Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi folks - has anybody got any advice on which type of wood to use for raised beds? I was thinking about gravel boards - would they be OK or is there anything better?
Thanks

Hi - I bought some untreated, rough timber from a local buildering merchant (Berry's in Leyland for all you fellow Prestonites). I used 8" tall x 1.5" wide (20cm x 4cm) boards for the sides and 2" x 2" (5cm x 5cm) wood for the posts, cut 2' (60cm) long with a pointed tip. I screwed the boards to these posts to make replacing the boards easier - I'll need to do this in the future because I am following an organic route and not using CCA treated wood.

You can see pictures and the like on my blog - follow the link in my sig and search for 'raised' and/or 'beds'.

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Head Burro
www.wildburro.co.uk
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I went around the local industrial sites and picked up old pallets. They do need more work to make them into raised beds, but you can`t grumble when it`s free. I also found a large box in an oblong shape that is like pallets nailed together, and i am going to just line it, fill it with compost and grow potatoes in it. When it comes time to dig the potatoes up i am just going to push it over! So much less work!!!!! I know i am lazy, but hay why not!

I tried first off with 1" (2.5cm) thick wood but it warped too easy. I then tried with pallet wood, but that broke when I levered my spade against it. Still, you can argue with the price

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Head Burro
www.wildburro.co.uk
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Yup - my dad too. Swears by 'em.

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Head Burro
www.wildburro.co.uk
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Thanks for the advice everyone - I'll have a look in Berrys - unfortunately I need to make 11 beds and haven't got enough pennies for railway sleepers - will put them on my Christmas list!

From memory, Berrys had the 8" x 1.5" untreated, rough boards for about £1.50 per metre. If I find the details, I'll post more acurate prices (or try their website - just google Berrys & Leyland)

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Head Burro
www.wildburro.co.uk
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I had some used scaffolding planks delivered by a local company - just rang them up from Yellow Pages. They let me have six 14ft long boards for £10 and £5 delivery, to make two beds 14ft long by 5ft wide, and they are fab!

Anyone know where I can get these? Particularly round here - I'm on the border of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Bucks.

I took on a plot in November last year. I wanted to use raised beds. Pressure treated timber lasts up to 15 years but is usually expensive. If you have a Wickes near you, try looking through their decking boards. If there are any with slight damage to the edges or knot holes, goand see the manager and ask if he will discount them.
I managed to get 12ft and 8ft boards for 50p each!! (2x12ft and one 8ft sawn in half per bed) I go in every six to eight weeks and so far have managed to get enogh timber for 15 beds in three visits!

Thanks for the tip - I have got a Wickes nearby so I'll go and have a look.

Hi martini - have you seen the article in this months GYO - page 18? dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

You'll be needing some big stockungs then!!!!!! Lol

Hi Snadger - I put a pillow case out every Christmas Eve but don't find much in it these days! In the old days I used to get a tangerine and half a crown (giving the age away there!)

Dexterdog - saw the article -it looks good. WE (I mean the OH) were going to double dig the whole lawn because it's clay and compacted but sense (and age!) says we'll (oops I mean he'll) only double dig the bits where the beds are going, put the wooden rectangles over them, weed suppressant on the paths with bark on top. Does this sound OK? I'm getting so desperate to sow stuff I'm eyeing up the pots on the patio at the moment. Also got to get a shed - can't get in the garage - it's full of stuff for the future veg plot! Sorry to hear about your wheelie bin - ran out to check ours but so far no chip. PS when you took up your lawn did you get trouble with wireworm? I've read in loads of places it can be a real pest in newly dug up grassland.

hi martini - like you I got the OH to do most of the donkey work in the first place (I did my best, but you know, the old bones ect - and yes, I do remember the pillowcases with an orange and a comic!!) but we managed quite well one saturday in january, it took me until easter this year to do the rest because of the weather!). I had help from my father in law as well. Actually, despite the, at least 10 year old back lawn and the 3 year old dog poo, after digging down and removing all that, the soil has proved to be quite good. I actually did put some pony poo down and dug that in (not quite as decomposed as I wanted) and then when I had divided it up into plots, put some chicken pellets from B&Q down and a bit of compost, everything has been coming up roses, or should I say, vegetables since. I never checked the soil for acidity but will do that next year just to check. maybe the dog poo helped? only JOKING! do let me know how you get on. dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

I used skirting board we were ripping out in the front garden, works o.k. but not brill, have used scaffold boards in the allotment, £5 each from local reclimation yard, very good.

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Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull

i used scaffold boards in suffolk, v cheap and will probably last for years, i'll be using these again on my firt allotment!!

Hi all,

I'm really interested in what you are all saying on this raised bed issue at it is something I was planning to start on my plot for next year.

If I have read the stories correctly you don't need to dig the base ground at all - maybe scrape off the worst of the weeds - but no deep digging? What if you have thistles and the like, should you remove them completely or will the layer of soil/compost effectively do this, like a mulch??

Also could you put down the weed barrier sheeting all over the base of the bed - would that work, or would it prevent deep rooted veggies, like parsnip, carrot from developing?

I suppose I'm just a little bit concerned that it all sounds too easy - just build a wooden frame, chuck in a load of soil/compost and hey presto. Is it just too good to be true?!!

Welshie

Hi Welshie, I think what you're referring to is called the no dig method. I'm only a novice at this but in one of my books it says you should clear your plot of weeds in the autumn - if there are a lot put down black plastic until they've died off. You need to remove the roots as well and may have to use glyphosate. At this stage you can then make your raised bed on top of the area you've cleared. After this you put down a thick layer of mulch like compost or manure to help the soil structure and then in the spring you can sow directly into the mulch. It says the method is most successful on soil with a good structure but you may have to persevere with weeds for the first few years. The method isn't really suitable for heavy soils like clay. I'm putting my raised beds on my lawn - I've only got about six inches of soil and then it's nasty compacted clay so my OH is going to double dig the bits where the raised beds are going to be otherwise I'll have virtually no drainage and won't be able to grow deeper rooting crops. We'll only have to do this double digging once as the soil won't get compacted again because we won't be walking on the beds. Hope this helps, but there are plenty of other grapes on the forum who have years of experience. There are also more threads about raised beds if you go on search. Good Luck

Hi Welshie. I had to double dig the ground below as I'd only have had 8 inches of soil to play with if I hadn't. Also the hard, un-dug soil would have formed a 'seal' at the bottom causing the bed to water-log and flood in rain. In total I dug down 18 to 24 inches below the soil surface before putting the beds on top and filling them in. The good news is, you only have to do this once

The other solution is to build very high beds (waist high, etc.) with brick walls and fill them in - these are great for people with limited mobility.

I took pictures of my patch being dug & my beds being built and you can see them on my blog via these two linkettes: Digging & Beds

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Head Burro
www.wildburro.co.uk
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Welshie I can recommend taking a look at Head Burro's blog - especially if you like a laugh. It really is good.

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[

Flatterer x

p.s. I do tend to swear in it - you have been warned

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Head Burro
www.wildburro.co.uk
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Can anyone recommend pieces of wood so that I can, sorry, my OH can, edge my paths during the coming winter? thanks dexterdog

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Appreciate the little things in life because one day you will realise they are the big things

Long ones

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/