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

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

I must still be whacked out from the time change. I had to read your
post twice because I thought you were advocating using starving
college students to edge a bed, literally.

(I've known a few who, study-habits-wise, were about on par with
stones or treated lumber.)

Thanks for the unintentional laugh.

M. Reed

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

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

On Tue, 8 Apr 2003 12:04:47 -0700, bill
wrote:



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.


Stone would be lovely, but is way too costly.

Even cement blocks would be lovely and we may go with cement
blocks. Costly but permanent. And I can plant
herbs/flowers in the holes. This would be my first choice,
actually.

Pat

On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 14:13:33 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

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.


That would be nice. I asked at the local concrete plant
already: they only make huge things.

Pat

On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 14:11:48 -0500, Monique Reed
wrote:

I must still be whacked out from the time change. I had to read your
post twice because I thought you were advocating using starving
college students to edge a bed, literally.

(I've known a few who, study-habits-wise, were about on par with
stones or treated lumber.)

Thanks for the unintentional laugh.


Let's see - if they averaged 5'8" tall, how many would we
need for a 3 foot wide, 30 foot long raised bed?

Pat

Gnnaaaagh! Word Problems!

Monique

Pat Meadows wrote:

On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 14:11:48 -0500, Monique Reed
wrote:

I must still be whacked out from the time change. I had to read your
post twice because I thought you were advocating using starving
college students to edge a bed, literally.

(I've known a few who, study-habits-wise, were about on par with
stones or treated lumber.)

Thanks for the unintentional laugh.


Let's see - if they averaged 5'8" tall, how many would we
need for a 3 foot wide, 30 foot long raised bed?

Pat

Pat Meadows wrote:

On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 14:13:33 -0500, George Shirley
wrote:

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.


That would be nice. I asked at the local concrete plant
already: they only make huge things.

Pat

They don't make test cylinders to test concrete strength with? It's a
state law here and the plant has many industrial clients who want it
done too. I've even seen them poured when they're making concrete slabs,
buildings, etc.

George

Pat Meadows wrote:

On Tue, 8 Apr 2003 12:04:47 -0700, bill
wrote:


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.


Stone would be lovely, but is way too costly.

Even cement blocks would be lovely and we may go with cement
blocks. Costly but permanent. And I can plant
herbs/flowers in the holes. This would be my first choice,
actually.

Pat

Go with cinder blocks, lighter weight and cheaper than concrete blocks
and hold up just as well. My main raised bed garden is made with cinder
blocks and has been there thirteen years. I saw some half size cinder
blocks in a Lowe's store recently. Eight inches high by sixteen inches
long by four inches wide. Look ideal to put up against a fence or house
slab when making a raised flower bed.

George

In article ,
says...
I must still be whacked out from the time change. I had to read your
post twice because I thought you were advocating using starving
college students to edge a bed, literally.

(I've known a few who, study-habits-wise, were about on par with
stones or treated lumber.)

Thanks for the unintentional laugh.

M. Reed



Well, to use them for the labor part. To actually use them as edgeing
would result in a bed border with impossibly high upkeep.
Ask any college students parent.

Bill

In article ,
says...
On Tue, 08 Apr 2003 14:11:48 -0500, Monique Reed
wrote:

I must still be whacked out from the time change. I had to read your
post twice because I thought you were advocating using starving
college students to edge a bed, literally.

(I've known a few who, study-habits-wise, were about on par with
stones or treated lumber.)

Thanks for the unintentional laugh.


Let's see - if they averaged 5'8" tall, how many would we
need for a 3 foot wide, 30 foot long raised bed?

Pat




Are we allowed to bend them for the corners? or do we have to cut them
to fit?

Bill