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Free materials for building raised beds
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Posted by katielovesdogs z5b/6a Indiana (My Page) on Sun, Jul 23, 06 at 13:47
| A neighbor and I are going to start a neighborhood vegetable garden next spring. We've had the soil tested and planted cucumbers, since they are so sensitive. The soil seems to be fine. However, the lot that we want to use has a lot of buried cinder blocks and glass. We want to put in raised beds so that we won't have to excavate all the rubble. (We already have to take down a couple of mulberry trees and get rid of all the weeds). What could we use to build the raised beds that we could get for free? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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Here is a link that might be useful: Rubber lumber
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| I'm wondering the same thing for raised bed I'm planning right now. I'm looking for non-toxic/potentially hazardous solutions since I eat food from my gardens. Where I live, there are a few new housing developments and I go around looking for cinder blocks and bricks they are throwing away. I'd love to find some cedar beams but I'm likely dreaming on that one. Otherwise, I may resort to using a lot of rocks. The largest ones I can lift go about a foot off the ground which is a good height for the raised bed. Hope you find something that works. ~Melissa in Canada
[my garden blog] [my garden art/junk] |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| Is it safe to use wooden pallets for a raised bed? I got a bunch from a lumber company that I'm wondering what to do with. I plan to use 4 to create a compost box, but don't know what to do with the others. |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| If planning on using the pallets for edibles, the wood must not be treated. Find out of the pallets are made of untreated or treated lumber. |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| Thanks for the info. I'll check on that! |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| How about some big plastic barrels from restraunts--I have two white ones that had olive oil in them The size of water barrels. I cut them the long way and then put them on stands. My mother has a big barrell also cut in two. It is waist high and she doesnt have to bend. She has carrots-onions an tomatoes in it. As I get older I want to have raised all over. cathy |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| Have you considered NOT putting sides on your riased beds, but just mounding the dirt and planting in it like hilling in? Or how about finding someone dumping old straw or hay bales and use them as edging? Or planting directly into the bales...? Raw lumber from a mill, or the slabs. You really don't need a finished edge, you just want to keep the dirt from washing away, right? |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| I am wonering if the roots will get torn up on all that rubble. I also wonder if some one might get hurt, walking on the rumble, or digging in it. |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| Katie, If you want some rocks to use as edging and live near Indianapolis, email me. Lime |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| How big are the mulberry trees? (if they're still there, it's been a while since this topic started) I used a lot of the limbs from my maple tree as edging for gardens and flower beds. They'll have to be replaced in a few years, but I love the look. AND they'll break down into compost eventually! |
RE: Free materials for building raised beds
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| I have cinder blocks around my raised beds. If you have them in your soil already you should dig them out and use them. But I'd get rid of any glass. Cheryl |
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