Raised beds

[Stan]

We’ve been using wooden raised beds for a long time but eventually they rotted badly. The ones made from 18” concrete blocks have lasted much better although with a bit of subsidence. I fell in a big way for steel corrugated raised beds when seeing them on ‘Self-sufficient me’ on youtube.
The one that I bought is designed to stand 800mm high which seemed a good working height. However, after consideration, I assembled it at 400mm high and about twice as long (4000mm).



I’m really pleased with it. It’s now planted up with strawberries and I do keep it weed-free and runner-free.
One mod that I made was to fit 3 dexion frames at intermediate positions to increase stability.
The smaller wooden bed is made from some 9” x 3” oak sections enjoying a second life, to see how that fares.




This later photo taken today shows the raised beds made from 6” x 2” plastic sections which are bedded on lightweight concrete blocks. This structure is not going to rot. However, the plastic sections are a lot more flexible tha timber sections and expansion causes them to spread under the lateral soil load and they even walk a bit. Also the plastic costs a fortune. I was given it but it would have cost me say £500.

[Sunrisemike]

A few years ago I made some boxes out of a fallen cedar that I had planked up with my planking chain saw. I made the sides taller so that I din't have to bend over so far!

[Stan]

That looks really good Mike, especially in cedar.

[AE-NMidlands]

We tried them at our allotment where the soil was very heavy, but found that a) we couldn't keep them moist enough for good growth and b) the red ants moved in and you couldn't do anything without getting quite badly "stung!"
A

[Joeboy]

We have found that overlayering with grass clippings or Autumn leaves provide an excellent moisture barrier to keep it all in.Worth a Google for lasagna gardening.

[nowty]

That looks really good Mike, especially in cedar.

I was up in the NW of England last week visiting my parents and doing some DIY work on their property. I noticed a wooden clothes line prop leaning against the garage. I said to my mum, "that can't be the same one you had made at Jewsons over 40 years ago ?"

She replied, "yes it is".

I remember going with her and she was offered one in pine or cedar. The wood cutter recommended the cedar one as far more quality but was more expensive. She chose the cedar one and apart from it now being very grey, it looks like it will last another 40 years and its been kept outside the whole time.

EDIT - The 40 something year old cedar clothes line prop, still in operational service.

[Mr Gus]

*Cough* Nice shrubbery