In article ,
says...
bill wrote:

In article ,
says...
On Mon, 7 Apr 2003 18:41:10 -0700, bill
wrote:

In article ,
says...
On Mon, 07 Apr 2003 21:05:20 GMT, "len"
wrote:


Does anyone know how long one might expect *untreated*
lumber to last when in contact with the ground?


snip

Around here, about 2 years. Enough time for the termites to find it
and eat it.


I'm unlikely to have that problem, there seem to be very few
of them around here from all I've heard. We're in the
northern Appalachians and it's pretty cold here in winter,
maybe that's what keeps them away. I don't know.

Pat


In that case, your primary problem would be fungal rot. The wetter the
soil, the faster the rot. Of course, some types of wood rots faster
than others. Why not just use stone? Heavy, but permanent.
In case that's too physically challenging, starving college students
are pretty cheap. Maybe you could even trade labor for future produce.

Bill

We have a plant nearby that produces concrete steps, birdbaths, and
concrete railroad crossings. they have to make two test pours for each
batch they mix, both are cylindrical, about 6 inches across the end and
about 18 inches long. I hired a friends son to pick a lot of them up for
me in his pickup. Make excellent borders for raised bed gardens and only
cost me the haulage charge, from the concrete place they were free.

George



There's even a machine out there that can make freeform borders by
poring wet concrete in the top as it crawls along.

http://www.curbtech.com/comcl.htm

I'm thinking of going this route for some raised planters around the
house.


Bill