The general rule of thumb when setting a post is that the depth of the post’s hole needs to be 1/3 to 1/2 of the actual above-ground height of the post. So, six-foot-high fence posts ideally need to be buried three feet into the ground. The diameter of your post hole should be three times the diameter of your post. So, if you’re planning on using a four-inch round or 4x4-inch square post, your post hole will need to be 12 inches in diameter. For a six-foot-high fence post, we would need a hole that’s 36 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter. here