I'm laying out a "four-square" garden at my place in central Maine. I'd
like to use some kind of precast concrete planks to create the
rectangular raised beds, but I haven't found much.

Anyone have any sources for concrete raised beds? I'd like to stick with
long planks if possible so I don't have to do as much fussing and
adjusting as they heave in the ground.

Thanks for any advice.

"WCD" wrote in message
...

I'm laying out a "four-square" garden at my place in central Maine. I'd
like to use some kind of precast concrete planks to create the
rectangular raised beds, but I haven't found much.

Anyone have any sources for concrete raised beds? I'd like to stick with
long planks if possible so I don't have to do as much fussing and
adjusting as they heave in the ground.

Thanks for any advice.

Plain old concrete blocks do just fine. YOu can parge the exterior for a
fancier look and put in slate or paving slabs on top for a seat.

On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 08:31:25 -0400, WCD
wrote:


I'm laying out a "four-square" garden at my place in central Maine. I'd
like to use some kind of precast concrete planks to create the
rectangular raised beds, but I haven't found much.

Anyone have any sources for concrete raised beds? I'd like to stick with
long planks if possible so I don't have to do as much fussing and
adjusting as they heave in the ground.

Thanks for any advice.

I made a couple of 18 x 4 foot beds from concrete pavers. The pavers
are 12in x 24in x2in. I trapped them in some surplus steel channel
such that the blocks form 2 in thick walls 12 inches high. They seem
to be working pretty well. I have enough scrap to build two more
after the weather cools a bit in the fall.

"WCD" wrote in message
...

I'm laying out a "four-square" garden at my place in central Maine. I'd
like to use some kind of precast concrete planks to create the
rectangular raised beds, but I haven't found much.

Anyone have any sources for concrete raised beds? I'd like to stick with
long planks if possible so I don't have to do as much fussing and
adjusting as they heave in the ground.

Thanks for any advice.

Do you get sectional concrete garages in US? The sections can be used for
loads of things if you can find them. I know where there are some going
begging in UK, but I'm not Fedex-ing them. :~))

Steve

shazzbat wrote:


Do you get sectional concrete garages in US? The sections can be used for
loads of things if you can find them.

That's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for.

I know where there are some going
begging in UK, but I'm not Fedex-ing them. :~))

Hmm . . .

My wife is going to be at Cambridge this summer. Maybe I can convince
her to bring some back with her.

;-)

B.Server wrote in message . ..
On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 08:31:25 -0400, WCD
wrote:


I'm laying out a "four-square" garden at my place in central Maine. I'd
like to use some kind of precast concrete planks to create the
rectangular raised beds, but I haven't found much.

Anyone have any sources for concrete raised beds? I'd like to stick with
long planks if possible so I don't have to do as much fussing and
adjusting as they heave in the ground.

Thanks for any advice.

I made a couple of 18 x 4 foot beds from concrete pavers. The pavers
are 12in x 24in x2in. I trapped them in some surplus steel channel
such that the blocks form 2 in thick walls 12 inches high. They seem
to be working pretty well. I have enough scrap to build two more
after the weather cools a bit in the fall.

in my experience the pavers heave a lot more than cinder blocks.
Cinder blocks, buried 3 inches at the bottom, are the best choice in
cold areas. In all cases (blocks or pavers) the soil around them will
be limed for at least one foot.

On 11 Jun 2004 06:30:29 -0700, simy1 wrote:

in my experience the pavers heave a lot more than cinder blocks.
Cinder blocks, buried 3 inches at the bottom, are the best choice in
cold areas. In all cases (blocks or pavers) the soil around them will
be limed for at least one foot.

Hm, I did not know that when I built my flower bed. I have not seen
sign about the PH changes yet. Do I need to add something acidic? Soil
here (Urbana, IL) is acidic to start with I believe.

Dong

On 11 Jun 2004 06:30:29 -0700, (simy1) wrote:

B.Server wrote in message . ..
On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 08:31:25 -0400, WCD
wrote:


I'm laying out a "four-square" garden at my place in central Maine. I'd
like to use some kind of precast concrete planks to create the
rectangular raised beds, but I haven't found much.

Anyone have any sources for concrete raised beds? I'd like to stick with
long planks if possible so I don't have to do as much fussing and
adjusting as they heave in the ground.

Thanks for any advice.

I made a couple of 18 x 4 foot beds from concrete pavers. The pavers
are 12in x 24in x2in. I trapped them in some surplus steel channel
such that the blocks form 2 in thick walls 12 inches high. They seem
to be working pretty well. I have enough scrap to build two more
after the weather cools a bit in the fall.

in my experience the pavers heave a lot more than cinder blocks.
Cinder blocks, buried 3 inches at the bottom, are the best choice in
cold areas. In all cases (blocks or pavers) the soil around them will
be limed for at least one foot.

Fortunately that is not much of a problem in Central Texas. I am not
sure how they would work in a freezing climate. It would seem to me
that the continuous steel channel would damp some of the heaving, but
I don't know. So far I have seen very little evidence of leaching,
certainly not out a foot from a 2 inch thick slab. Since our soil is
pretty alkaline to begin, perhaps more things are adapted to the
"lime" or the compost in the bed is buffering it.

Dong wrote in message ...
On 11 Jun 2004 06:30:29 -0700, simy1 wrote:

in my experience the pavers heave a lot more than cinder blocks.
Cinder blocks, buried 3 inches at the bottom, are the best choice in
cold areas. In all cases (blocks or pavers) the soil around them will
be limed for at least one foot.

Hm, I did not know that when I built my flower bed. I have not seen
sign about the PH changes yet. Do I need to add something acidic? Soil
here (Urbana, IL) is acidic to start with I believe.

Dong

I bet you need to do nothing. I figured it out myself when pH tests
near the driveway came out about 1 to 2 units above those away from
the driveway. Now that driveway has been there a long time, in MI it
rains more than in IL, and certainly the concrete is more degraded
than in a brand new paver (increasing the surface area). It is also
possible that the base of the driveway has been filled with slag
(broken concrete), which is cheaper than gravel.