raised beds - material advice wanted

angeldaisy

Hi, I've finally given up with all the digging involved in my veg garden and have decided to put in some raised beds instead.
I'm looking to put in 4 large raised beds, probably about 15ft x 5ft approx. what would be the best material to use to build these. I want them to last as long as possible.
Also would I just fill them with a combination of soil removed from the garden and top soil??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

k123456

You could build with sleepers
or build a frame 4x 2 pressure treated, fix to ground, clad with deck boards, teak is beautiful

I built mine using 2nd method

In both case you could ptotect wood from moist soil, by buying corriboard 8x4 sheets, (plastic sheet similar to election posters), v cheap and easy to cut

Line the inside of sleepers or frame with corriboard

I think the ideal heigh is approx 45cm, so you can use as a seat/bench

skywalker_208

I used 8"x2" 16ft lengths of Larch.
Alot more expensive than the other solutions (€30 a length) but will last for years compared to the rest

Clare man

I have set up 4 raised beds a similar size, using treated timber from local hardware provider. I cut down rectangular posts to circa 18 inch lengths and drove them into the ground. I put this int at 6 ft intervals.

I then screwed planks to posts and levelled the posts in line with plank height. this has worked out well for me

I find them easy to work with, can access from both sides and they are now relatively weed free. they are worth the investment, I did not use sleppers due to contamination risk when growing Veg.

On filling beds, I covered with grass sods with carboard and filled in with purchased top soil plus any manure I could get my hands on. If youhave top soil on site even better

Would recommendget started now asap and you cna improve soil over time

TheFatMan

I guess this depends on your aesthetic and how deep your pockets are.

The methods highlighted above are all sound. I use a combination of all the materials mentioned (not railway sleepers due to the creasote) and some left over Tannilized sleepers we had from a playset installation we did. I've also used scaffolding planking (they're cheap now that the building boom is over and they last for ages as they have metal bands on them) and other treated timbers I've come across over time.

It aint pretty but they work and they last and they cost me little or nothing.

If I had deep pockets I'd use the Tannilized sleepers everytime. They're thick, long lasting and they look the business next to the other itinerant materials I have next to them

shawnee

TheFatMan wrote: »

I guess this depends on your aesthetic and how deep your pockets are.

The methods highlighted above are all sound. I use a combination of all the materials mentioned (not railway sleepers due to the creasote) and some left over Tannilized sleepers we had from a playset installation we did. I've also used scaffolding planking (they're cheap now that the building boom is over and they last for ages as they have metal bands on them) and other treated timbers I've come across over time.

It aint pretty but they work and they last and they cost me little or nothing.

If I had deep pockets I'd use the Tannilized sleepers everytime. They're thick, long lasting and they look the business next to the other itinerant materials I have next to them

Yeah have used those scaffold planks and have seen them advertized, super and sturdy job and will last a long time

angeldaisy

thanks for all the advice guys.
I don't really care too much what they look like, I can't see them unless I'm actually out there:D

I will have to do some pricing around, might be worth trying to get some old scaffolding planks. Would love to be able to afford some of the other types suggested though - teak decking sounds fab
Thanks again