Raised Vegetable Garden

I have spare wood laying around and was thinking about building a raised bed for vegetables. The wood is painted, so is that bad because they say not to use "treated wood". Will it be toxic to eat the veges if the wood is painted. Thanks in advance.

I wouldn’t use the wood because I wouldn’t raise the bed.I’ve tried them
a couple times and they stay to dry.No amount of watering seems to
overcome it being exposed to more heat and air all around.
Just a thought.

Hello, I am seriously thinking about starting a vegetable garden in my back yard, (raised bed) but I am unsure of what kind of soil I should use. Can someone recommend a good, safe soil?
Thank you.

Compost,humus,cow manure and a little garden or top soil.Every gardener will tell you something different that’s because we all have tried everything and stick with what works for us.There is no right or wrong way unless you don’t tend it,after planting.I don’t use much fertilizer at all and when I do it is natural,like bone meal and epsom salts.Turn the soil well together after every growing season and leave it over winter.Comes spring you are ready to go again,just adding compost as you get it.Hope that helped.

I am building an 8" deep raised bed vegetable garden and I want to lay down some sort of weed / grass barrier under the bed before I add all of the soil. What is the best under layer to use? Is landscape fabric a safe under layer for vegetables, or does it degrade to undesirable chemicals over time?

You should use it to help eliminate weeds. You can get ones that are made from corn now, believe it or not. It’s still black and looks like regular landscape fabric but it’s organic. It’s at Home Depot right next to the other stuff. Cost is about the same. It’s what I use…

They are vegetable beds and we don’t want them in them!

We have tried, rosemary, organe peels, marigolds, the sprays you buy fromHome Depott andLowe’ss. Our last resort will be a shot in the ass with the bee beee gun, but we don’t want to.

How do you keep them out!?
I suppose by the end of the day we will know if the coffee grinds work. I just spread a bunch over two of my beds. If it works I will buy some coffee and let the grinds soak in hot water and start spreading it on the rest!

Try Bloodmeal…they don’t like the smell. It is organic and would benefit your plants as well. Can find it at most any Garden Center..good luck

I want to make a fence with 3 different sized planks. You know when wood is measured say 2xa4 or 2×8 etc and how long are they? Thanks so much.
Also is pressure treated wood available in planks?
I want to make a raised vegetable bed with them too.
I live in Ireland so would have to be measurements recognised here. Thanks

Yes, pressure treated lumber is available in ‘planks’. Here in the USA, the most common use for them would be outdoor decks/stairs.

As to the lengths, its fairly common to find them about 6ft, 8ft, and 10 ft lengths, but they can also be bought in 12 ft, and longer lengths. The longer the length, the more it will cost. (6ft = 182.8 cm, 8ft = 2438.4mm)

The ‘2×4′ designation refers to the original cut dimension of the lumber. It is then planed smooth, and kiln dried, (which shrinks it a bit), so a ‘2×4′ ends up closer to 1.5" x 3.5" ( 38mm x 89mm)

Common lumber sizes here in the USA are:
"1×3" = 19mm x 63.5mm
"1×4" = 19mm x 88.9mm
"1×6" = 19mm x 139.7mm
"2×4" = 38mm x 89mm
"2×6" = 38mm x 139.7mm and so on…. It may be more common for suppliers in your area to round up the numbers, so – 88.9 would be 89mm, and 139.7 might be more often referred to as 140mm

Here is a conversion chart, should you need it – http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm

Just remember that the ‘actual’ dimension of width and depth is usually a half inch less than the nominal dimensions. Length, however, is dead on. A 2×4x8 stud is actually 1.5" x 3.5" x 8ft (38mm x 90mm x 2438.4mm)

Check with your local lumber suppliers to see what is available in your area.

Have Fun

im growing vegetables and want to raise the garden…..what benefit is there in a raised bed, and how high do they need to be?

thx

I think the main reason people will install raised beds is the fact that it can be difficult or impossible to amend the soil in their particular area, for the type of plants they like to grow.
For example, if someone lives in a part of the country where the soil is very alkaline or sandy and their interest lies in growing rhododendron/azaleas – they can install raised beds and add soil that is humus rich, slightly acidic and have the entire bed filled with the rhododendron they like.
I have also seen raised beds used as “enabling” gardens. For example, they are built up to the average waist and plants are selected strictly by texture and fragrance, so the blind can enjoy them.
Raised beds are also used at homes where a family member who enjoys gardening may be confined to a wheelchair. The beds are built so that someone who is wheelchair bound can reach the soil easily from a sitting position and tend to the garden from both sides.
For those of us who are fortunate enough to be healthy and have the use of all of our senses they can and usually are installed so that rich, friable soil can be added from the beginning and an established garden can be had quickly as apposed to using the local soil and amending it to meet our needs – which can include removing rocks, sticks and other foreign material – adding compost and tilling – to name a few.
A raised bed garden can also highlight a specific area or a collection of plants such as holding a monocot border, vegetable garden, a collection of prized roses – or to plant an area with poor drainage.
It has been proven that raised bed gardens can double the amount of flowers and vegetables grown by the square foot.
So the reasons can be many and endless, yet all are useful in some way.
The soil depth can be as low as six to twelve inches for annuals and perennials with shallow roots or as deep as needed for shrubs and small trees.
The width of the raised bed should not be any wider than can be easily reached and maintained by the person using it and they are fairly easy to install – depending on materials used. One alternative to wood, is plastic stacking joints and maintenance free, recycled plastic lumber.
Regardless of the benefits – they are a neat and attractive addition to a variety of landscapes.

I have a plot of land about 12 feet by 12 feet and i want to make four square vegetable beds on it with cross shaped path between them (landscape fabric and bark) and path all around too. However i have an extremely limited budget and don’t know the cheapest material to contstruct the sides of the bed, or where to get it. Was thinking about natural untreated wood but not sure where to get it cheap in the sizes i need! Ordering online would be ideal, for home delivery, as i live in the middle of nowhere with no car…. also, does anyone know where i can get cheap landscape fabric and bark for the path?
thanks xxx

Everything you want can be found at home depot or Lowe’s and in some areas they do deliver. As for cheap — well there is no such critter these days. I want to do the same thing on my side yard and plan to use half sheets of 1/4 inch plywood for the sides ; most plywood come in 8 foot lengths so that should work for you too . I plan to use 2×2’s to anchor the corners and several points in between,pounded into the ground about eight inches. Finished, these will be the same height as the plywood. I will then use a heavy plastic rope to tie around the top of the box to disallow the box from expanding outward when filled with dirt. I plan to line the inside with a heavy black plastic punching some hole into the bottom to allow for drainage. Then I will put a layer of # three gravel in bottom and my soil on top of that.

I looked up all the other options and could find no cheaper way of doing this. As for the bark, sometimes your landscaping companies or local nurseries will have this cheaper than HD or Lowe’s. Just depends on what resources you have nearest you. Having things shipped can get pricey; if you live near any of these companies and can convince a friend with a truck or a local church member with a truck to help out would save you some money.

Good Luck and happy gardening:)

I have two raised beds in my garden for vegetables. One gets full sun the other has shade for a good portion of the day. What vegetables will do well in the shady bed? Also, I am in Southern Oregon if that makes a difference. Thanks!

Try the lettuces and spinach and such in the part-shade area. Also, cool-weather crops do really well in part shade. Broccoli, for instance, does well with 2-3 hours of sun a day. (Hopefully, not the hottest-hour-of-the-day sun), and cabbages.

We have just cut down a silver birch tree. It is now shredded. Can I bury this at the base of my new raised vegetable beds to improve the soil, or do I have to wait until it is composted? I do have good compost for the top 12 inches. Thanks.

I would wait till it has aged to bury it (next year or in the fall) You can use now it as a mulch on top of the soil but not in the vegetable garden

I will be needing plenty of excellent soil for raised vegetable beds in the spring and I’d like to compost now through the winter to produce as much possible to fill the beds prior to planting. What is your experience and your suggestion? Which method? Much Thanks!!

I was just searching wikihow for this very answer. I found an article on creating a compost bin – get a plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Drill 8-10 small holes in the bottom of the bin and on the lid. Keep it out of the sun in your back yard or other out of the way area. Keep it out of the sun and keep a lid on it to discourage drying out.
Items you want to compost are vegetable matter, egg shells, lawn clippings, young weeds before they go to seed, fall leaves, coffee grounds, tea bags (sans staple) etc.
Do not compost pet poo, meat and bones, oil or fat, cooked food. These things can be unhealthy. Also avoid weeds that have gone to seed, diseased plants, and if you live in a dry area – wood chippings, hedge clippings or other things that would take too long to break up.
Make sure to turn the compost every so often, at least once or twice a week. This will encourage air flow and kill non-aerobic bacteria which cause it to break down slowly and encourage the growth of aerobic bacteria which speed break up.