how to build your own raised garden bed
from
organic food for everyone
- Three lengths of 12" x 2" x 8' softwood
- 12 x 4" screws
- 8 x 2' metal stakes
- A bag of tacks
- A large ball of twine
Here we are
going to build cheaply and without too much trouble, using softwood planks treated with a non-toxic preservative, to make a basic 8’ x 4’ raised garden bed.
If you take a trip to your local reclamation yard you will find an abundance of cheap wood. Softwood is usually the cheapest and will serve our purpose well.
Mark off your plot area perimeter with string. Do not worry about removing turf as that will decompose once it is covered with soil. Dig out a recess of approximately 2 inches around the perimeter so that the walls (planks) will slot in securely.
Saw one of your planks in half. These will be the two 4' end pieces.
Now construct a box (over the plot area to avoid having to move the constructed frame too far) by fixing the end pieces to the lengths using three screws, evenly positioned, on each corner. It’s that simple! Now drop your frame into the recess you dug out earlier.
Hammer (preferably with a large one!) two metal stakes into the ground on each side of the frame, keeping them snug against the wood until the top of each stake is flush with the top edge of the frame. This will support the outside of the frame. The soil will take care of the inside.
Please click on Organic Soil for the final stage in creating your raised vegetable garden beds.
out of railway sleepersFour railway sleepers;
eight tree stakes;
saw and hammer
- Lay out the railway sleepers on edge in their final positions. Ensure that the best edge uppermost.
- Hammer the two tree stakes into the ground, about 4cm from each corner, to hold the corners together.
- Cut off ensuring the top of the stakes are flush with the railway sleepers. If you are making the bed on a paved surface use coach bolts to hold the sleepers together.
- Fill your brand new sleeper raised bed with a suitable soil or compost. Top tip: If you want to grow herbs, then mix the top soil with grit.
other advice from
urban food garden. includes links to the
insides of the raised veggie patchcosta shows us how, too
not much info through the link, but a "comment" included - used old sleepers on their edge - To hold the sleepers in place we hammered short lengths of pipe into the ground about a foot from each sleeper end on the outsides. The soil in the beds keeps them in place. This has lasted over 3 years. If you go more than one sleeper high, just drill through and pin the first row into the ground, then drill/pin 2 or more as you go up.
late entry! ecoWood
price list from
outdoor timber,
in bayswater ...!
180 Canterbury Rd Bayswater Nth, Victoria 3153
all about
ecoWood - actually not sure this is the same as the sleepers...? different ecoWood i think...treated with Tanalith E - alternative to arsenic etc
also at
bulleen art&garden - at least don't need to get out to bayswater...
or encouraging trees to draw
