Raised bed construction material

[gettinaclue]

Hello everyone.

We have 4 raised beds built out of composite decking so it will never rot and never have to be replaced. They are 12 ft long, 4 ft wide and 2 ft high I believe. We also put welded wire on the bottoms to keep them free from moles and the like.

We never would have been able to afford such a thing if we hadn't found a place going out of business that was selling them, so we bought the seconds and built from that. They look fabulous and I already have 3 of them planted this year, with something coming up in each one already. :rose

I have been thinking of building more raised beds, but don't want to build from untreated lumber since it rots to quickly, and don't want to use treated lumber because I don't want the chemicals leaching into the soil and into my plants, possibly killing them.

My question is, what would you recommend to build the new raised beds from that won't rot?

I have been thinking of using cement blocks to build a smaller bed with ...maybe even mortaring the blocks together, but I'm just not sure.

Your thoughts please?

 

[lesa]

Congrats on your great deal! Don't forget you don't need to have edges to a raised bed, at all. You can just mound your soil and plant. The one thing I really enjoy about this method is that you aren't confined to square shapes. I am partial to the kidney shape, myself...

 

[gettinaclue]

You know, I had never thought about not using an edging of some sort...

Unfortunately, it wouldn't work for me. I've got to have something up to keep the chickens, and dogs out.

I'd also be worried about erosion of my beds.

 

[digitS']

Never is a looooong time!

Don't overlook cedar board fences -- it is real likely that people who are replacing a fence will just be happy to have them hauled away! I had cedar boards around raised beds in one garden for almost 10 years. AND, they were from a fence that was torn down and replaced!!

Colder winters and a shorter growing season helps with this, I'm sure.

Steve

 

[dickiebird]

I have been thinking of building more raised beds, but don't want to build from untreated lumber since it rots to quickly, and don't want to use treated lumber because I don't want the chemicals leaching into the soil and into my plants, possibly killing them.

I don't think the modern day treated lumber is a problem. The older stuff had an arsnic based treatment, I think they got away from that.

THANX RICH

 

[thistlebloom]

That's true Dickie, I was just reading about that this afternoon in a garden magazine. It said wood treated after 2003 has been treated with ACQ (alkaline copper quarternary ) which is considered safe, unlike the arsenic compounds they used to use.

 

[gettinaclue]

I didn't know they no longer used the arsenic in treated lumber!

Thank you very much for that info.

I will look into it.

 

[Chillydawg]

It said wood treated after 2003 has been treated with ACQ (alkaline copper quarternary ) which is considered safe, unlike the arsenic compounds they used to use.

A little more on the subject

http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infptforraisedgardens.html

 

[gettinaclue]

Thanks for that link!

 

[Chillydawg]

Thanks for that link!

Happy to help.