concrete block raised beds

donutheadhomer

Has anyone made raised beds from concrete beds? Any problems with tis. Seems like a cheep and easy option to me.
I've never done gardening before so looking for what the pitfalls would be with this method. I've a horrible muddy soggy lawn at the moment and wuold love to grow own veg. When is good to plant? What type of soil do I need for carrots/parsnips/potatoe onions type veg? Can I just buy soil for the beds?

fodda

Blocks would be a great way to make raised beds, i think i have seen brick built ones at a stately home somewhere.

kenmason

If you use blocks and mortar them up to make the bed strong enough to support the weight of the earth, on ground that you describe as boggy, you then potentially create another problem unless you make drain holes for the excess water to drain away. Different vegetables like different soil types and accepted good practise is to rotate them on a 3 year cycle. Suggest you get a Veg Gardening book from the Library so that you get off on the right footing. Good Luck

Sonnenblumen

EurasianBadger wrote: »

Has anyone made raised beds from concrete beds? Any problems with tis. Seems like a cheep and easy option to me.
I've never done gardening before so looking for what the pitfalls would be with this method. I've a horrible muddy soggy lawn at the moment and wuold love to grow own veg. When is good to plant? What type of soil do I need for carrots/parsnips/potatoe onions type veg? Can I just buy soil for the beds?

EB
I don't think Raised Beds made from concrete blocks would work out cheaper than say pressure treated Pine Sleepers. The latter requires no significant foundations/groundwork other than the ground to be firm and level, whereas blocks will require a concrete strip foundation.

Raised beds constructed using concrete blocks tend to be for more ornamental use and not veg growing. That's not to say you cannot of course.

This might help, here's a link to photos (from our blog) of Raised Bed designs: in various finishes including rendered (sand/cement plastered concrete block):http://www.owenchubblandscapers.com/news/?p=2802

johno2

I've considered doing raised beds with concrete blocks too. My plan is to use the blocks laid flat and then put down a second row offset by half a block to help bind the whole thing together. I'd use no mortar so there'll be plenty of drainage, maybe even too much. I've no shortage of space so the area taken up by the blocks isn't an issue for me. I can get a bale of 44 blocks for about €25 locally if I collect myself. I reckon I can build a bed with inside dimensions of 1.35m x 3.15m with one bale which isn't a bad price at all. Building the same size with 9x2 pressure treated lumber would cost at least €35, and you'd have CCA in close proximity to your veggies. That's the main reason I never built a raised bed for growing veggies.

johno

uptowngirly

Oh Sonnenblumen - they're fab!

What is the tree in the circular raised bed? My guess was a large bonsai, but I don't know if they'd like our winters at the moment! I love the way you have it uplit as well in another picture on your blog - class!!:)

Sonnenblumen

uptowngirly wrote: »

Oh Sonnenblumen - they're fab!

What is the tree in the circular raised bed? My guess was a large bonsai, but I don't know if they'd like our winters at the moment! I love the way you have it uplit as well in another picture on your blog - class!!:)

Thanks uptowngirly. The tree does have a bonsai look alright albeit a very big one. Actually it is an Olive Tree (a very old one) which was imported from Italy and craned into the specially built Raised Bed. Olives in general do very well in Ireland, preferably in sheltered sites/urban gardens.

It's a wonderful feature and a great talking point in any garden.:)

Underlighting Olives produces a fabulous attraction and we use LED uplighters, long life, low running costs.

Sonnenblumen

johno2 wrote: »

I've considered doing raised beds with concrete blocks too. My plan is to use the blocks laid flat and then put down a second row offset by half a block to help bind the whole thing together. I'd use no mortar so there'll be plenty of drainage, maybe even too much. I've no shortage of space so the area taken up by the blocks isn't an issue for me. I can get a bale of 44 blocks for about €25 locally if I collect myself. I reckon I can build a bed with inside dimensions of 1.35m x 3.15m with one bale which isn't a bad price at all. Building the same size with 9x2 pressure treated lumber would cost at least €35, and you'd have CCA in close proximity to your veggies. That's the main reason I never built a raised bed for growing veggies.

johno

Your call, but I don't want to get into another barney about using PT timbers
in fruit/veg gardening. It all depends where and what PT process has been used. I have investigated this myself and have on file independent assessment from a British testing laboratory confirming that previously potentially harmful elements have been removed from certified PT production processes making specified PT timbers perfectly safe.


But old fears linger?

Gavin

johno2 wrote: »

I've considered doing raised beds with concrete blocks too. My plan is to use the blocks laid flat and then put down a second row offset by half a block to help bind the whole thing together. I'd use no mortar so there'll be plenty of drainage, maybe even too much. I've no shortage of space so the area taken up by the blocks isn't an issue for me. I can get a bale of 44 blocks for about €25 locally if I collect myself. I reckon I can build a bed with inside dimensions of 1.35m x 3.15m with one bale which isn't a bad price at all. Building the same size with 9x2 pressure treated lumber would cost at least €35, and you'd have CCA in close proximity to your veggies. That's the main reason I never built a raised bed for growing veggies.

johno

CCA is not very common any more. Tanalith E is the standard modern treatment, which uses copper and is not toxic like the arsenic in CCA. Even then, studies of arsenic leaching from CCA impregnated timber show trivial/trace amounts in the soil.

dh0661

johno2 wrote: »

I've considered doing raised beds with concrete blocks too. My plan is to use the blocks laid flat and then put down a second row offset by half a block to help bind the whole thing together.
johno

My Dad has done this years ago - and seems to work very well, but he also used some breeze blocks (I think that's what they are called -- the ones with holes in them).

In some of those blocks with holes, he has grown the best strawberries ever, in others he also some herbs planted in them.

fodda

Copper not toxic? I think you may want to check that out.

As a rule of thumb, i would imagine anything that will kill insects or plant life isnt going to do you much good if you manage to get it inside you and i think there could be plenty of examples of that.

Sonnenblumen

I'll check with my copper pipe installer?

fodda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_toxicity

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_pesticide

Sonnenblumen

Fodda

I know you mean well but seriously everything is potentially dangerous. I do agree that copper has it problems, usually the lack of in peoples pockets:D

I've yet to read any reports of any health risks/cases involving the ubiquitous copper piping used to supply more water to more houses throughout Ireland.

Happy St Patricks Day, I'm off to enjoy another excess:D

fodda

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Fodda

I know you mean well but seriously everything is potentially dangerous. I do agree that copper has it problems, usually the lack of in peoples pockets:D

I've yet to read any reports of any health risks/cases involving the ubiquitous copper piping used to supply more water to more houses throughout Ireland.

Happy St Patricks Day, I'm off to enjoy another excess:D

Hey dont forget alcohol is bad for you!!!!...........who cares give me another one:D

johno2

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

Your call, but I don't want to get into another barney about using PT timbers
in fruit/veg gardening. It all depends where and what PT process has been used. I have investigated this myself and have on file independent assessment from a British testing laboratory confirming that previously potentially harmful elements have been removed from certified PT production processes making specified PT timbers perfectly safe.


But old fears linger?

Fair enough then, I thought CCA was still widely used. Do you know if there is any way of telling which treatment was used on a bale of lumber by checking the stamp code on it?

Gavin wrote: »

CCA is not very common any more. Tanalith E is the standard modern treatment, which uses copper and is not toxic like the arsenic in CCA. Even then, studies of arsenic leaching from CCA impregnated timber show trivial/trace amounts in the soil.

All the PT lumber I've seen in the supply yards has a greenish tint to it so I assumed it was still CCA.

johno