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Author Topic: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?  (Read 4598 times)

Lizmar

  • Joined Apr 2009
  • Carrick on Suir - Tipperary Ireland
What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« on: April 26, 2009, 01:24:13 pm »
I'm sorry if this sounds a bit basic for everyone and I oh so don't want to sound like a helpless female - as I'm not, but I'm not sure how to make a raised bed.  I have all the equipment etc but I think its the corners that I'm not sure about.  I want to make about 4 of approx 8ft by 4 ft - how should I start? I've made composters from old pallets, but need these to be more secure.  Any help would be appreciated ??? :-\

MrRee

  • Joined Jan 2008
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2009, 03:56:42 pm »
I would suggest you initally dig a 6 inch to a foot deep trench all the way around your bed,piling the spoil onto the bed. Then drive in 2ft-2'6" lengths of 2" x 2" stakes into each corner and where your boards will meet. Attach your boards to the stakes,staple plastic to the inside (bed side) of the boards and bury in the trench,back-fill and then just keep adding compost over the years.   We have five 10ft x 15ft beds and would dearly love to raise them,but the cost outweighs the return. Best of luck....... Ree
They don’t join cliques — more times than not, they stand alone — but they recognize and gravitate towards one another. Only warriors understand other warriors.

sellickbhoy

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Muiravonside, near Linlithgow
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2009, 04:05:06 pm »
1st off, figure out how deep you want your beds - you'll need at least 6" if oy plan to do carrots/parsnips and more for tatties, but most other things should get by with 6"

mark out your beds with some string and i would recommend you dig over the ground yo uplan to put them on, add plenty organic matter too - this facilitates drainage, attracts worms a plenty too.

Get a fence post - anything over 2" by 2" and cut it to the depth you want your bed - plus about 4-6"

i actually bought some fence posts that were pointed at the end - like stakes for slaying vampires!!! that were about 18" long, these were great

knock the fence posts/stakes into the ground at the corners of your raised beds

screw the planks that will make up the walls of your raised beds to the fence posts.

get some wood treatment and treat the wood for your beds and let it dry. it's probably also worth lining the inside of the wood with polythene (to stop the damp soil rotting the wood)

shred some paper/card line the beds with that and then fill your beds up with compost/soil and you are done

hope that helps

of course, some folk just pile earth up, some use tyres, you can use sleepers (but don't use ones that have been treated with creosote)

you can even build brick ones which are pretty - but that would take a bit of skill/time/money!!!


doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
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Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2009, 05:24:24 pm »
Or you could screw together four bits of left over white plastic from building a conservatory, put upturned grass sods over the bottom, then heap in some earth and good compost mixed, rake it all over, and plant some seeds. I'm bone idle and have arthritic hands so got my son to do the screwing in bit. I have some left over seeds if you want them posted down to you - or anyone else.  Not sure exactly what I have, peas and beans definitely, and lettuce.  Not in foil so won't keep for next year.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Lizmar

  • Joined Apr 2009
  • Carrick on Suir - Tipperary Ireland
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2009, 05:41:29 pm »
Thank you all.  Yes I always wanted to be the sort that finds old bits and makes use of them, but unfortunately I suffer a little from OCD so have to have things straight and looking good.  So next week out with the hammer and nails and off I go. 

One more question - I am going to dig up some grass to do this.  Do I still need to put plastic/polythene at the bottom, or can I leave it?

Thank you all - if it works out well I will take a pic of my first TAS assisted project and send.   

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2009, 07:32:26 pm »
Just dig the gass up and put it in the bottom of the bed upside down and it will ort down and improve the soil.  If you like things to look very neat and smart what about using new sleepers that you can buy from most timber merchants? 

xxmillyxx

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • East Yorkshire
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2009, 08:23:16 pm »
I got 2 fish boxes off the docks about 3ft high by 6ft square (luckily family are fishermen) and then I have filled these and put together some decking boards around the outside, painted them green and they look lovely.  Easy planting as well !?!

Well when I say I have I mean the OH - LOL

sellickbhoy

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Muiravonside, near Linlithgow
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2009, 08:33:29 pm »
you don't need to put a polythene sheet on the bottom of the bed, it's just to go against the wood on the inside of the bed to help protect it fro the water in the soil - eventually the wood would rot if exposed to the wet soil, so adding a poly layer helps protect it.

if you are lifting grass, i'd still dig over the bed under the grass, through in some paper/card and then replace the sods of grass - but grass side down - it'll rot down and add organic matter improvng the soil

1st beds i built were using decking boards, they look pretty, but the newer ones are all from scaffold boards i scavenged


woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2009, 01:22:36 pm »
We use scaffhold planks ........contact local scaffholding firm for damaged planks....we pay approx £5 for a 13ft long one.......they are very strong and make great cheap raised beds.

To fill with compost if local soil poor ring your council and get a delivery from your local community composting scheme.
www.valgrainger.co.uk

Overall winner of the Devon Environmental Business Awards 2009

Lizmar

  • Joined Apr 2009
  • Carrick on Suir - Tipperary Ireland
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #9 on: May 05, 2009, 10:24:34 am »
I did it - and all on my own - not as easy as I thought - you have to measure everything!! Still I now have 2 8ftx3ft raised beds.  Going to get some manure from next doors farm and then layer them up ready for my seeds which are coming along fine!  I feel quite proud - who says women can't do these things?!

sellickbhoy

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Muiravonside, near Linlithgow
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2009, 10:48:44 am »
congrats!!

make sure the farmers give you some rotted manure if you want to chuck it straight in now, and remember your carrots won't be too keen on that. but most other things will love you for it - until you eat them!


doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
    • ABERDON GUNDOGS for work and show
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Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2009, 04:29:36 pm »
Quote
I feel quite proud - who says women can't do these things?


When my husband died the kids gave me a book "101 things a woman can do without a man" - excellent book, not at all sexy or sexist either!
« Last Edit: May 06, 2009, 09:12:18 pm by doganjo »
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

MiriMaran

  • Joined Feb 2009
  • Derbyshire
Re: What is the easiest way to make raised beds?
« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2009, 07:33:55 pm »
Well done Lizmar!

 

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