Need advice on filling a large raised bed
tennandy
15 years ago
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tennandy
15 years agowonderpets
15 years agoRelated Discussions
raised bed advice - need help fast - please respond
Comments (5)I notice your post is a week old, so you may have already made a decision...nevertheless, if it were me, I'd lose the boards you put the sealant on. Use them for something else (to defray cost)...fencing or trellising of ornamentals, whatever, as long as you keep them away from your source of food. Don't you have timber yards or sawmills there where you can buy oak boards? I bought rough-cut 2"X12", l6 ft. long oak boards in my area (Maryland-Virginia), for about $6 or $7 apiece, 10 years ago, that are nearly as solid as they were when purchased. Of course I wouldn't dream of going to Home Depot (or some such similar retailer) for oak boards, but we have lumber yards and sawmills in rural areas that will cut oak boards to your specifications at a reasonable price...and 2" means 2" at a sawmill, not 1 1/2". I happen to have capped the 2" oak boards with cheap 2X4's (pine) as added insurance against decay (and also to have a place to plant my rear end while working in the raised beds), and I have no problem with such beds lasting 15-20 years, or so. To each his/her own, but oak is abundant in my area, and probably outlasts pine 5 to 1, so I wouldn't think of using pine for raised beds. Also, I can't work in a raised bed that's more than 39-40" wide without climbing into it, so I limit all my beds to that width (and I'm 6'5"). I realize (and read in this forum) that people make much wider beds, which they walk around in, but one of the chief benefits of raised beds (in my mind) is to avoid tramping and compacting the soil. Again, to each his/her own, but I have raised beds that never have had a foot in them since they were built. So, my suggestion is to remove what you have and use it elsewhere (not around something you'll eat). Find reasonably priced rough-cut oak boards (they'll last so long you won't have to worry about "sealing" them), and make your beds an appropriate width (so you won't have to climb into them)....See MoreNeed to fill a raised bed
Comments (4)Mrscoyle, Don't bag for bag it, you'll go bankrupt, but remember now is the greatest chance to have the best foundation for your garden. Skimp here and forever you'll play catch-up. Veilchen's right, one of the best kept secrets in some town dumps is the compost pile, ours is 10 bucks a pick-up truck load of three year old leaf mold. The best (only) deal in town. Don't just dump in straight loam, it'll compact. Mix sand, perlite or vermiculite, and the nutrients from the start. The work now will pay off big time! Check with a neighboor to split a truck delivery, almost anyone could use a couple yards of loam. Many are 10yd minimum.The more you order, the more reasonable it is. An extra pile tucked away in the corner of your yard will disappear before you know it, but make sure you some sand as well, or you might get frustrated with the results, good luck!...See MoreConstructing raised bed, need advice
Comments (17)Beautiful beds, Pam. To post multiple pics, you have to use a photohosting service...when you mouse over my pics, you'll notice they're hosted at photobucket. Bruce, my brother had 3 yards of top soil mixed with compost dumped on the street in front of his house. We wheeled the dirt front to back in that tiny barrow and a 5-gallon bucket! That part took the longest. The grass is invasive, and it readily grows into the beds around here. The key is to pull it as it apppears....easier to keep up than catch up, as they say. Josh...See MoreNeed advice for winter hardy raised beds
Comments (2)Shelli, I'm in a cold zone also and I had asked a while back in the container forum about perennials being hardy in containers since I live in an apartment and have no real garden space. The info I got was that if the containers are open on the bottom to the soil below, they have a good chance of surviving, otherwise there is not enough of an insulating barrier from freezing temps. If your perennials are hardy to your zone, they should be fine in a raised bed since the roots have access to deeper soil below and better protection from the cold. I actually had some chives and thyme survive sub-zero temps last winter that were in large(and very thick)cinder blocks. The holes were open to the ground and the blocks were next to the building, then with a good covering of snow they made it through almost 30 below temps. I was very surprised(but happy)....See Moretennandy
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