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Garden Gate:  What kind of wood for raised beds?  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 07 2010 : 3:37:02 PM
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I am wanting 6 more raised beds. The 3 I have now are just rough cut lumber, untreated. And they are becoming a bit rotten at the bottoms. I was wondering what ya'll use? I am organic and really don't want to use treated wood. But maybe someone here knows more about the treating method they use now and maybe it's better now? I am just afraid of what the chemicals are and what they would do to the veggies growing near it. And I am not wealthy so need a cheaper way. I know they have the plastic wood look but it's probably pretty high priced.
Thanks for any info. I want to go Monday and get some wood to get started.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
Edited by - kristin sherrill on Mar 07 2010 3:38:37 PM |
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NancyM
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Nancy
Fall City
WA
113 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2010 : 4:56:26 PM
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I have used Cedar. If you're raising food crops you definitely want to avoid treated wood. You might try looking for some recycled plastics-they're a bit pricey but last forvever.
Nancy
Farmgirl Sister #159 |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2010 : 5:12:30 PM
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I definitely do not want treated wood. Maybe I'll just go back to the little saw mill up the road and get more lumber there again. It's nice and thick and rough. I want to make the beds just 6x3 this time instead of 8x4. That's too big and takes too much soil to fill it. I want to plant carrots and onions in a few of the beds And maybe potatoes. I have had no luck at all lately with potatoes. So maybe they need to be in raised beds. That way I can add more soil as they grow.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 05:08:55 AM
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Kris,
I am growing some potatoes in a big "pot" that a tree came in from the nursery. That way I just add more soil as the leaves poke up and soon the pot will be full of potatoes (according to my girlfriend anyway)! ; )
That's probably not very practical if you want to grow enough for the Farmers Market though.
I also just used regular lumber for my garden beds. I certainly don't want to use treated stuff around food we are going to eat!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 05:20:18 AM
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Candy, that is a great idea to use the pots. A friend of mine used tires. As they grew she just added another tire and more soil. She got alot of potatoes. I guess there are so many different ways to plant things. Just use your imagination.
I would have gotten enough for the market last year but just about all of them were drowned in all the rain we had then. So this year I am only doing enuf for us. There are other people who sell them there.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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4HMom
True Blue Farmgirl
720 Posts
Kelly
Montana
720 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 07:07:44 AM
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I had great luck growing potatoes in old feedbags last year. I'm going to do it again!I can put them where I need to and control the water more closely (we have high pH, and since potatoes like about 5.5, a smaller place to water works better)
I also have raised beds. Mine are 4x4 so i can reach the center from all directions. I made the sides from rough cut 2x12 so I can get good deep root formation. Good luck!
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 07:13:26 AM
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I must be totally obtuse about the potatoes in the tire thing...how do you harvest them? It would seem rather difficult if you keep adding soil and tires to get to the actual potatoes themselves, but like I said, I think I'm being totally obtuse and just need to "see" it in action....I always use my raised beds, but am taking a break from potatoes because of crop rotation.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 07:23:37 AM
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In my raised kitchen garden bed I used cedar, the wood is 2 x 12 planks, and they are at least 15 yrs old with no decay yet.
Pick up some washmachine tubs (I get them from the scrap yard), the enanmaled tubs work great for growing potatos.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 08:34:40 AM
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I use regular untreated and have to replace them about every 5 years or so. I am thinking of using cedar this year.
Farmgirl Sister #17
Blog
www.eggsandherbs.com
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 09:01:21 AM
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Thanks ya'll for the great ideas. And the feed sacks. I have plenty of them around. I only got 10 lbs of white and 5 of red so I might could try that. And now the cat food come in the plastic type mesh bags. Those would be good and wouldn't fall apart.
Jonni, she would take the tires off til she got to the potatoes. And I had to think about that too when she told me.
I think I will look at cedar boards and get some. Sounds like a good idea. We have a salvage yard that sells a little cheaper but I don't know if they'd have cedar. And my untreated lasts if I don't put cows out in the garden and they sleep in the raised beds and knock the boards flat on the ground and I don't get them back up til spring. I am a lazy gardener.
I have been out there this morning fixing a few of the beds and I have gotten sunburned! It's warm out there! I had to come in and take a break.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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herbquilter
True Blue Farmgirl
891 Posts
Kristine
Bonney Lake
Wa
USA
891 Posts |
Posted - Mar 08 2010 : 6:06:54 PM
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I use 2" thick pine or fir, but we paint it with outdoor lead free paint. Our first ones are now 4 years old & no sign of rot or deterioration.
Blessings,
Kristine ~ Mother of Many, Herbalist, Master Energy Healer
http://herbalmommasda.blogspot.com/
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cajungal
True Blue Farmgirl
2349 Posts
Catherine Farmgirl Sister #76
Houston Area
Texas
2349 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2010 : 05:29:48 AM
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As my untreated wood frames rotted I would switch them out for concrete blocks. I mix solid ones with the ones with two holes. One square can be made with 12 blocks and at about $1 a piece it's inexpensive. I plant companion plants and carrots in the holes of the blocks. I also plant marigolds and other flowers in the blocks. It looks pretty and expands my gardening space.
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2010 : 06:21:11 AM
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Catherine, I love that! Great idea. Wheels are aturnin' now. You could plant herbs that trail in the holes too. Like thyme and mint. Oohhh, I am likin' this alot. Thanks.
Kristine, I had not thought of painting the boards. That would help alot to preserve the wood.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Rea231
True Blue Farmgirl
139 Posts
139 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2010 : 2:06:43 PM
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Sam's Club has raised beds 4x4 for $40...I am thinking I will try one this year along with the square foot gardening & I am definatly going to try the tire thing. I have said I was going to do it for the past 2 years.
The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery. |
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herblady55
True Blue Farmgirl
3470 Posts
Judy
Louisville
Ohio(Stark Co)
USA
3470 Posts |
Posted - Mar 14 2010 : 3:31:36 PM
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WOW! I love the tire thing...the cement block thing....the washtub thing(my Gr-Granny use to use those for her sweet tater plants)the feed-sack thing(MIL has horsefeed bags)...the wheels are turnin' and squeakin'(need oiled-looong winter)and I'm a salivatin', ready to get started! Thanks girls. Farmgirls are the bestest!!
Sister-chick# 905(Oct.7th2009)
Judy
Hugs&Squeezles!
I am not contained between my hat and my boots! -Walt Whitman- |
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Mary Ann Newcomer
Farmgirl in Training
44 Posts
Mary Ann
Boise
ID
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 12:35:45 PM
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For the raised beds, you might consider lining the sides w/roofing fabric before filling the beds with soil. It will buy you a couple more years of use from the wood.
Farmgirl w/a city garden, Dirt Diva on the radio. Sister chick #246
www.gardensofthewildwildwestcom |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 2:53:29 PM
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It's such a muddy mess out there right now. I won't be able to do anything til next month now. It's been raining here for days and going to keep raining for several more. I will never be able to get my truck out there with dirt in it. So I will keep all these great ideas and I thank you all so much for sharing them. I hope the weather everywhere else is nicer.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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phonelady
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
Carla
Loveland
Colorado
323 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2010 : 7:02:03 PM
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We used tires for potatoes in Alaska [the black sides kept the soil warm enough for the taters to grow in our short summer season. You can plant in solid and then use straw covering as you add tires, it makes it cleaner to harvest too!
I am going to coat my boards with linseed oil and see how that comes out. I expect to replace every couple of years [or if it keeps raining and snowing like it has been - every year].
Good luck!
Carla
It's not just Life-
It's an Adventure! |
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Garden Gate: What kind of wood for raised beds? |
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What kind of wood for raised beds?
