Raised beds- Ideal size? - Page 2

Too Tall Toms · November 23, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by feldon30

Unless you are 7 foot tall, you will have a very hard time tending to plants in the middle of a bed over 4' wide without stepping in the bed. I'm 6'9" and after having a 12 x 6 bed, I'd never do it again.

I think 3x12 or 4x16 are ideal sizes. In a 3x12 I can comfortably get 8-9 tomato plants. In a 4x16, that number goes to 12-14.

Look at the price and decide if it's worth the extra 2" of height.

What type of soil will your beds be resting on? Untreated lumber touching dirt/loam/clay/mud will rot very fast, maybe less than 2 years. Termites are also a problem.

If the beds are being built on well-draining soil (basically sand), then you might get away with Untreated.

Treated lumber doesn't contain arsenic anymore and that's what I use. At least til my ship comes in and I can afford more permanent materials.

How do you know if the treated lumber doesn't contain arsenic? I suppose I could always ask someone who works in the lumber department of any store I would go to, but do I trust them?

dipchip2000 · November 23, 2011

I just finished building 8 of the 3x12 ft beds out of 2x12s. They are now sitting empty aqnd I have decided to do the lasagna composting in these beds since I am starting from scratch with empty beds. I just today received the book Lasagna Gardening in the mail and will start the long task of filling beds soon and hope to have them ready by spring. I also built a hotbed for the seedlings with an old storm door for a top. I have it wired for 2 75watt heaters on a thermostat that turns on at 35degrees and shuts off at 45 degrees to protect them in January and February.I will post pictures as I get farther along and share dos and donts as I learn these new to me techniques.
Seed starting is only about 6weeks away.
thanks for any comments or ideas

ron

kath · November 23, 2011

What an exciting project, Ron! I used the same book when we turned what was previously sod into new garden and it worked really well and the layering went a lot faster than we thought it would. We planted in them right away as they were built in early spring and the plants did really well. By the end of the growing season, much of the material had broken down. When we expanded the garden a second time, we used the lasagna method in the fall and the beds were really ready to go by spring. Getting the materials to fill all the beds might be the most time-consuming part of the challenge now. Pile them high because you'll be amazed at how much they settle by the time you're ready to plant in the spring.

Your hotbed idea sounds really cool and I'm looking forward to your posts/pics about it.

Keiththibodeaux · November 23, 2011

I have several 4 foot wide raised beds and wish they were 3 feet wide every time I have to work in them.

wmontanez · November 23, 2011

Ron,

I started to put chicken wire or hardware cloth stapled in the bottom of any new raised bed since a little chipmunk decided to house himself under one and all of the sudden made a big tunnel underneath. I actually empied some this fall and put bottom chicken wire to prevent more residents. If you don't have those problems great but I did not have any of those critters 3 years ago...they probably know I am organic and feel like eating my veggies too

Farmette · November 23, 2011

Wonder if the chicken wire would keep voles from tunneling if the perimeter is fenced. I have a vole problem.

mysidx · November 23, 2011

I would like to have two rows of plants in one long bed, and I feel like 3' in width would not give the space they need between each other. My beds are tilled and are only 5" above the tilled surface. I see that many people here do not till, but just create 8 to 12" tall beds. The material to fill them all must get pricey. My soil was tested before any amendments were added and it looked great, however I will be getting several truck loads of garden mix with river silt and chicken manure to till in the existing soil for sure.

Rob

dipchip2000 · November 23, 2011

I also have a problem with moles( similar to voles I think). I did put 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the bottom of all beds with staples to help eliminate the problem. I am really excited to begin filling the beds so that they will be ready by spring.
Thanks for the comments and encouragement .

ron

wmontanez · November 23, 2011

It takes quite a bit to grow good soil. I filled my boxes with 50% compost that I bought by the yard and 50% soil from my garden. I grow cowpeas as covercrop and also enjoy the peas but then all the plant gets to lay and lasagna itself with leaves, weeds as long as they don't have seeds, grass clipplings etc etc from the garden. All the maple/oak leaves that blow into my yard from the next door neighbors is welcomed! I found it to be excellen mulch when mixed with dry grass clippings. Makes a mat once compacted. I ran out of leaves for my garlic mulch so I even though of asking for them...or going to a park and rake some LOL

feldon30 · November 24, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Too Tall Toms

How do you know if the treated lumber doesn't contain arsenic? I suppose I could always ask someone who works in the lumber department of any store I would go to, but do I trust them?

Lumber companies voluntarily phased out Chromated copper arsenate in 2004. Lumber that you buy now uses ACQ or CA instead. Note that ACQ can dramatically increase corrosion of any steel-based fasteners. Hot dipped galvanized screws are recommended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_pr...nate_.28CCA.29

November 23, 2011	#20
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	Ron, I started to put chicken wire or hardware cloth stapled in the bottom of any new raised bed since a little chipmunk decided to house himself under one and all of the sudden made a big tunnel underneath. I actually empied some this fall and put bottom chicken wire to prevent more residents. If you don't have those problems great but I did not have any of those critters 3 years ago...they probably know I am organic and feel like eating my veggies too __________________ Wendy

November 23, 2011	#24
wmontanez Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: MA Posts: 776	It takes quite a bit to grow good soil. I filled my boxes with 50% compost that I bought by the yard and 50% soil from my garden. I grow cowpeas as covercrop and also enjoy the peas but then all the plant gets to lay and lasagna itself with leaves, weeds as long as they don't have seeds, grass clipplings etc etc from the garden. All the maple/oak leaves that blow into my yard from the next door neighbors is welcomed! I found it to be excellen mulch when mixed with dry grass clippings. Makes a mat once compacted. I ran out of leaves for my garlic mulch so I even though of asking for them...or going to a park and rake some LOL __________________ Wendy

November 23, 2011	#17
dipchip2000 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Muskogee, Oklahoma Posts: 664	I just finished building 8 of the 3x12 ft beds out of 2x12s. They are now sitting empty aqnd I have decided to do the lasagna composting in these beds since I am starting from scratch with empty beds. I just today received the book Lasagna Gardening in the mail and will start the long task of filling beds soon and hope to have them ready by spring. I also built a hotbed for the seedlings with an old storm door for a top. I have it wired for 2 75watt heaters on a thermostat that turns on at 35degrees and shuts off at 45 degrees to protect them in January and February.I will post pictures as I get farther along and share dos and donts as I learn these new to me techniques. Seed starting is only about 6weeks away. thanks for any comments or ideas ron

November 23, 2011	#18
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	What an exciting project, Ron! I used the same book when we turned what was previously sod into new garden and it worked really well and the layering went a lot faster than we thought it would. We planted in them right away as they were built in early spring and the plants did really well. By the end of the growing season, much of the material had broken down. When we expanded the garden a second time, we used the lasagna method in the fall and the beds were really ready to go by spring. Getting the materials to fill all the beds might be the most time-consuming part of the challenge now. Pile them high because you'll be amazed at how much they settle by the time you're ready to plant in the spring. Your hotbed idea sounds really cool and I'm looking forward to your posts/pics about it.

November 23, 2011	#19
Keiththibodeaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 587	I have several 4 foot wide raised beds and wish they were 3 feet wide every time I have to work in them.

November 23, 2011	#21
Farmette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 985	Wonder if the chicken wire would keep voles from tunneling if the perimeter is fenced. I have a vole problem.

November 23, 2011	#22
mysidx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Baton Rouge,Louisiana Zone 8b Posts: 340	I would like to have two rows of plants in one long bed, and I feel like 3' in width would not give the space they need between each other. My beds are tilled and are only 5" above the tilled surface. I see that many people here do not till, but just create 8 to 12" tall beds. The material to fill them all must get pricey. My soil was tested before any amendments were added and it looked great, however I will be getting several truck loads of garden mix with river silt and chicken manure to till in the existing soil for sure. Rob