What do you use for YOUR raised beds?

[sclanimals]

I'm wondering what everyone else uses to frame their raised beds. I have a surplus of railroad ties but am having a really bad feeling about using them. I was told red wood can't be used if you want your garden to be certified organic. I have pine logs that we cut from the mountains but those would rot really fast I would think. Concrete or cinder block isn't natural enough looking for me. I was thinking stone but am still leaning toward the pine logs and just replacing them when the rot.

What do you use??

 

[simple life]

I used whatever wood the fence company put out free for the taking.
Most if not all of it is cedar and it was really nice looking wood.
They put out odds and ends all the time in a bin out in front of the company.
The wood is usually fairly long so you don't have a bunch of tiny pieces.
We have even taken apart large pallets and used that wood.
Going past another fence company one day my husband spotted what appeared to be already assembled wood frames.
He stopped by and they said to go ahead and take them.
I am still not sure why they were assembled in rectangles already but it may have been used for some type of rack or stand for lumber or something.
I just had to throw those down and fill with soil, no assembly needed.
Those were cedar as well. Fence companies are a good place to good quality free wood.

 

[momofdrew]

I'm wondering what everyone else uses to frame their raised beds. I have a surplus of railroad ties but am having a really bad feeling about using them. I was told red wood can't be used if you want your garden to be certified organic. I have pine logs that we cut from the mountains but those would rot really fast I would think. Concrete or cinder block isn't natural enough looking for me. I was thinking stone but am still leaning toward the pine logs and just replacing them when the rot.

What do you use??

rail road ties have been dipped in creosote which will kill any plant it touches...
I use cheap pine and replace as needed... cedar would be great if you can find it cheaply... I have old cedar fence posts holding my compost piles and I have had them for 15 years and they had been a fence for 30 years before that...

 

[vfem]

We bought none-treated 2x4s from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. There were 70+ pieces for $50. I was afraid of rot and such but because of chemical issues I didn't want treated wood, or to treat these. We did decide it would be ok to stain and seal the outsides to hold off weathering damage... we just didn't do the insides.

We also used old free decking boards we got off of craigslist. They've been good and weathered for about 15 years, so I was sure any chemical danger was long gone from them. Just to get them to last a few more years, I sealed the outside of the beds only.

I wouldn't think there would be an issue with your pine. Just use a clear sealant on the outside and they will probably last much longer then you think

 

[wishin4chicken]

Wow, thanks for the pallet idea. We have a stack of them sitting in front of our new house that the stone company failed to come and pick up. They may just end up in our garden instead.

Great idea! :bee

 

[sclanimals]

Thanks for the tips. Does anyone have any thoughts on making them with stone?

 

[smom1976]

I used landscaping timbers..

I am very glad that I did.. because I used a yard stick cut up and written on with a sharpie as plant markers.. and literally one that I put in last week I pulled out and it had termites all over it .. the part that was stuck in the dirt was half way gone..

NOW I have to spray.. because I cant have termites even getting close to the house!!

 

[aquarose]

Thanks for the tips. Does anyone have any thoughts on making them with stone?

I think stone raised beds would be wonderful. Due to the lack of available stone, I am thinking about concrete.

 

[simple life]

Stone will work fine. I have considered it since I have so many rocks available to me.(just dig a whole in my yard and you will find them)
The only thing may be that you will have to weed a little in between the rocks if they are not a real tight fit.
Sometimes grass can creep between any little crevice.
I have stone borders going around beds and while I do notice thw grass occasionally its never been enough of a problem for me to quit using them or to stop making new ones.

 

[cookiesdaddy]

I don't know if I made a mistake or not: I just built one bed (my first) with wood from my old fence. It's falling down anyway and my neighbor and I need to put in a new fence. The wood is only 3/4 inch thick, so I double them up to make 1.5" walls, by just by screwing 2 flat boards together. I thought to make it stronger & last longer. But now I'm worried ... the gap between the 2 boards is an awesome place for water to reside in and rot the wood faster. Should I be concerned? My bed is pretty large (4' x 12') and so I thought it needs a stronger wall. Will single 3/4" board do the job? BTW, the bed is 8" high.