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Message
Raised Bed Garden
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:03 am
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:03 am
Guys im building two raised beds in my backyard. My question to you is what are the benefits of making the beds deeper or "more raised". It seems that it just takes a lot more dirt to fill them. Anybody have any tips? TIA
5
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:07 am to Bear Is Dead
I've never done a raised bed but heard an interesting tip from Ron Wilson. He strongly advised not to use any kind of treated wood for borders as rain and watering can leach toxic chemicals into your vegetables through the soil.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:09 am to Bear Is Dead
just depends on what type of soil you have, if you have loose, fertile soil, you don't need them to be very "raised"
if you have crappy soil, filling them in with good soil makes sense
also the raised soil helps with drainage if you have those types of issues
if you have crappy soil, filling them in with good soil makes sense
also the raised soil helps with drainage if you have those types of issues
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:18 am to Zach
quote:
He strongly advised not to use any kind of treated wood for borders as rain and watering can leach toxic chemicals into your vegetables through the soil.
So I went through that debate in my head before I built my garden. I did a lot of research on the issue. New treatments don't use arsenic and leaching, which has shown to be small, is confined to the first inch or so away from the board. I also design a lot of bioretention stormwater systems, and I know from monitoring that most of the pollutants are stored in the root structure of the plants. So basically, just don't plant carrots and potatoes and the like right next the board.
In the end I went with treated lumber. My lumber cost $16 total for an 8x4x2 garden. I went raised as the soil in my backyard is absolute crap. Also went raised because I rent and I want to be able to take it with me when I leave.
This post was edited on 10/30/13 at 10:20 am
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:20 am to BottomlandBrew
I use cedar for my raised beds. A little more expensive, but I think it's worth it.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:26 am to BottomlandBrew
I think the big culprit with leaching is older RR ties.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:27 am to Zach
yeah creosote does not go away 
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:33 am to Zach
quote:
I think the big culprit with leaching is older RR ties.
For sure, but anyone that uses creosote timber after taking a quick whiff isn't the brightest. You know just from the smell of creosote lumber that it's bad for you.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:37 am to Bear Is Dead
raised beds are good for getting the right mix of soil for your planting base. it's much easier to work with and till.
never use pressure treated lumber as it can leech toxins.
i always spread a layer of gravel below my planter with filter fabric below. it helps with drainage.
never use pressure treated lumber as it can leech toxins.
i always spread a layer of gravel below my planter with filter fabric below. it helps with drainage.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:39 am to Bear Is Dead
Do you have access to a feed lot or stockyard in Funroe and a trailer of a good size? If your answer to both is yes, get a few shipments of their finest manure to till into the soil to raise it and to act as a fertilizer in the here and now. That will get you worms for aeration, repeat that next spring when it gets to be planting time. Spread some leaves over the expanse to act as a mulch ingredient. Go to your local nursery and ask for organic fertilizer and dolomite lime when you do this, the lime provides acidity to the right levels for plants to really bloom and abound.
This post was edited on 10/30/13 at 10:42 am
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:42 am to Bear Is Dead
Put some cinder blocks or old upside down terra cotta pots in the bottom to create some negative space.
Higher beds are great as you get older so you don't have to stoop over and hurt your back.
Higher beds are great as you get older so you don't have to stoop over and hurt your back.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:45 am to CITWTT
quote:
Do you have access to a feed lot or stockyard in Funroe and a trailer of a good size?
Planning on using some "gin moat" from old cotton byproduct. Its a huge pile that has decayed for years and years.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:49 am to Bear Is Dead
I don't know what it is, or exactly what would be in it at all. I would consult with the Ag Co-op people in your area and follow thier lead on the product.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 10:51 am to Salmon
If you want treated lumber without the toxins get plain lumber and coat it with linseed oil. I did this for some posts I put in the ground to hold up my grapevines and will probably use that to create new raised garden beds when the current box eventually rots.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 11:08 am to TJG210
I used a double stack of composite decking material. They are attached on the inside using scrap material and stainless screws.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 11:08 am to TJG210
I like inexpensive concrete edging for my raised beds...the 1950s looking kinda scalloped stuff your grammaw had around her rosebushes. It's very sturdy, doesn't decay, and comes in 2' segments, so it's easy to make an irregularly shaped bed. Heavy, so marauding neighborhood dogs won't knock it down. It's also not very tall--which means the bed is slightly raised (6-6 inches) above surrounding soil. I find that tall raised beds require way way way too much watering in the depths of summer...this depends on how well drained your soil is.
A thick layer of newspaper (no color-printed pages) will make a nice biodegradable weed shield at the base, before you fill with soil. A few buckets of sand will help the soil texture to be loose & non compacting. Consider sowing a cover crop of winter peas, vetch, sesame, etc or similar "green manure" winter crop when you start your beds...you can turn it under once it grows. Works wonders for your soil quality. Baker Creek Seeds can sell you some, if you don't have a feed store nearby: LINK /
The Seed Saver's Exchange is another great seed source...open pollinated varieties of all kinds of veg & herbs: LINK /
A thick layer of newspaper (no color-printed pages) will make a nice biodegradable weed shield at the base, before you fill with soil. A few buckets of sand will help the soil texture to be loose & non compacting. Consider sowing a cover crop of winter peas, vetch, sesame, etc or similar "green manure" winter crop when you start your beds...you can turn it under once it grows. Works wonders for your soil quality. Baker Creek Seeds can sell you some, if you don't have a feed store nearby: LINK /
The Seed Saver's Exchange is another great seed source...open pollinated varieties of all kinds of veg & herbs: LINK /
Posted on 10/30/13 at 11:50 am to RaginCajunz
Ragin, that garden looks awesome. That is kind of what Im envisioning. Thanks.
Posted on 10/30/13 at 11:57 am to Bear Is Dead
quote:
Ragin, that garden looks awesome. That is kind of what Im envisioning. Thanks.
Thanks. It's held strong for about 5 years now with no signs of wear or deterioration. Our original was made from untreated pine. As expected, it lasted maybe 3 years before fully rotting. Very little soil erosion through the years. We just top it every spring with a few bags of *GOOD* composted chicken manure. (Naylors, Cleggs and Old Time Farm Supply in Gonzales all stock it)
Posted on 10/30/13 at 12:25 pm to hungryone
quote:
Heavy, so marauding neighborhood dogs won't knock it down
My oldest brother went on an across the street one night decades ago on a mission to destroy the pink flamingos in the yard. The lady of the house was not amused what so ever. I am sure she was pissed to hell when he married into the family.
He has hated me since day one,I have just learned to expect nothing from him at all even pissing on my grave.Posted on 10/30/13 at 12:27 pm to RaginCajunz
I have had raised bed with treated lumber for 25 year now. Just changed a few out that were just starting to rot out.
One word of advice make your beds no wider than 4' wide.
One word of advice make your beds no wider than 4' wide.
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