In my last post I mentioned 11 Things to Think About When Designing Your Raised Bed Vegetable Garden. Here are a few more ideas suggested by commenters!
- Think about a fence (From Tina). Whether for aesthetics or for function fences are good for the garden. Different fences can solve different issues. A simple wire fence may keep out the smaller garden pests like rabbits but a much taller version is needed for deer.
- Consider engineered lumber as a material (From Carol). It’s also known as composite wood and goes under a couple brand names. It’s made from recycled plastics and wood particles and lasts a long time. If I remember right it has a nearly 20 year warranty. Not bad!
- Look for salvaged materials (from Kookster). You can find salvaged or leftover bricks and materials to use for your raised beds at listing services like Craigslist and Freecycle.
Now go out build yourself a raised bed vegetable garden!
Wilco! Thanks for the link!
More great tips!
If only! I would love a raised bed vegetable garden and then I wish for Mr I to take on gardening!
Gail
I love raised beds .. mine are for perennials/small shrubs/roses .. they are much easier on your back and the impact for the eye is really there : ) Great ideas ! Joy
I noticed in your earlier post on this that you mentioned leveling the site for your bed first, but you don’t really have to do that.
http://doorgarden.com/images/raised-beds/terraced-raised-bed.JPG
You can just build up the lower side to make up for the difference.
More great tips!
Hi Dave, all good! I am still a novice at this veggie gardening and need to make more of a plan on paper and be careful to move the tomatoes to different areas too. Tina’s fence idea is good, but so hard to get to the stuff to weed, etc. Rabbits are the problem here. It is almost time to plant the sugar snap peas!
Frances
Sorry for the slow response. The high winds knocked out power this afternoon and I haven’t been online much today.
Gail,
Just tempt him with fresh tomatoes. If you don’t start a garden this summer we’ll have to send you some juicy maters! That will convince him!
David,
I looked at your picture and that is a great idea. I considered that idea one time but since the ground doesn’t need a lot of leveling I’d go ahead and adjust the grade a bit. One spot was real low while the rest was a small slope. It will make it easier to put in the fence later.
Frances,
I’m ready to go for peas! I managed to fill up all my beds (that I have built) and just need to put together a couple more. I may wait a little while as I don’t need them right away. I’ve found that planning ahead helps eliminate a few of the problems that inevitably come up. I would hate to see what would happen if I didn’t plan ahead some!
I line my raised beds with roll plastic to protect the wood from contact with soil, and though I use fir for most of the bed, I put a 2″ board of cedar along the bottom, which is the only wood in contact with soil.
Those are good ideas MLU! I used the plastic method on my parent’s beds when I helped to put them together. It does prevent the moisture from decaying the wood as rapidly. Using the cedar around the base is a smart way to save money.
As a real beginner it would be lovely too see your designs (like you talk about on graph paper), what plants you put together in one bed, and so on. I appreciate the article,.thanks!