raised beds

[Barbara]

OK, so I got the electric screwdriver I wanted for christmas, now I'm aiming to make my own raised beds, so, what type of wood is best, and cheapest, for the job, I am hoping to grow spring onions and carrots and lettuce in it. :)any and all advice will be welcome.

[Plocket]

I guess it depends on how sturdy you want them, and how much you want to spend. I grow carrots in an old recycling box from the Council so I don't think your raised beds need to be exceptionally deep. And I guess it also depends on what you are going to put them on. If they are directly onto soil you don't need so much height. If you are putting them on something like concrete I would have you need more depth. LP's raised bed is 1 1/2 foot high I think.

[Dr Bill]

I use Link-a-bord beds which are very good and inexpensive and will last for ever.

[Barbara]

Plocket,I want to put it on the lawn near the plum tree, thats the brightest spot, I grew my veg in a recycling box last year as well, I had it on the patio, not the brightest spot in the garden, so I thought up to the top of the garden where its warmest.
DR BILL , they look great , but I wont be able to use my new electric screwdriver so I think I'll carry on looking for wood, OH says rough cut timber from B and Q, but I will have to look at it first, now that I'm going to retire, and become a proper gardener. ;D

[purplejulia]

Barbara, I have an article from January 2008 Gardener's World with a whole section on making raised beds. If you want me to photocopy the article, I could post it to you.

It claims you can build with 2 x 3.9m scaffolding planks for £8 each, total cost £16.

PJ

[Barbara]

Thanks PJ, what I'll do is , have a look at rough cut timber ,and price it ,and if it's more than that, I will ask you to copy that article for me

[bagpuss]

I don't know how helpful this may be Barbara, but there is a picture of my wooden raised bed which I made (I can't remember what the cost was, but it wouldn't have been very expensive) on my garden thread. As mine stands on solid ground I lined the bottom with old plastic compost bags, and did the same with the sides to help keep it damper for longer as it is in quite a sunny spot (when we get sunshine that is!)

gardenworld.proboards103.com/index.cgi?board=memberphotos&action=display&thread=6287

I would recommend using unprepared wood, especially if you are going to treat the wood with a wood treatment of any kind.

[Chuckles]

I reckon this is the simplist picture explanation on how to make one Barbara, I've copied it in as the link to the site wouldn't work for some reason




"Pictured above is an example of how you can make a raised vegetable growing bed out of planks of 6" x 1" wood and some 18" lengths of 4" x 4". The picture is pretty self explanatory and construction very simple. The area which is to become the vegetable plot should then be double dug over and the soil heaped in the centre away from the sides. The completed wooden structure is then turned upside down and the corners hammered one by one and inch by inch into the earth. If the raised plot is more then 6 feet long then additional 4" x 4" stakes should be added at 3 feet intervals to prevent the soil leaking out from bowed and twisted wood.

Use a spirit level to ensure that the raised area is level in all directions. As soon as it is level mix any soil improvement material (manure, compost, fertilizer etc) with the soil and spread it all out. Water the bed evenly with a fine spray and leave the soil to settle for a few days after which another inch or two of soil will need to be added" .

Barbara, I used some pre made sections for the bulk of mine but also made some from spare decking boards and also a couple from rough cut/ non planed hardwood planks. I didn't worry about any of the timber being treated either as I lined the sides of mine with black poly.

Some folk use wood that is just high enough to section off areas of the ground into beds, so only a couple of inches high. Some have them at a workable height so as to save bending etc. Mine are quite deep so I can grow anything in them, but I wanted them to be high too for the effect they gave in the garden. One thing I will say is the deeper/higher off the ground you have them the more they take to fill.

[Barbara]

Thanks bagpuss, and chuckles, I just need to price some wood now

[Chuckles]

Just thought I'd remind you of the raised beds Barbara. Before the list of jobs goes through the roof now you have more you time ;D

[Chuckles]

Did I read somewhere that you'd done the raised bed Barbara or did I dream it I do dream things sometimes ;D

[Barbara]

You did read it chucks, its on the what did you do in the garden today thread, we did it just like your plan.
but we painted it green. ;D
Now I have to finish filling it with soil and then I can plant some carrot seeds and some beetroot,and some spuds.

[Chuckles]

Feb 25, 2009 19:50:29 GMT Barbara said:

You did read it chucks, its on the what did you do in the garden today thread, we did it just like your plan.
but we painted it green. ;D
Now I have to finish filling it with soil and then I can plant some carrot seeds and some beetroot,and some spuds.

Ooooh goodo Barbara, glad you got it done. They take some filling though, depending on how deep you do them. I used a mix of garden soil, manure, compost from some old pots and some home made compo to fill mine. Best thing I did in my garden was the raised beds, they keep things tidier and more organised I reckon

Will you do anymore, I suppose it depends what room you have.

[Barbara]

Here it is , nearly half full, and I still have some turves at the front to bring round, I'm hoping to go to the farm up the road and get some manure as well, but not this week, we have enough to sort out.