Help to build a raised bed
 

hello everyone i was wondering if u could help me decide which way to build a raised bed.
i dont want to use pressure treated lumber because i am going to be using this bed for veggies but i do want to use some kind of timber.
i was wondering if anyone can tell me what they used for their walls.
this is going to be an interesting project i have never done this before.
i would like to build the walls about 2 to 3 feet high and go about 4 or 5 feet wide and around 15 to 20 feet at least long.
some things i was wondering is do u kill off the grass below and then remove it or do u build right over the grassed area after u kill it off? the base im building on is sandy clay loam and the grass is really cut short.
also would u put landscape fabric below your box to stop any weeds from working up through?
any help that anyone could give me would be really greatly appreciated. thanks everyone.
cyaaaaa, sockiescat:).

Help to build a raised bed
 

sockiescat wrote:
hello everyone i was wondering if u could help me decide which way to
build a raised bed.
i dont want to use pressure treated lumber because i am going to be
using this bed for veggies but i do want to use some kind of timber.
i was wondering if anyone can tell me what they used for their walls.
this is going to be an interesting project i have never done this
before.
i would like to build the walls about 2 to 3 feet high and go about 4
or 5 feet wide and around 15 to 20 feet at least long.
some things i was wondering is do u kill off the grass below and then
remove it or do u build right over the grassed area after u kill it
off? the base im building on is sandy clay loam and the grass is really
cut short.
also would u put landscape fabric below your box to stop any weeds from
working up through?
any help that anyone could give me would be really greatly appreciated.
thanks everyone.
cyaaaaa, sockiescat:).

When I built my raised beds, I mowed as low as the mower would go, and
then came in with a string trimmer to scalp what was left. I also lined
the bottom of the bed with 8-12 layers of newspaper. You might also
consider edging before putting up the walls. I've edged, and I've not
edged. When I didn't edge, I would get a few blades of grass growing up
the inside edge of the bed. Even with edging that occasionally happens. I
haven't really decided whether the effort was worth it or not. Either way,
it hasn't been that big of a deal.

When you fill your beds, keep in mind that 2 to 3 feet of soil is going to
settle, and it's going to settle quite a bit if there is a lot of organic
components in it. Don't be surprised to see it compress to half it's
original height after about six months.

I would build the bed in late summer, early enough so it has about two
months to settle some before the leaves fall. Then top it off with a big
mound of shredded leaves for the winter. Come early spring, much of the
shredded leaf mulch will be significantly decomposed. Remove what isn't,
top off the bed with more soil, and mix it up. (Don't get too wild. You
don't want to over mix and destroy any structure that the mix has.) I also
mix in some blood meal and bone meal.

If your raised bed is going to be less than a foot deep, I'd change the
plan, and before putting down the newspaper, I'd keep scalping the grass
until it stopped coming back, and then till down a foot before putting
down the layered newspaper.

You could also substitute a couple of layers of corrugated cardboard, or
three or four layers of plain cardboard. Stay away from cardboard with any
kind of waxy finish like they use for frozen food boxes. And with
newspaper, stay away from the glossy ads.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.

Power Lawncare Tools for Spring Clean-up:
http://www.holzemville.com/mall/blackanddecker/

Help to build a raised bed
 

g'day sockiescat,

i have some illustrations of how we do raised beds on our web site got
to the building a garden page.

then link to http://ausgarden.com and go to the edible garden section
in the main menu or they are featured on the front page right now and
see our latest working project.


On Sat, 19 Aug 2006 16:25:43 +0100, sockiescat
wrote:

snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.gardenlen.com

Help to build a raised bed
 

sockiescat wrote:
hello everyone i was wondering if u could help me decide which way to
build a raised bed.
i dont want to use pressure treated lumber because i am going to be
using this bed for veggies but i do want to use some kind of timber.
i was wondering if anyone can tell me what they used for their walls.
this is going to be an interesting project i have never done this
before.
i would like to build the walls about 2 to 3 feet high and go about 4
or 5 feet wide and around 15 to 20 feet at least long.
some things i was wondering is do u kill off the grass below and then
remove it or do u build right over the grassed area after u kill it
off? the base im building on is sandy clay loam and the grass is really
cut short.
also would u put landscape fabric below your box to stop any weeds from
working up through?
any help that anyone could give me would be really greatly appreciated.
thanks everyone.
cyaaaaa, sockiescat:).



I used new pressure treated (non-arsenic) 2x6's for the sides and ends,
pressure treated 2x4's to make stakes for the ends and the middles, and
16d nails to hold it all together. I don't remember, but I don't think
the nails were galvanized. The new pressure treated wood is supposed to
be very corrosive to nails, but mine haven't rusted out yet after 3
years. I'm gonna retire one one of the beds this winter when I clean up
the garden, it'll interesting to see what the nails look like when I
tear it down.

Bob

Help to build a raised bed
 

sockiescat wrote:
hello everyone i was wondering if u could help me decide which way to
build a raised bed.
i dont want to use pressure treated lumber because i am going to be
using this bed for veggies but i do want to use some kind of timber.
i was wondering if anyone can tell me what they used for their walls.
this is going to be an interesting project i have never done this
before.
i would like to build the walls about 2 to 3 feet high and go about 4
or 5 feet wide and around 15 to 20 feet at least long.
some things i was wondering is do u kill off the grass below and then
remove it or do u build right over the grassed area after u kill it
off? the base im building on is sandy clay loam and the grass is really
cut short.
also would u put landscape fabric below your box to stop any weeds from
working up through?
any help that anyone could give me would be really greatly appreciated.
thanks everyone.

If your beds really are 2 to 3 ft high and you fill them it does not
matter what you do the grass. It will never be able to push through 3
feet of compost. For that kind of height you may not be able to easily
rebuild the beds. I suggest cinder blocks with metal stakes.

simy1 sockiescat wrote: len the idea of using straw as a border is great and since we do have our own straw i am considering trying that it would be neat to see how things turn out.
i am also going to follow a lot of what everyone here has suggested :) then i will have the experience of using both ideas ;). so wish me luck everyone and again thanks so much for your wonderful ideas and information it will all be put to great use:). cyaaaa, sockiescat:).