”My husband wants to put up a fence but our lot is sloped. We have not had any rain recently so the ground seems fairly dry, can we install the posts now or should it wait until spring?” This is a question I usually get from, many people especially considering putting up a fence in the winter.

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

Yes, you can install the posts now because you are installing them for aesthetic purposes only so they really do not need to be in the ground to hold them up. You will want to turn them just before you are ready to install so they get a good grip on the soil.

You can also have someone come out with an electric auger and drill down pretty deep, at least 6-8 inches for each post because it is really not possible to dig that deep by hand. This way you will have the posts in the ground and they are ready to go when it starts getting warm enough.

Alternatively, if you want to get a head start on it then you can wait until spring and then dig down your post holes and install them that way, but just keep in mind that trying to do this by hand is going to take some time since the soil freezes pretty hard once winter arrives.

What to know before installing a fence in winter.

You want to have the posts in the ground at least two weeks before you are ready to start construction because it takes some time for them to loosen up and settle into place, otherwise your fence is going to be crooked. The longer you wait the better chance of snow or rain messing with your project that is already on a slim margin for error.

If you are planning on putting down concrete blocks then they will need to be poured sometime between December 1st and February 14th depending on where you live because colder climates do not allow any time past Valentines Day due to freezing temperatures. This way they set properly over the winter months so they are ready the following spring when you are ready to put up your fence.

So there you have it – You can install your fence posts now or wait until spring so either way is perfectly fine and really depends on how much work you want to put into getting everything done before winter sets in.