My hubby is going to make me some raised beds but I need to know what kind of wood we should be using..somebody told me that the treated lumber is ok?..any thoughts?...I need to know pretty quick since hes going to go to the lumber yard soon...Judy
Where to post a question about raised beds?
If you're going to be growing veggies, it's probably better not to use pressure treated lumber, otherwise you're probably OK (chemicals used for pressure treated lumber today aren't as nasty and toxic as they used to be, but if you're going to be eating stuff out of the garden I probably wouldn't use it). You could also use something like redwood or cedar which is naturally somewhat rot-resistant if you don't want the treated wood but it won't last as long, especially in direct contact with soil.
Hey Juttz-- Check out the Jacob Mittleider book More Food From Your Garden $0.99 on Amazon used or Square Foot Gardening (SQF) by Mel Bartholomew also on Amazon used for the same price. Also try searching here on DG because I remember seeing some posts and forums.
I heard J. R. Mittileider prefered Pine painted white when he put his 1925 garden in and it is what I plan to use too. I haven't decided on 2x8 or 2x10- remember you lose .25 per inch forr each inch of width (ie 12 inches = 9, 8 inches = 6, etc.) Best of luck to you and this IS the time to plan for next year.
Both authors have web sites although JRM died in 1999 - a Mr. Kennard runs the WWW.FOODFOREVERYONE.COM site and it is a great resource. WWW.SUAREFOOTGARDENING.COM is also a very good site!
Bernie
Bernie, I will check out the books and the sites..Ive got alot to learn before we put the beds in and I want to do it right....no termite problems and no chemicals in my veggies.....Judy
Hey Juttz-- great to see you're planning to do it right the first time! My neighbor has a raised bed garden in the N E corner of his lot. He uses 2 x 10 x 16 cedar boards @ $46.00 each. He makes his own compost from neighborhood grass clippings and his own food waste. At the end of each season he shovels out each bed, pulls out all plants and ads it all back into the compost pile. He cover the beds with a mesh-like cloth and waits for Spring. In Spring he puls any weeds or plants from the beds and sprinkles in Blood and Bone Meal. Then he fills them again with his compost only. He doesn't use pestcides or chemicals that I know of. This guy wins all kind of awards annually at our county fair for both plants and veggies. He only waters once a week, unless we're in a drought, with an ocillating lawn sprinkler attached to a chlorine filter that sits atop a concrete stoop block (no underground irrigation system or soaker hoses).
Personally, I admire anybody who moves that much soil and has the patience to manage a compost pile that big. He also does vermiculture and is our neighborhood Master Gardner.
I tried the SQFG method in a 5' by 5' in-ground block in 2006 and did MANY thing wrong. For instance, I over planted the bed, planted Indeterminates tomatoes in front of my bush tomatoes, Cuke and Zukes. Given all that I did wrong I harvested more than my tomato loving wife could eat. To say I had a jungle out back is definitely and under statement. I could not believe I did so much wrong and still got acceptable results amazed me and I've been hooked since and look forward to starting my own plants and automating the task of EB container watering. If I try either the MM or SQFG again it will be on top of plastic or plywood..
Best of luck with the GrowBox raised beds.
Bernie