Tony wrote:
Hello all
My wench wants me to build a vegie garden this weekend, but she is concerned
that treated timber will contain poisonous chemicals. I need to raise the
vegie beds, so any suggestions on what to use.
Okay, I've done this in various ways.
You have to decide how big?, how permanent?, how expensive (how much you
will spend)?
Our first raised garden bed was three layers of "sleepers", i.e. sawn
timber. In five years they bowed outwards because the termites had eaten
half of them down to a shell. Curiously, the ones the termites did not
touch ended up as sides for out compost bed and still survive.
The next raised garden bed was genuine "used railway sleeper". I brought
a truckload of 50 through a local garden supplies. They were of mixed
quality, I think I ended up with about 40 that were usable as borders.
The rest went as firewood. I have not seen these (red & yellow wood)
attacked by termites after ~ 10 years.
Our latest (temporary?) is just three sheets of 12" wide roofing stuff
that came from a neighbour having a clean up. It is just gone into an
area that "my wench" turned over with a shovel to remove the kikuyu. It
is actually the edge of a very large pile of soil.
The sleeper ones are three sleepers high (side on)(3'). I just trimmed
to dimensions, notched the corner, then drilled a pin hole through and
dropped a 4' pin through all three layers. {:-)
The sleepers were dumped into the front yard (literally). I used a
Triton stand with log jaws to hold the sleeper for cutting to length and
notching. I needed to touch up the chainsaw after each cut. If you don't
know how to properly sharpen a chain saw, make sure you learn fast.
Smoke is a dead give away that the chain is blunt. {:-)
I was then able to transport them to the back yard using a heavy duty
wheelbarrow by myself. I think I used a sheer legs/tripod to lift the
sleeper then move the wheelbarrow the sleeper around the back to
position. I found I was able to lift one sleeper at one end by myself
(arse to ground, back straight, all that stuff) to get it onto the
stand.
Personally, in my 20's lifting one and carrying it by myself was no
trouble. In 30's, I could still lift and manouveur them as above, but
now, no way. {:-) I use all the lifting aids and help I can get.
We heavily newspapered the whole base area, then positioned the logs,
then I drilled each layer in position. I made the pins from steel rod or
reo bar with large washers welded onto the end.
For the drill, you will need a triple geared, hi-torque drill, I "burnt
out" two 1,000 Watt drills, then I found had a 600 Watt triple geared,
hi-torque for about $400 from a trade place (weld-quip?). It had no
trouble turning up to a 1" wood drill (spiral type with cutting tipe)
through the logs. I used various sized drills over the project depending
on the bar I could get hold off. The problem with this drill is when the
bit locks in, your wrists really take it. I also had lots of old soap
chips in water that I applied copiously to the drill and hole (well it
works for screws).
I had a real chuckle because the drill claims to be rated for 40mm in
wood. Yer right, pines maybe.
I paid ~$300 for 50 sleepers about 10 years ago. Current quote from the
company that has the contract for disposal for (NSW) Staterail is from
$8 each + GST, + delivery, etc, etc
I keep looking at the various concrete blocks, because you can do
something different to straight wall, but the cost is rather high.
The roofing strip ones were just bent and held in place by 6 wooden pegs
on the outside and soil on the inside. (they make 3 of 4 sides).
We also use plastic and woven bags as temporary potato growing plots.
Good luck and have fun. The veges are nicer.
--
Terry Collins {:-)}}} email: terryc at woa.com.au www:
http://www.woa.com.au
Wombat Outdoor Adventures Bicycles, Computers, GIS, Printing,
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"People without trees are like fish without clean water"