Raised garden beds

[Forvols]

Decided to do raised vegetable garden beds. I had lumber left over from another project went and bought enough straight stock roof metal color to match our roof, shutters and doors. Going to build 3 8ftLx4ftWx24ftD raised beds. Any you guys do raised beds for vegetables?

 

[Coop87]

I'm going to be building some this weekend for the kids to use as they have expressed interest. It helps to provide a way for water to drain (till ground underneath or add layer of rock) If it's not pressure treated wood you could spray some flex seal or use oil based stain. Make sure to leave plenty of space when planting. We didn't last year and affected plants health. I'm planning on using those concrete wall block planters from HD with some 2x6s and fab up some sort of trellis for one. After our 3 week old lab dug up our mint plant the other day I'm now considering doubling the height haha

 

[hillbillyfab]

We've got a few of those galvanized tubs. My wife drug then home a a few years back. I'm can tell you, I was against them right off the bat. I grew up breaking ground with a bottom plow, planting way too big a garden and slowly losing it to weeds and such. Let me tell you I'm a fan of raised beds now. Lots easier to maintain and have plants that produce lots more than I thought they could. I'll be building more raised beds moving forward.

 

[Chiflyguy]

Yup
Next to fishing, gardening season is my favorite.
I used cinder blocks
The two beds not with cinder blocks are done Huglkulture style

 

[DaveB]

I used cinder blocks

Never would have thought of using cinder blocks. Thanks for the tip.

Perfect way to keep varieties separate.

 

[Chiflyguy]

Never would have thought of using cinder blocks. Thanks for the tip.

Perfect way to keep varieties separate.

I've used wood in the past.
Lasted about three years.
I'm gettin too freakin old to be redoing things.

 

[TnTurk]

This is one of the potato boxes I built out of old crates. I removed some more of the end boards to allow more sunlight in. I will screw them back on as the plants grow and I add more straw and compost around the potatoes. I also use smaller ones to put peppers and onions in a well.

 

[Popcorn]

I will never go back to in the ground gardening. I get 10X the produce with 90% less work.
I love gardens in raised beds.

 

[Forvols]

Thanks for the info and picts. Hope to get mine built this week and ready to plant. Building 3 4x8x2 to start for this year.

 

[reliable]

View attachment 174498View attachment 174500View attachment 174502
I will never go back to in the ground gardening. I get 10X the produce with 90% less work.
I love gardens in raised beds.

Beautiful gardening area! Really well done.

 

[DoubleRidge]

View attachment 174498View attachment 174500View attachment 174502
I will never go back to in the ground gardening. I get 10X the produce with 90% less work.
I love gardens in raised beds.

Very Nice! I purchased the lumber to build raised beds last weekend. We are starting with four 4x8 raised beds.....I do have a question about your gravel.....what size stone did you use? Did you lay geotech fabric under the gravel? And lastly did you gravel the entire area before building your beds? Sorry to ask so many questions....but your design is similar to what we're planning to do....appreciate any pointers.

 

[Popcorn]

Thanks
Level and tamp area
Cover with heavy duty geo textile fabric
Place beds and fill with dirt
Cover isles with #8 chips

Make absolute your lumber is graded for contact with soil like yellow wood, it will last a lot longer
(Lowe's does not carry this kind of lumber)

Line your box inside walls with plastic to reduce evaporation thru wood and cracks
Leave bottom open to geo fab
Plumb in a frost free faucet at the corner you approach most common.
Leave a space for a small patio table and chair
Get a rainfall nozzle

 

[DoubleRidge]

Thanks
Level and tamp area
Cover with heavy duty geo textile fabric
Place beds and fill with dirt
Cover isles with #8 chips

Make absolute your lumber is graded for contact with soil like yellow wood, it will last a lot longer
(Lowe's does not carry this kind of lumber)

Line your box inside walls with plastic to reduce evaporation thru wood and cracks
Leave bottom open to geo fab
Plumb in a frost free faucet at the corner you approach most common.
Leave a space for a small patio table and chair
Get a rainfall nozzle

Perfect! Exactly the type of information I was looking for!! Thanks!!

 

[Chiflyguy]

View attachment 174498View attachment 174500View attachment 174502
I will never go back to in the ground gardening. I get 10X the produce with 90% less work.
I love gardens in raised beds.

Damn dude.
That is awesome!
Like the table in the middle.
I could see myself kickin back sippin on a beer watching my plants grow.
The bean trellis is cool!

 

[DoubleRidge]

Thanks
Level and tamp area
Cover with heavy duty geo textile fabric
Place beds and fill with dirt
Cover isles with #8 chips

Make absolute your lumber is graded for contact with soil like yellow wood, it will last a lot longer
(Lowe's does not carry this kind of lumber)

Line your box inside walls with plastic to reduce evaporation thru wood and cracks
Leave bottom open to geo fab
Plumb in a frost free faucet at the corner you approach most common.
Leave a space for a small patio table and chair
Get a rainfall nozzle

One more question...for the dirt in your beds...did you purchase bag soil? Or collect some bottom land top soil? Or some combination? I ask because we have horses and I have a larger quantity of older composted horse manure....not hot....but not sure what ratio to blend in with the soil? I've disk it in the ground garden before along with chicken litter.....but in raised beds I wasn't sure of the ratios and want to get started on right foot....thanks again for the input.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Picture from last year. 90 sq foot. Just cleaned this out yesterday and got seeds in the dirt today.

 

[Popcorn]

Thanks
Level and tamp area
Cover with heavy duty geo textile fabric
Place beds and fill with dirt
Cover isles with #8 chips

Make absolute your lumber is graded for contact with soil like yellow wood, it will last a lot longer
(Lowe's does not carry this kind of lumber

Line your box inside walls with plastic to reduce evaporation thru wood and cracks
Leave bottom open to geo fab
Plumb in a frost free faucet at the corner you approach most common.
Leave a space for a small patio table and chair
Get a rainfall nozzle

Damn dude.
That is awesome!
Like the table in the middle.
I could see myself kickin back sippin on a beer watching my plants grow.
The bean trellis is cool!

Thanks! I do exactly that. The cattle panel trellis is for almost everything. Peppers, tomatoes, brussel sprouts all need support they get so big in these beds.

 

[Popcorn]

One more question...for the dirt in your beds...did you purchase bag soil? Or collect some bottom land top soil? Or some combination? I ask because we have horses and I have a larger quantity of older composted horse manure....not hot....but not sure what ratio to blend in with the soil? I've disk it in the ground garden before along with chicken litter.....but in raised beds I wasn't sure of the ratios and want to get started on right foot....thanks again for the input.

I blended compost 20%, clay 15%, good topsoil 50% and humus mulch compost blend15%. The horse litter if composted is good but if not will have a lot of grass seed. Each year I top my beds with peat moss. It retards weeds, discourages bugs, insulates the soil and decays into stuff plants love.

 

[Popcorn]

View attachment 174854
Picture from last year. 90 sq foot. Just cleaned this out yesterday and got seeds in the dirt today.

I love this, the warm wall and wind protection plus moisture preservation!

 

[DoubleRidge]

I blended compost 20%, clay 15%, good topsoil 50% and humus mulch compost blend15%. The horse litter if composted is good but if not will have a lot of grass seed. Each year I top my beds with peat moss. It retards weeds, discourages bugs, insulates the soil and decays into stuff plants love.

Thanks again!....appreciate the information!

 

[Popcorn]

Thanks again!....appreciate the information!

I have a wood stove in my garage and all my ashes from there go to the beds the charred wood from my smoker and grill also.
Also add red worms! Just pick up some around the place and they will multiply pretty quick.

 

[tellico4x4]

 

[Popcorn]

View attachment 174926View attachment 174927View attachment 174930

Especially love the water stations!

 

[Chiflyguy]

Especially love the water stations!

Yeah, no kidding.
Gonna do that with my trees

 

[tellico4x4]

I dig my tomato plant holes with post hole diggers. The PVC goes in before I add any dirt. Believe it encourages the roots to drive deeper. Be sure & cut ends that go in ground on angle as it seems to help them drain.

 

[woodyard]

Trying my first raised beds with some strawberries this year.

 

[DaveB]

There are some fantastic gardens here.

Great ideas, execution, and results.

I got to get real busy.

 

[DayDay]

Decided to do raised vegetable garden beds. I had lumber left over from another project went and bought enough straight stock roof metal color to match our roof, shutters and doors. Going to build 3 8ftLx4ftWx24ftD raised beds. Any you guys do raised beds for vegetables?

Thanks for the info and picts. Hope to get mine built this week and ready to plant. Building 3 4x8x2 to start for this year.

Glad you settled on 2 foot depth; I thought 24 feet was a bit ambitious.

 

[Popcorn]

Trying my first raised beds with some strawberries this year.View attachment 174977

You're gonna like that a lot!
I built 200 sq ft of strawberry beds and 200 sq ft of asparagus beds for my brother in law. They love 'em and they are really productive

 

[DaveB]

Popcorn--You use the black plastic sheeting on your strawberries?? I have always skipped that stuff but a buddy tells me thats what the pros use. Personally, I think it is just to maximize mechanical harvesting and to control water loss.

You have a favorite variety or three?