My journey with raised beds led me to making them out of concrete. We used basalt fibers (they don't chemically react with the alkalinity of the concrete & are 3x lighter & 2.5 stronger (tensile) than steel fibers) mixed in with the concrete (+ dye for color) & used some hardware cloth to reinforce the corners, otherwise no rebar. We built them right on top of French drains we dug to deal with drainage (we covered the trench from bottom to top with landscape fabric to greatly slow infiltration of dirt over time, as well as keeping the concrete mix out) as well as a cushion to buffer against the seasonal, clay shifting in the ground. We made them 4" wide at the top & 6" wide at the base & 2' tall. It took us all summer to build them with just the 2 of us. (We wanted them to lie fallow that year as they needed to rest after 7 years of rotational use.) We set up forms with plywood & aluminum roofing sheets, filled & gently vibrated them to ensure even distribution & let them set for a week, covered with tarps to keep the moisture in. & then filled them after 2 weeks with mostly half decomposed wood chips which would finish by the time spring planting came back around. They've stood up with no cracks, no mole/vole invasions & good, healthy soil for 3 years now.
All of my beds are made out of concrete block because the cedar wood that I had made 20 years ago rotted away. I had considered making the beds out of composite lumber because that doesn't rot, but it's difficult to make them tall enough so I don't have to get down on the ground to work the earth. The concrete block, I've found, is the best alternative. It doesn't rot, is cost effective, can be raised as far as I need it and I only have to buy it once and not be constantly replacing it. It's now about 18 years old. I also put solid block on top so weeds don't grow in the spaces. Best idea I've had in a long time.
@5109 The only things I wish I'd done differently was that I originally made the 6 beds too long. There are three 16" x 8" by 8" concrete blocks for the width which yields approximately 3 feet of soil on the inside and the length of the beds was 32 feet long. I made these beds only 3 feet inside because while sitting on the edge of the bed, I can then reach into the middle of the bed, which is approximately 18" without either falling into the bed or stretching my arms so much that it because difficult to reach the middle of the bed. I "broke" up the lengths into four-foot sections by simply putting a "divider", mostly made of brick I had laying around, on top of the soil. This gives me 5 "sections" of 12 square feet, which is a perfect size for square foot gardening. The other think was that I used those 8" x 16" by 2" blocks that had holes in them to top off the 8" x 8" x 16" standard blocks so weeds wouldn't grow in the holes and to provide a place for me to sit when weeding or planting or putting down mulch. I would not use those "holey" blocks again, but am slowly replacing them with the solid ones and recycling the "holey" ones to top the perimeter blocks which are now holding my fence, which is there mostly to keep stray dogs out, but also chickens and other critters. That has worked very well. Since my raised garden is near my creek, this was a good way for me to access the creek for irrigation purposes. When I was younger, I utilized all of the 32 feet, but as I'm now approaching 76, I find I don't need to use all of that space so a lot of it is being recycled to other parts of the garden and the areas that are clear will go back to grass, which I will then mow and use in my compost barrels. Please remember that this project was something I started over 20 years ago and has been modified over and over again. Your project may be a lot smaller than mine, but as the saying goes, every little bit helps. Oh! You can get an idea of what my beds look like from my RU-vid channel: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-T2JY5ZZYcfA.html Good luck!
@@kalinystazvoruna8702 this is SO helpful!!! Thank you!! These are exactly the things I was wondering. Thank you so so so much!!! I really appreciate it! 💚💚💚
I'm using UC4 pressure treated fence posts, but I've stapled damp proof course material to the sides and bottoms that I am sure will prevent the leaking of any chemicals into the soil.
You really should do some research on pressure treated wood, today’s PT is not the same as 20 years ago. It uses Copper, an organic fungicide. Most people drink water carried by copper pipes and some of us even take a daily vitamin and mineral pill with copper as one of the minerals.
Pallets are an good choice so long as they are heat treated. Look for the HT stamped somewhere on the pallet. It there is no stamp or it says BT, use for other projects. A drawback is that pallets are not uniform so there are various thicknesses and types of wood. They are also better for small planters than huge raised gardens. Slather them with linseed or tung oil and they will last ~5 years.
I'm cheap and expect my beds to be temporary. So I use rings of 30" tall net wire lined with a decent quality landscape fabric. Fill the bottom 3/4 with woody material, then soil to the top and you're getting a slow compost pile that doubles as a waist high raised bed for at least a few years.
@@rosemarielee7775 The clay bricks will also be much lighter than cinder blocks, which for me will be much easier on my back while I build the raised garden. A little bit of exterior white paint will also help reflect more light within the garden and help preserve it a little better too. ✌️
I just rebuilt my old decayed raised beds. I did use treated lumber but lined with ALINO Dampro floor underlayment (from HD), designed for damp proofing and drainage in underground walls. It is made of HDPE, a food-grade plastic. It also creates an air gap between the wood and soil, isolating the wood from the soil and eliminating concerns about CA wood preservatives. I used 4-inch thick wood placed on a bed of 1/4" gravel for drainage (there is heavy clay and rock beneath). Honestly, I think those beds will last just about forever, as long as I put a sealer on the outsize every 5 years or so. The top of the walls are capped with a 2x6 which can be easily replaced when needed.
Well obviously I disagree. If anything maybe just not enough detail on concrete to satisfy some people but I assure you, the concrete blocks I suggested are safe.
@@thegardenguru Any roots that are near the concrete will be impacted by the limestone and calcium. If the bed is big enough it won't matter but a smaller one will be noticable. I've had this problem. The CCA they use on pressure treated wood is not a known carcinogen but sure if you wanted to be extra cautious, go w cedar
Probably a good idea. Copper compounds are used in organic-approved fungicides that can be applied directly to plants right up to the day of harvest. Azole compounds are another fungicide which is used in both topical and oral human medications. Still, it's best to go with what you are comfortable with.
@@kalinystazvoruna8702 All depends on the mix being used and where it's being manufactured. Accelerants and retardants are used depending on environmental factors. Or you could be fine and have straight cement.. Straight is more costly so it's more rare to see in box stores. Honestly it may be more personal experience than actual impact but I'm obviously jaded from the time I put into my area with concrete years ago lol
Made my own when living in France out of concrete, found it the cheapest option and last. Bit of work making a form work up (had to knock down and rebuild, but worked out well.
I have a garden bed that's made out of cinder blocks that's been there at least since the mid 1990s. I wonder if those are safe or toxic like the ones you mentioned at the beginning of the video
I think I'd prefer cement blocks, they last forever and they can be dressed up with "stone" veneer. As long as they aren't mortered in olace they can be easily torn down and rebuilt somewhere else or just removed.
My old 1/4 inch galvanized troughs (3x5 ft. and 30 inches high) are a heat magnet. The soil gets HOT. I now have a a12x20 40% white shade cloth over my garden area. Liking the idea of new cinder blocks plus the stone would hold moisture a little better. And good insulation qualities??
Ha ha. I think you know what I meant but I see your point. Like I said, this isn’t necessarily my point of view. I think for the most part people should garden how they personally see fit. I just want people gardening!
Concrete blocks are super porous and will wick moisture out of the soil causing it to dry out much faster than other options. Modern (as in AC2 that's been mandated for the past 20+ years) pressure treated lumber is food safe. It contains no arsenic which was the problem with the older CCA lumber.
I've found that concrete (block & solid) hold moisture in just as well as the other options. Covering the beds with wood chips helps solve the moisture issue, but you might want to put out a saucer with beer on it every few days to kill slugs & snails. =p
Do you have any experience with charred wood? There is a fair amount of information on how long the can last but nothing about if stuff can leach into the soil. I built some at my old place out of pine and they held up great for the years I was there.
Any comments on plastic containers.. they are safe for hauling water etc. Last a lifetime, durable and light . BTW steel is freaking heavy and hard on the knees if you run into it !
Traditionally UV rays break down plastic. I know they are making some plastic products for outdoor adventuring that stand up to the elements but I’m not sure even those are meant to be left in the sun 24/7. I’ll do some digging. Good point about steel!
what about downsides of steel that it shares with corrugated metal? Gets very hot in the summer, no edge space to act as a shelf... why is steel better than corrugated steel.
I like the look of the steel myself, but I also live in the desert, where we get 120F in the summers. Have you seen any successful ways of using this with an insulation of some kind?
The rusty steel beds at the end of the video look beautiful. Can you point me to a safe and economical source for the materials or kits? Is lead, mercury or other toxic contaminant in the steel a concern at all?
These are troughs used for hores and cattle on farms. They are sturdy and I've been using them because I can't find 40 gallon rubber pots. Do you have a source for 40 gallon rubber pots?
The cutesy:information ratio is beyond my tolerance. I'm sure you put a lot of effort into this but this was far longer than it had to be. Viewers' time is valuable. Wish you the best, just not my cup of tea.
Still finding my way. Trying to establish myself. My most recent video is a bit more condensed. Thanks for your comment. Hope you find your cup of tea!
@@thegardenguru just found your channel, if you focus on permaculture principles it will not only help you improve your yield, you’ll grow your channel WAY faster than if you focus on general agriculture with tilling. ru-vid.com/group/PLdIvK1MzAQWKn8UjEuGBJ4Lhu9svNs1Jc it’s a rapidly growing topic
And if you're actually worried about cinder blocks, plant mustard, lavender & other heavy metal accumulators that year & then dispose of them before they seed.
