My first raised beds have been up for 5 years. They were constructed initially of just native lumber from the local sawmill. After 5 years of exposure to the elements and the natural bug population of the soil such as termites and wood ants there was not much left of the wood sides. We did not want to use treated lumber because we were unsure of it's safety. So after 5 years it was time to do some replacing and rebuilding.
You can see the rot and insect damage in the picture above.
So off to the sawmill we went and purchased native 1 X 6 lumber. We used 2 foot pieces of concrete rebar as stakes and small pipe straps to attach the boards.
I am now the proud owner of three 60 foot raised beds. One bed has metal posts and cattle panels down one side as support for climbing crops. An old mailbox for my gloves and tools. A rain barrel for water.
With regular additions of compost and mulch no tiller required. The soil is rich and crumbly.
Thelma and the boys (aka the ducks) cleaned out any bugs or grubs that were unlucky enough to make their presence known during the construction process.
So I guess I am back in business for another 5 years. Now I have other traditional "in ground" garden areas but I do love these boxes. Simple, inexpensive and functional. What more could a gardener ask for? I would love to see your raised beds how about some pictures over on the forum.
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
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I love the idea of using an old mailbox for holding your gloves and tools. So smart!
ReplyDeleteWould love to build some raised beds like that. Mine are from Sam's Club and already falling apart after one summer.