanted. The material was $40 off ebay. And the vinyl lattice will vary on your home improvement store. The total cost was somewhere around $200-$250. I was trying to get by without a 4x4 every 4 ft, but the lattice is too flimsy not to have it there.


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## PaulT (Sep 2, 2015)

I am also in a close proximity to neighbors. Currently I have the ******* solution in place. I have metal farm posts in place with camo tarp up around the hive. I want to keep a better solution economical so my plans are to set 4x4 corners on a 12' x 12' area,(donated posts by a neighbor taking down a tree house), run fence tension, ($25.00),wire around the perimeter at three levels with a turnbuckle on one end of each run. Home depot has bamboo fence at a reasonable price. run it around and wire tie to the wire, staple to the posts to hold in place. reuse the tarp around the inside to block see through view of hive. hope to do all for around $150.00.


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## PaulT (Sep 2, 2015)

PaulT said:


> I am also in a close proximity to neighbors. Currently I have the ******* solution in place. I have metal farm posts in place with camo tarp up around the hive. I want to keep a better solution economical so my plans are to set 4x4 corners on a 12' x 12' area,(donated posts by a neighbor taking down a tree house), run fence tension, ($25.00),wire around the perimeter at three levels with a turnbuckle on one end of each run. Home depot has bamboo fence at a reasonable price. run it around and wire tie to the wire, staple to the posts to hold in place. reuse the tarp around the inside to block see through view of hive. hope to do all for around $150.00.


Meant to add that HOA requires approval for fencing so this is a flyway barrier / trellis for vine growth with a small garden set around it.


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## Maddy (Jan 20, 2014)

PaulT said:


> Meant to add that HOA requires approval for fencing so this is a flyway barrier / trellis for vine growth with a small garden set around it.


Thankfully, we are out in the county, no HOA. But bamboo wouldn't last enough for me, and I would hate when it started to look 'ratty.' The vinyl lattice is a great in between for my area, and yeah, we could run wild grape vines up it! Good idea!!!
~M


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## ruthiesbees (Aug 27, 2013)

Maddy said:


> Thankfully, we are out in the county, no HOA. But bamboo wouldn't last enough for me, and I would hate when it started to look 'ratty.' The vinyl lattice is a great in between for my area, and yeah, we could run wild grape vines up it! Good idea!!!
> ~M


I plan to run thin vines up the lattice as well, but I wonder if a heavy grape vine would twist it all out of shape. The vinyl does seem to warp and give quite a bit.


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## Maddy (Jan 20, 2014)

We used 2' wide sections of that lattice as street curb fencing tie wrapped to short lengths of rebar pounded into the ground a few years ago, when we were trying to encourage ornamental grasses, and people kept walking through the area. It seems to be very sturdy. Our grape vines never get thicker than about 1/2", with the majority about half that. They sprawl all over our chain link, but you can easily pull them off and break them by hand. Birds love to eat the grapes in the winter. I would use full-size ones like the bee blind for runner beans and small patty pan squash. Morning glories, if I were into flowers.
~M


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## PaulT (Sep 2, 2015)

Made for two hives with room to squeeze to four if needed.
Out of pocket - $75.00.


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