I'm considering building raised beds for a small garden. 2x4x10 feet and I am looking to use 2x10 for panel construction. I know I shouldn't use PT lumber, so if I line the inside with plastic poly and paint the bottom and outside, would I get a few years out of it?
Raised bed thoughts?
- Thread starter Chaznsc
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koditten
Well-known member
These are made out of cedar fence boards and untreated 2 x 4s. We filled the bottom with rotting firewood and put black dirt over the top.
I expect to get more than 10 years out of them. The untreated 2 x 4 on the bottom is the weak link. I'll just rsolace the bottom board when the time comes.
I expect to get more than 10 years out of them. The untreated 2 x 4 on the bottom is the weak link. I'll just rsolace the bottom board when the time comes.
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Chaz, there is a guy at Pomaria, I think, that advertises in the "Market Bulletin" selling red cedar lumber. He would probably saw some to size for you. Check out current or past issues of the market bulletin at the scstategov website, probably I have the name wrong, but it is a state department of agriculture publication. Some local farmer might have an issue on hand.
I'm not sure where you are, possibly you are out of the red cedar growing area. Red cedar grows like weeds here in the upstate.
KEH
I'm not sure where you are, possibly you are out of the red cedar growing area. Red cedar grows like weeds here in the upstate.
KEH
readhead
Well-known member
I built mine out of 2x10 rectangular tubing with 2x2 tube legs. They were drops from a job. I think they will outlive me.
I made mine out of 2x8, 2x10, 2x12 SYP boards and I've had them for 4 years with a single coat of deck stain on them when new and they are just fine. They've greyed some but they're just as solid as new sitting right on the ground full of dirt. I didn't use any plastic.
txvwnut
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steel 35
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Dagny
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I made 7 or 8 raised beds 2x4 and 2x6 cheap spruce and pine from menards in 2001 I am i am still using them. But they are pretty bad now. I would count on them being good about 10 years.
johnehr
Well-known member
I built a couple of these with rough-sawn cedar 2x4's and galvanized corrugated metal panels from Menards. Hoping that they will last for quite a while!
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58Yeoman
Well-known member
I had three 4x8 raised beds for a few years, as our soil is a lot of clay. (Guess what, the 'black dirt' that was hauled in had a lot of clay also). Plain 2x12's were getting pretty rotten; went on the burn pile.
This year we're trying straw bale gardening. The 'maters aren't getting as big, and we've only picked two potatoes, but they're good. We'll see by the end of the season if it works well or not.
This year we're trying straw bale gardening. The 'maters aren't getting as big, and we've only picked two potatoes, but they're good. We'll see by the end of the season if it works well or not.
Pathfinders
Well-known member
I am in the Up State of SC and used untreated 2x10s, going on the 3rd year and they are holding up. If they fail, they will be cut up composted with the lawn clippings, leaves, chicken droppings from the yard.
rieferman
Well-known member
I used pavers to hard scape my wife's garden before discovering how I should have done it all along.... Galvanized horse trough. Got her one for Mother's Day. 2 x 4 x 18" deep. Very nice to work in, critter proof, and it will never rot.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
If you are going untreated, two 2x6 are cheaper than a 2x12, Probably cheaper than a 2x10.
30+ years of grass clipping and brown leaves, plus a small amount of sand, make my heavy clay soil perfect for gardening. Just keep it moist during dry periods.
30+ years of grass clipping and brown leaves, plus a small amount of sand, make my heavy clay soil perfect for gardening. Just keep it moist during dry periods.
Slednut
Well-known member
Wow, those are really nice.
73fxe
Well-known member
Why no PT lumber?
pressure treated has nasty chemicals in it - you don't want to eat vegetables grown in a solution containing leached chemicals. If it's just flowers then fine, but for herbs or vegetables then no pressure treated and no creosote.
i used cedar 2x6's, two high so it's a foot deep (I'm mainly using it for appearance and drainage, not so much for the working height). Lots of people seem to opt for 4ft x 8 ft, but I went 5ft x 10 ft which is 56% more space for a fairly minor cost difference and 2.5 ft to reach to the middle isn't too bad IMO.
i used cedar 2x6's, two high so it's a foot deep (I'm mainly using it for appearance and drainage, not so much for the working height). Lots of people seem to opt for 4ft x 8 ft, but I went 5ft x 10 ft which is 56% more space for a fairly minor cost difference and 2.5 ft to reach to the middle isn't too bad IMO.
Jon_E
Well-known member
I use rough-sawn white pine, 2x10's and 2x12's. Some I sawed myself, some I bought. Corners are **** joints held together with timberlok screws.Most have been on the ground, raw wood, filled with garden soil, for close to ten years. Every year I replace some boards due to rot, but only because the timberloks won't hold any longer. I am going to start replacing the boards with 2 layers of 2x6 black locust, and they should outlive me.
DC73
Well-known member
Nice. I like this idea a lot.
These look great as well.
I've been considering using a stock tank something like these:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...6-ft-l-x-2-ft-h-169-gal-capacity?cm_vc=-10005
They also make them in plastic (structural foam).
DC
theundermount
Well-known member
What kind of drainage do these things have ? Or is the bottom completely open ?
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pepi
Well-known member
What is the, if there is any, advantage of a raise garden, seems to me the weeds will not care. Tilling it for planting would be a real blast, not.
here are some ideas to look over
http://www.metalgardenbeds.com/garden2.html
here are some ideas to look over
http://www.metalgardenbeds.com/garden2.html
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Bottom should be open IMO. I don't think the horse trough will work in the long run because it will hold water, making the plants root stto wet, but I would like to know how it works out. All flower pots have a hole in the bottom. Some come with a little saucer like thing to catch excess water so the pot can be put on floors.
KEH
KEH
nh_yota
Well-known member
I built my raised 4'x14' bed out of PT lumber 6 years ago and it's held up fine. The newer PT lumber doesn't have arsenic in it like the old stuff and is okay to use for a vegetable garden as long as you don't plant the vegetable right up against it.
I've built a number of raised garden beds and flower boxes over the years, and one of the most important design aspects is the use of cross pieces to tie the long sides of the bed together to keep them from bowing out. The larger and higher the raised bed, the more likely the soil is to push the sides out over time.
I've built a number of raised garden beds and flower boxes over the years, and one of the most important design aspects is the use of cross pieces to tie the long sides of the bed together to keep them from bowing out. The larger and higher the raised bed, the more likely the soil is to push the sides out over time.
Traditionally an open bottom.
You can kind of see my garden boxes in the background of this photo. I used plain 2x4 pine for the legs, 2x12 douglas fir for the sides, and 1x3 pine for the bottom slats. I stained the outside with deck stain, the inside was left bare so that I don't have any leaching chemicals in my food. I also lined the inside with landscape fabric. Simple, sturdy, and cheap. I am hoping to get 5-7 years out of them before they rot out and need to be replaced. The only thing I would do different is to use two 2x6's instead of one 2x12 for the sides - a couple of them are warping and cracking and may need to be replaced in a year or two.
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It's easier to manage the soil in raised beds -- less spillage and mixing with surrounding soil or gravel. You can even garden in areas on buildings. The barrier makes it harder for weeds from surrounding soil to spread by shoots or roots. Raised beds make it easer to manage the watering as they keep a more consistent moisture level. The height makes them easier to tend to -- less stooping or crouching.
GSRinmyCRX
Well-known member
my parents put one in this year and its awesome. they just used old cmu blocks that they had laying around. its 3 layers high but I think 4 would be better so you don't have to bend over so much. its not an open bottom but the blocks are just stacked together so it isn't water tight. they use grass clippings to stop weed growth. put it in and wet it down and it will create a sort of mat once it rots down a bit.
cmu is easy and cheap. you could always face it with something to make it look better if aesthetics are important.
be sure that you don't make it so wide that you cant reach across from either side, that would be my only suggestion.
Levi
cmu is easy and cheap. you could always face it with something to make it look better if aesthetics are important.
be sure that you don't make it so wide that you cant reach across from either side, that would be my only suggestion.
Levi
That is what I thought
I have my eye on making some copies of these "Veg Trugs" that seem pretty popular nowadays. They use a liner to keep the dirt from falling through the cracks - you can either use landscape cloth or buy an actual replacement liner from Amazon
Here are their 'build instructions'
http://www.vegtrug.com/Build_Instructions_Global_PDF.pdf
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rjacobs
Well-known member
Built mine out of mostly 2x6 PT. 4x4 corner posts and 2x4 top ring. 4x6x18(I know only 16.5 really).
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My Old Tools
Well-known member
Untreated pine in ground contact lasts a year or two here. Treated is good for 6-7 years. I pulled up some 2x6 treated beds a few weeks ago. They had been down no more than 6 years as that is as long as we have lived here. The bottom edges were gone about half way up.
bcoke
Well-known member
Wife wanted raised beds for veggies so the back and knees would last a few years longer.........would make it much easier to weed plant etc. So I had access to some foor grade plastic barrels [@ 50 gal I think] ..........so I cut in half lengthwise [2 from each barrel] 3 equal legs from 4x4x8ft [32 inches - kerf] and some 1x6 cedar decking 12 foot long.......well set barrel half on floor ,cut 4 end pieces the width of th barrel, cut 2 side pieces the lenght of the barrel plus 9 inches [2- 1 inch board withs,2-31/2inch legs] nailed sides to width boards in corner nailed 4x4 legs down leg put another end board at the bottom of the half circle..........ripped decking in half the inside length of the box nailed it on an angle supporting barrel half [center open for drain holes] and two end Caps for looks etc....will post pictures as it is easier to show than describe ......bobbycoke
bcoke
Well-known member
Wife wanted raised beds for veggies so the back and knees would last a few years longer.........would make it much easier to weed plant etc. So I had access to some foor grade plastic barrels [@ 50 gal I think] ..........so I cut in half lengthwise [2 from each barrel] 3 equal legs from 4x4x8ft [32 inches - kerf] and some 1x6 cedar decking 12 foot long.......well set barrel half on floor ,cut 4 end pieces the width of th barrel, cut 2 side pieces the lenght of the barrel plus 9 inches [2- 1 inch board withs,2-31/2inch legs] nailed sides to width boards in corner nailed 4x4 legs down leg put another end board at the bottom of the half circle..........ripped decking in half the inside length of the box nailed it on an angle supporting barrel half [center open for drain holes] and two end Caps for looks etc....will post pictures as it is easier to show than describe ......bobbycoke
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Kaizen
Well-known member
I stuck some in this year with the goal of saving money on veggies. damn kids eat them like a goat. so I was looking for cheap cheap cheap. was going the used long pallet route so you get an 8 foot pallet or two and stand on end. can either then put metal or some brush or something to hold back the dirt. after reading up on it saw some pallets are treated with nasty stuff so decided just to use 2x12's. did 2 bed 4 feet wide. getting a ton out of them. strongly suggest to build a trellis at the end like RJ shows above. At each end of mine I used 2x stock 6 feet high and tied simple string to it and then down to the cucumbers and green beans. they climb up and are so easy to pick. got 12 jars of pickles already.
I put in 2 lengths of drip hose. one in each with the hose feeding from a Y. easier to put it on for 4 hours plus the maters like it better. space your beds at least 2 feet for easy navigation. I had to put a rabbit fence around mine and the cucumbers and squash just grow right up it. cut some extra 2x material to make your own heavy duty stakes. esp for tomatoes I use 2inchx 2 inch and tie up the branches. cost me like 4 bucks.....cages would have cost over20.
I had no fill so I just went and got a yard of loom in the truck and put it in. went up and got a yard of compost. put it in. then went back and got another yard of loom.
those sealed containers can be used but have to be a lot more elaborate. have to put in gravel and dirt barrier and some kind of overflow system by drilling into the sides of it above the level of the rock. some stuff on youtube about it. good luck. I have 60 jalapenos on the counter I grew and going to make some apple jalepeno wine tonight.
I put in 2 lengths of drip hose. one in each with the hose feeding from a Y. easier to put it on for 4 hours plus the maters like it better. space your beds at least 2 feet for easy navigation. I had to put a rabbit fence around mine and the cucumbers and squash just grow right up it. cut some extra 2x material to make your own heavy duty stakes. esp for tomatoes I use 2inchx 2 inch and tie up the branches. cost me like 4 bucks.....cages would have cost over20.
I had no fill so I just went and got a yard of loom in the truck and put it in. went up and got a yard of compost. put it in. then went back and got another yard of loom.
those sealed containers can be used but have to be a lot more elaborate. have to put in gravel and dirt barrier and some kind of overflow system by drilling into the sides of it above the level of the rock. some stuff on youtube about it. good luck. I have 60 jalapenos on the counter I grew and going to make some apple jalepeno wine tonight.
eastbaysubaru
Well-known member
I used PT after extensive research (which found the same arsenic concerns for the PT of old). I'll second using the cross pieces. I used untreated 2x4s near the top of the horizontal runs to brace it. The first bed has been in place (moved once, quite a chore) for five years. I built a second one to match this year and expect it to last quite a long time.
-Brian
rieferman
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Oceandweller
Well-known member
I have to say your best bet for something long term is cinderblock for the $. Now you can do it cheap and double stack and not mortar/plant in the top holes or go all out. If you go all out you can tile the outside, brick it to match the house, and put things like flagstone for sitting over the top. Personally I plan on doing this with about 15 raised beds I plan on making over the next couple of years because I don't want to be replacing a raised bed ever year due to failure in a couple of years. Do it once, do it right...
Oceandweller
Well-known member
You also don't want treated imao because its probably not the best stuff to expose to water and vegtables. I am not some crazy left wing guy but I know certain treated woods like railroad ties can be toxic...
https://www.google.com/search?q=cin...t6HOAhVRfiYKHRqHAZoQ_AUICSgC&biw=1443&bih=642
I did 4 center raised beds and 4 side beds in a school vegetable garden and they came out really nice. I used landscape fabric and pea gravel for humidity and drainage as well. It makes it so easy to weed the area and the kids plant onion, lettuce, etc in the cinder block holes.
On a SIDE NOTE, what works in NORCAL with redwood doesn't work in South Carolina. The OP asked in an area that gets rain every 3-4 days and wood rots pretty quick in the deep south. If your going to use wood go with the new plastic composite decking as it will last for a really long time and would be easy to take down.
https://www.google.com/search?q=cin...t6HOAhVRfiYKHRqHAZoQ_AUICSgC&biw=1443&bih=642
I did 4 center raised beds and 4 side beds in a school vegetable garden and they came out really nice. I used landscape fabric and pea gravel for humidity and drainage as well. It makes it so easy to weed the area and the kids plant onion, lettuce, etc in the cinder block holes.
On a SIDE NOTE, what works in NORCAL with redwood doesn't work in South Carolina. The OP asked in an area that gets rain every 3-4 days and wood rots pretty quick in the deep south. If your going to use wood go with the new plastic composite decking as it will last for a really long time and would be easy to take down.
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rt dak
Well-known member
I built one this spring because our new deck took over the area where we were previously planting. I used cedar and boy was it expensive, I knew it would be pricey but wasn't prepared for exactly how pricey. 2x10s with 4x4s in the corners. I stapled wire mesh to the bottom to keep critters from burrowing under. Posts are 4 ft sections of galvanized pipe with flanges attaching them to the cedar.
Just took these after putting extensions on my stakes. The tomato plants are now approaching 9 ft high.
Yes I know they are planted too close together, although it doesn't seem to be affecting them. We tried to cram too much stuff in there. Debating building another bed or moving the herbs into planters on the deck next year to make more room.
Just took these after putting extensions on my stakes. The tomato plants are now approaching 9 ft high.
Yes I know they are planted too close together, although it doesn't seem to be affecting them. We tried to cram too much stuff in there. Debating building another bed or moving the herbs into planters on the deck next year to make more room.