Raised beds
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- eschscholtzia
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:13 pm
Raised beds
Any advice on the best/cheapest way to start these? Bending is now problem so this seemed the best solution if not too difficult to achieve
Re: Raised beds
Hi. I've seen DIY brick-built raised beds which wouldn't be that cheap even before any labour costs involved. They also need a foundation if to sit on soil ground rather than existing hard standing.
It's possible to buy small display plastic planters shaped like a Babycham glass so on a stem. Or just setting oblong plastic planters on "something". Trouble is that they're not very deep so more suitable for bedding plants.
Strong plastic water tanks intended for lofts can work with holes drilled in the bottom. They're not cheap, nor would be the compost to fill them. They should last though. I had one that did, and painted the front in a stone effect.
Smaller storage boxes can be deep enough as long as you get the really solid plastic (or PVC or whatever it is).
There are a few DIY ideas on here which might give you inspiration in case you can get any salvage items: http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2013/03/ ... rden-beds/
All I can think of for the moment.
It's possible to buy small display plastic planters shaped like a Babycham glass so on a stem. Or just setting oblong plastic planters on "something". Trouble is that they're not very deep so more suitable for bedding plants.
Strong plastic water tanks intended for lofts can work with holes drilled in the bottom. They're not cheap, nor would be the compost to fill them. They should last though. I had one that did, and painted the front in a stone effect.
Smaller storage boxes can be deep enough as long as you get the really solid plastic (or PVC or whatever it is).
There are a few DIY ideas on here which might give you inspiration in case you can get any salvage items: http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2013/03/ ... rden-beds/
All I can think of for the moment.
- Stokey Sue
- Posts: 4139
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Raised beds
I think the question is probably who is going to build them
If you are having trouble bending, you presumably won't be hefting railway sleepers and filling them with top soil yourself - very heavy work indeed
So if you are getting a man in, I'd suggest asking what he has done before
Here's the RHS advice
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=428
\you can buy pre-made systems for making raised beds, which take a lot of the carpentry skills out, but still leave you needing to do a lot of work
If you are having trouble bending, you presumably won't be hefting railway sleepers and filling them with top soil yourself - very heavy work indeed
So if you are getting a man in, I'd suggest asking what he has done before
Here's the RHS advice
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=428
\you can buy pre-made systems for making raised beds, which take a lot of the carpentry skills out, but still leave you needing to do a lot of work
- hungryhousewife
- Posts: 1861
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 1:01 pm
- Location: Berkshire
Re: Raised beds
Apparently carrots are very successfully grown in raised beds, as the carrot fly can only fly about 4 inches off the ground!! Is that true, or is it just a gardening myth?
HH
HH
- Stokey Sue
- Posts: 4139
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
- Location: Stoke Newington, London
Re: Raised beds
hungryhousewife wrote:Apparently carrots are very successfully grown in raised beds, as the carrot fly can only fly about 4 inches off the ground!! Is that true, or is it just a gardening myth?
HH
Dunno about the raised beds, but low screens round beds of carrot do apparently stop carrot fly since they fly so low, it seems to be received gardening wisdom
- elderberry
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Sat May 26, 2012 12:33 pm
Re: Raised beds
jeral wrote:
Strong plastic water tanks intended for lofts can work with holes drilled in the bottom. They're not cheap, nor would be the compost to fill them. They should last though. I had one that did, and painted the front in a stone effect.
Such things can be found on Freecycle.
I loved your link, jeal!
I've seen an old bath successfully used, and a local allotment will doubtless through up many other ideas.
I built 11 raised beds from in our garden, and while I did get some free timber from Freecycle, it's actually so much easier with new wood that I invested £hundreds for the majority of them. My beds should last decades though, so hopefully it's a wise choice.
Building them from scratch is straightforward, but not easy. It requires some physical strength, and something to act as a 'jig', otherwise nothing will be straight. I know there are kits available which slot together, and I can appreciate they might be a way to proceed; but they aren't cheap.
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