A "How To" for Building Raised Beds

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Keiththibodeaux

Untreated wood in South Louisiana will have termites in less than 3 months, if that long\

That's what I was thinking.

I would also have to have a root barrier for these elm trees.
AND you dont put screws or nails into the end grain of wood.
There should be 4X4's in the corners.

Worth

[Too Tall Toms]

well it looks like pressure-treated wood is alot cheaper than cedar.
As long as it's safe to use, I'm all in

You think 2 inches thick is enough?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Too Tall Toms

well it looks like pressure-treated wood is alot cheaper than cedar.
As long as it's safe to use, I'm all in

You think 2 inches thick is enough?

2x stuff is really 1 1/2 thick and yes it is thick enough.
As for the treated wood you wont have any worries till later in life, nothing to worry about.

Worth

[TomatoDon]

2 inch is standard, but as Worth said, the actual width is a bit smaller. Just tell them you want a 2 x 12 x 12 treated and they'll know.

Again, if you have any hesitation about treated lumber, just line the inside of the bed with plastic.

[Too Tall Toms]

Originally Posted by Worth1

2x stuff is really 1 1/2 thick and yes it is thick enough.
As for the treated wood you wont have any worries till later in life, nothing to worry about.

Worth

Won't have to worry till later in life?? I hope you're joking LOL

I'm assuming that I'd have to wrap the pieces of lumber in plastic. Why line the bottom of the bed if the only possible soil-to-wood contact is at the wood around the sides?

I've been using 2"X12"X 8' treated lumber without any kind of liner for years with good success. I don't go as long as 12' in length because I think at that length you might need center support to prevent it bulging in the middle from the soil weight. I don't screw the boards together directly, but use steel, 90 degree brackets at each corner on the soil side or inside of the corners. I would like to use the brackets on the outside of the corners, but if you don't angle cut the boards at each corner, the brackets won't reach far enough on one side. With the precut boards and the brackets, you can construct the frame in about thirty minutes. I just like to keep it simple.

Ted

[Too Tall Toms]

Originally Posted by tedln

I've been using 2"X12"X 8' treated lumber without any kind of liner for years with good success. I don't go as long as 12' in length because I think at that length you might need center support to prevent it bulging in the middle from the soil weight. I don't screw the boards together directly, but use steel, 90 degree brackets at each corner on the soil side or inside of the corners. I would like to use the brackets on the outside of the corners, but if you don't angle cut the boards at each corner, the brackets won't reach far enough on one side. With the precut boards and the brackets, you can construct the frame in about thirty minutes. I just like to keep it simple.

Ted

The longest I would make my beds are 8 feet. I keep changing my mind about the size.

either 3 x 6 or 3 x 8

I have 3X8 and 4X8. I like both for different reasons. I would always make them at least eight feet long simply because it is a standard length at the big box stores. I don't want to have to buy eight foot long boards and cut two feet off of each board. I think twelve feet long is also a standard length. You can buy them and cut four feet off the end of each board to make the four foot long ends to each bed.

Ted

[Dewayne mater]

All of these beds are raised quite a lot - close to a foot I'd estimate. In a newly completed bed, I have taken a different approach using paver/stacking bricks to raise my bed by only about 6 inches above the ground level.(primarily used this approach for aesthetic appeal) I also, greatly augmented the existing soil with some great soil/compost from a local provider to a depth of 2 feet. The total depth of greatly improved soil, about 30 inches. Are there advantages to having the raised part be raised higher? What are they? I could always had paver/stackers and more amended soil and get the raised part higher, but, I don't know that it is worth the time, effort and expense? Input appreciated.

Dewayne,

My natural soil is very rocky with very low nutrient value. When I started my raised beds, I didn't incorporate the new soil into the natural soil due to the rocks. The first year, I only added mixed soil to about six inches deep and the garden did very well. By the end of the first growing season, the soil had compressed to about four inches deep. At that point enough nutrients had penetrated from the new soil into the old soil that I thought I should mix them with a shovel. Since the area had been damp from the garden moisture, it was much softer and I could dig the rocks out with a shovel. I added another four inches of new soil on top of the incorporated soil. Each year, I add about three inches of new soil and compost (mostly compost) and mix it into the existing soil. I now have about ten inches of good soil in my beds. I like the deeper soil because it retains moisture better and it has more nutrients available. I had a dump truck load of topsoil delivered to my house and mix organics from a variety of sources with the topsoil in a wheel barrow and deliver it to my beds in the wheel barrow. I also add Ironite for iron, Epson Salt for magnesium, and Alfalfa pellets to each wheel barrow load. I love the alfalfa pellets because the earth worms love it. Each compressed pellet expands to about ten times its size when it gets wet in the soil. Some years, depending on the color of my tomato plant leaves; I also add dried molasses to the mix for copper and sulphur. The micro organisms and fungi love the dried molasses. I never suggest anyone should do what I do, but I have developed a system that works for me

I will always remember that I grew some of my best tomatoes the first year when the soil was only four inches deep. I suspect some of the roots penetrated into the old soil beneath the new soil.

Ted

[hornstrider]

I live in Central Texas, and my soil is very rich black gumbo. Three years ago I decided to raise all of my beds in my"back" garden. It was a all winter project. I added alfalfa pellets, green sand, aged horse manure, and lots of compost. It was the best gardening decision I have ever made. The beds are so easy to work now. Two weeks ago I decided to raise my "front" garden bed. This bed was my original garden when we built our house 7 years ago. I use 3' t-posts to secure the stacked boards using deck screws to hold the boards upright in a vertical position. It has worked well for me in the "back" garden over the years so I decided to do the same to the front garden. I used treated pine 4X4's in the back, and 2X6 cedar in the front garden. See pictures below.

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/w...22/newbed1.jpg

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/w...22/Newbed2.jpg

I love your beds hornstrider.

Ted

[hornstrider]

tedln .........Wow thank you. I believe you are the first person to reply to one of my post's on this forum. It looks like our beds, and approach are very much alike. It must be the "Texan" in us.

Keep posting Hornstrider. Everyone on this forum is friendly and helpful but we all get a little busy sometimes. I always enjoy seeing what other folks are doing in their gardens.

As for the Texan thing. I'm thinking of getting a lot of those bumper stickers which say "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could". I know a lot of new arrivals who would appreciate one.

Ted

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by hornstrider

tedln .........Wow thank you. I believe you are the first person to reply to one of my post's on this forum. It looks like our beds, and approach are very much alike. It must be the "Texan" in us.

Ok Gooooooooo Hippos!!!!!!!!!


Worth