Raised beds for Veggie Garden

Central Vermont: Geologic structure is, well, rocky...lots of rocks, large ones usuallu just under the surface and right where I want to put a garden. So, thinking about raising the beds. I've read that using treated lumber is not recommended because of the leaching into the soil (and veggies) of arsenic and whatever it is they're using now to prolong onset of rot. So, the question is, what can I use, hopefully local, that will withstand for a reasonable time complete breakdown. I don't expect to NOT have to replace every few years of so just want to get the most out of the expense as possible. I think I remember reading somewhere that hemlock and maybe larch would be good but have lost/forgotten where I read that and can no longer rely on my memory.

Thanks for the help!!

Old Curmudgeon

Cedar, Redwood, Concrete blocks, rocks! Ha. Check out the forum Self Contained Box Gardens, it's all about raised bed gardening of all sorts. Lots of info there.

Oh wait, I think the other forum is High Yield Gardening, sorry. I get so confused some times.

This message was edited Apr 13, 2011 9:21 AM

I was thinking rocks, too, since they seem to be available to you. I used concrete blocks, they last forever and I even plant into the holes with herbs and strawberries.

Thanks all for the responses.

Shune can you give the link to that site, I would like to check it out too.

Let's see, I'm not sure how this is done.... This was the introductory post on the new forum... Hope it works.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1159640/

Thanks sjime. there is some good information there.

Hi - I just went through this same dilemna myself.

Apparently, the new treatments for treated wood are claimed to be safe for veggie gardens. They don't use the arsenic anymore. My local lumber yard swore up and down that the new stuff is safe for veggie beds. I researched online and there was a lot to confirm that.

That being said: you're not organic if you're using treated lumber and a lot of people still don't trust it. The stuff leaches into the soil, whatever they use, and it's up to you if you want to eat veggies grown in it. A lot of people do. A lot of people don't.

You can buy the rot resistant natural hardwoods and then you don't have to worry about it, but they are more expensive.

I also considered using rocks. I also live in an extremely rocky place. If I could just use rocks there on my property, this would have been a good solution. But I was gonna have to go get them and haul them back to my house, even if just from the empty field down the road.

Those composite raised garden kits are a good choice. They last forever and are also said to be safe. However, again, they cost money.

My mom had a raised garden made from bricks and they last quite a long time. But not forever, as some might think. After about 20 years, hers did start to crumble, so I think that cinder blocks would do the same. They also have to be purchased and hauled.

A lot of people make raised beds that don't have a border, just the raised soil. You don't absolutley have to have anything around it.

For what it's worth, I made one bed out of treated lumber. I have room for a couple more, and the next ones I will make out of a rot resistant natural hardwood.

I'll take pictures soon and post them.:-)

Too cheap, etc., to use cedar, I built many 4x8 raised beds from #2 pine (2x10) and have gotten excellent service. These are all untreated & after 8 years only a couple need board replacement. I use no chemicals and that does make a difference. I do wish I'd used screws rather than slapping them together with nails, however. Cardboard laid in the bottom helped keep weeds down and promote earth worms.

How about straw bale gardening? It is raised. I've not done it myself buy thinking about it. I too want to build some sort of raised gardens. I don't have soil where I am, just red clay which is the same as concrete! Keep us posted, I would love to see some pics of whatever you end up doing.
Best,
Tia

Just saw this thread and wanted to ask a question along this line. Has anyone tried using used railroad ties?? I know they use them for landscaping and wondered if they were OK for a raised vegetable garden.

These folks have had this same discussion...

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/gagarden/msg1012520822991.html

My dad uses reclaimed railroad ties for his beds. He's had them for years. My mom and stepfather also use railroad ties for their new bed. They did have bricks, but after decades they did crumble and were replaced with the railroad ties. I would have used them myself but I didn't have any cheaply available to me. :-)

Am definitely going to try a raised bed bounded by straw bales. I had forgotten that one and I like the idea.

Thanks moon & seran, read the link provided, and got both sides of the story. We got the declaimed ties for 8.00 a piece and the good ones are 12.00. We used 5 ties, 2 in length and a half tie deep. Those things are a PAIN to join together. Luckily I have a big air compressor and impact wrench to help.

We've already got tomatoes, watermelons, beans, squash and other goodies, to name a few. Will get some pictures when we get a little more finished with the garden.