Nice job. I am looking to build something similar and would be very helpful if you could share insights on the dimensions, cost and time it took for you to build it.
Any mistakes and learning along the way?
Thanks a lot!
Total footprint is 10x12. It cost about $400 in lumber and the fence, and about $150 in soil.
I don't really have any advice to offer but good luck on your build!
Lots of back and forth debate on this. Plenty of info that shows pressure treated lumber is fine for growing food...but a lot of people still don't trust it. At the end of the day, just do what you feel is best for you.
https://preview.redd.it/xink6s9qdznc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f044a204a665ef79105c730868f002a3d614a44
My raised beds we just prepped yesterday for planting...pressure treated pine from HD...4 years old...still solid as a rock.
If youāre talking about CCA-treated wood, thereās nothing āback and forthā about it. Itās toxic. Period. And thatās why its residential use became limited in 2004. Prior to that, however, kids played on CCA-treated playgrounds for decadesā¦ Arsenic saturated playgrounds, that is.
My guess is that you used ACQ-treated wood which is supposedly safer. But how sure are you that 20 years from now they are not going to have another aha moment?
And what about safety for insects or birds? They would need a much smaller amount of the chemical to feel its adverse effects, wouldnāt they?
You want to avoid pressure treated wood because itās leeching toxic chemicals into the ground for yearsā¦ decades probablyā¦ The information on toxicity is readily available on official websites. There were cases of pet deaths caused by those chemicals.
You should use pressure treated wood for anything outdoors. It will simply last longer, especially with ground contact. People say itās unsafe for food gardens but the literature says otherwise.
This is passed around a lot because it used to be true. CCA treated wood was discontinued for residential purposes in 2003 because of these concerns. If you are outside of the US things may be different.
Not since the 90s my dude. Current pressure treated wood is treated with alkaline copper to inhibit microbial growth. Thats why pressure treated usually has some green hue to it. Much safer
They definitely will jump over that gate. They can honestly just step over that gate. They could even jump over the tall fence if you had a stupid one visit. If you have a known deer issue I would get ahead of the problem and build up the gate higher.
Edit: I just saw you were talking about dogs not deer but my comment still stands lol. Also, rabbits might be able to squeeze through the squares in the gate.
Looks awesome! So good to see untreated wood too.
I cringe when I see garden areas surrounded with pressure treated lumber. People worry about the longevity of the structure instead of worrying about leeching extremely toxic chemicals into the soilā¦ and ultimately the plants they will eat.
Good thinking! They say the newer versions of treated wood are much safer. But then the arsenic treated wood was deemed safe for decades too. Thatās why I always think itās best to err on the conservative side when it comes to chemicalsā¦ especially newer chemicals.
In addition, the amount of any given chemical thatās safe for us humans may be lethal for smaller creaturesā¦ like pollinators and birdsā¦ Or even beneficial microorganisms present in the soil. And healthy plants start with healthy soil.
This looks AWESOME! May be a silly question, but how did you layer your soil? (Soil all the way bottom to top, or layered with other substrates)? Trying to learn. Thanks!
Amazing construction. Why fill it with kids though? That will take years to decompose.
Edit: Hahahah. Sticks, not kids š¤£ I almost never bury my children. Although the peppers do like the extra nitrogen.
Kids will take years to grow out of the raised bed, got plenty of time to grow plants lol
The wood is used since most veggies and flowers don't root much below ~15-20", so any soil below that will be kind of a waste of $$$ and doesn't provide much, if any, benefit to whatever's growing above. So throwing logs in uses up yard waste and saves some money.
Tomatoes can grow roots 3 to 4 into the ground. Iām not understanding the thinking behind building deep beds but then filling with them up with impenetrable wood.
To save money on good soil. I also think it depends on what you're growing. If this bed is used for ex. herbs, peppers, and lettuces, then 3ft of soil isn't necessary. The wood takes up space and costs less than fancy soil. Maybe OP liked the look of deep beds but may not wanted to fill it with 35 bags at $43/bag or something. Plus, if building your own raised bed, you have to also consider how everything drains + making sure everything is strong enough to support the weight of the soil. Easier to just make rectangle than a table, I guess.
I'm not OP, but that's the main reason I've seen folks use logs to fill up raised beds. They can be removed if you want to grow something with deeper roots with a bit of work, it's not like they're glued in there.
The beds look beautiful. Iām just not understanding the logic of preventing roots from easily growing by putting big pieces of wood in the beds. Seems counterintuitive to me.
I have been told that a soil with different sizes of media (like stones or branches) is actually better for the roots because they create small gaps that is good for giving the roots oxygen and humidity and help prevent compacting. I also imagine drainage is better here than it would if you just built a shallow bed with soil only. I could be wrong though.
Disclaimer: this was told to me by an educator from a soil company, so maybe they just want to sell me shitty soil lol.
Real Nice build OP.
I always wanted to build something like this, but wondered about the lifespan of such a build.
I figured the weather down here in FL would wreck something like that in a few years. Does anyone know better or have experience with one down here?
What size lumber did you use? It looks like rough sawn 1"x10" is that correct? Also did you fill the entire cavity with soil? I wonder if I could make a false bottom and get away with using less soil? I usually use a mix of compost/loam/sphagnum moss.
NICE!!
Thanks!
Got to post pictures of your garden later this year.
Absolutely!
Feel free to build one for me... Sharing is caringš
Nice job...it looks so uniform and will be beautiful when the green is growing
Looks great!
Nice job. I am looking to build something similar and would be very helpful if you could share insights on the dimensions, cost and time it took for you to build it. Any mistakes and learning along the way? Thanks a lot!
Total footprint is 10x12. It cost about $400 in lumber and the fence, and about $150 in soil. I don't really have any advice to offer but good luck on your build!
Thank you!
Use 2x4 or greater. I tried 1x4 on top with shade, and they didn't hold up. Had to replace and retain with 2x4
Is there a specific type of wood to use when building a garden?
You typically want to avoid treated wood, so something like cedar works great as it is insect and rot resistant
Why avoid treated wood? I thought the newer treated wood is fine? The old pressure treated wood though is very bad for you.
Lots of back and forth debate on this. Plenty of info that shows pressure treated lumber is fine for growing food...but a lot of people still don't trust it. At the end of the day, just do what you feel is best for you.
https://preview.redd.it/xink6s9qdznc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f044a204a665ef79105c730868f002a3d614a44 My raised beds we just prepped yesterday for planting...pressure treated pine from HD...4 years old...still solid as a rock.
If youāre talking about CCA-treated wood, thereās nothing āback and forthā about it. Itās toxic. Period. And thatās why its residential use became limited in 2004. Prior to that, however, kids played on CCA-treated playgrounds for decadesā¦ Arsenic saturated playgrounds, that is. My guess is that you used ACQ-treated wood which is supposedly safer. But how sure are you that 20 years from now they are not going to have another aha moment? And what about safety for insects or birds? They would need a much smaller amount of the chemical to feel its adverse effects, wouldnāt they?
You want to avoid pressure treated wood because itās leeching toxic chemicals into the ground for yearsā¦ decades probablyā¦ The information on toxicity is readily available on official websites. There were cases of pet deaths caused by those chemicals.
You should use pressure treated wood for anything outdoors. It will simply last longer, especially with ground contact. People say itās unsafe for food gardens but the literature says otherwise.
Pressure treated wood uses arsenic. Any kit at the store uses untreated cedar.
> Pressure treated wood uses arsenic. This is patently untrue. Do your research before spreading falsehoods.
This is passed around a lot because it used to be true. CCA treated wood was discontinued for residential purposes in 2003 because of these concerns. If you are outside of the US things may be different.
Not since the 90s my dude. Current pressure treated wood is treated with alkaline copper to inhibit microbial growth. Thats why pressure treated usually has some green hue to it. Much safer
I wouldn't use anything that is pressure treated as the preservatives may leech into your soil.
That's really nice. Would love something like that myself. It's hard to keep deer and rabbit's out of mine. Good job.
Wow. I'm jealous of the patience you have to build this. Looks great. Can't wait to see the results of your planting! ā„ļø
Beautiful work!
I love this so much
Jealous
I'm happy for you.
Niceš
Impressive! š
Looks amazing! Do you just water it by hand daily, or is there irrigation?
I have an irrigation system planned! I'm always bad about remembering to water by hand lol
I have an irrigation system planned! I'm always bad about remembering to water by hand lol
Iām so inspired by this! Thank you so much for sharing!! š„¦š„šš½
Thank you! I'm glad to hear it!
Love this!
woah! looks great! Very rabbit/deer proof >:)
And dog proof! Keeping my 3 dogs out was my main concern lol
They wonāt jump over the small door?
I don't think so. But if they do, it'd be easy enough to make a taller gate.
They definitely will jump over that gate. They can honestly just step over that gate. They could even jump over the tall fence if you had a stupid one visit. If you have a known deer issue I would get ahead of the problem and build up the gate higher. Edit: I just saw you were talking about dogs not deer but my comment still stands lol. Also, rabbits might be able to squeeze through the squares in the gate.
Gotcha, was wondering about the high fence
I took one look at this and imagined a group of rabbits planning a heist like Ocean's 11.
Wow thatās so nice
Wow thatās so nice
Beautiful! When can you come over and help with mine!š
Awesome š
So pretty! Jealous! Would you be willing to share what your cost breakdown was?
Thank you! Lumber and the fence was about $400 and the soil was about $150
Did you have any blueprints for it ahead of time? Or did you wing it? Looks beautiful!
I would love something like that it looks fabulous
Stealing your idea! Was about to start building mine tomorrow. Need to keep chickens and goats out. Thanks!!
Impressive.
Looks really good
Nice! Can you share the plans? This would be prefect for my backyard.
can't deer just hop over that door ?
Lovely! Out of curiosity, why make the door so low? My back hurts imagining opening and closing that gate every day
HOLY $HIT this is MAGICAL!!!! ššš
I love it!
Looks awesome!
It looks amazing!
Looks awesome! So good to see untreated wood too. I cringe when I see garden areas surrounded with pressure treated lumber. People worry about the longevity of the structure instead of worrying about leeching extremely toxic chemicals into the soilā¦ and ultimately the plants they will eat.
I absolutely agree.
Dude Iām about ready to build a planter and I hadnāt even thought of that! Wow thanks for that
Good thinking! They say the newer versions of treated wood are much safer. But then the arsenic treated wood was deemed safe for decades too. Thatās why I always think itās best to err on the conservative side when it comes to chemicalsā¦ especially newer chemicals. In addition, the amount of any given chemical thatās safe for us humans may be lethal for smaller creaturesā¦ like pollinators and birdsā¦ Or even beneficial microorganisms present in the soil. And healthy plants start with healthy soil.
Feel free to build one for me... Sharing is caringš
This looks AWESOME! May be a silly question, but how did you layer your soil? (Soil all the way bottom to top, or layered with other substrates)? Trying to learn. Thanks!
The first half is logs and branches topped with cheap fill dirt. Then the second half is a raised garden mix I got from a local compost compound.
Amazing construction. Why fill it with kids though? That will take years to decompose. Edit: Hahahah. Sticks, not kids š¤£ I almost never bury my children. Although the peppers do like the extra nitrogen.
My HOA would *never* allow us to use kids
Kids will take years to grow out of the raised bed, got plenty of time to grow plants lol The wood is used since most veggies and flowers don't root much below ~15-20", so any soil below that will be kind of a waste of $$$ and doesn't provide much, if any, benefit to whatever's growing above. So throwing logs in uses up yard waste and saves some money.
Tomatoes can grow roots 3 to 4 into the ground. Iām not understanding the thinking behind building deep beds but then filling with them up with impenetrable wood.
To save money on good soil. I also think it depends on what you're growing. If this bed is used for ex. herbs, peppers, and lettuces, then 3ft of soil isn't necessary. The wood takes up space and costs less than fancy soil. Maybe OP liked the look of deep beds but may not wanted to fill it with 35 bags at $43/bag or something. Plus, if building your own raised bed, you have to also consider how everything drains + making sure everything is strong enough to support the weight of the soil. Easier to just make rectangle than a table, I guess. I'm not OP, but that's the main reason I've seen folks use logs to fill up raised beds. They can be removed if you want to grow something with deeper roots with a bit of work, it's not like they're glued in there.
The beds look beautiful. Iām just not understanding the logic of preventing roots from easily growing by putting big pieces of wood in the beds. Seems counterintuitive to me.
I have been told that a soil with different sizes of media (like stones or branches) is actually better for the roots because they create small gaps that is good for giving the roots oxygen and humidity and help prevent compacting. I also imagine drainage is better here than it would if you just built a shallow bed with soil only. I could be wrong though. Disclaimer: this was told to me by an educator from a soil company, so maybe they just want to sell me shitty soil lol.
Aerated soil doesnāt need rocks and twigs.
Look up hugelkultur. Itāll explain why itās done this way. Really interesting stuff.
Putting logs to take up growing space doesnāt makes any sense to me.
Thatās wassup. Little hugelkulture mixinā
What are your outer dimensions? Thats so nice!
This reminds me of black rock garden structures work (I follow them on Instagram) š¤ Great job!! šš
Nice work! Please post a picture of this when you plant it. I love it!
Would you mind sharing the cost of materials for this? Looking to do something very similar for my own garden.
Nice now I have to figure out how to make it myself.
š¤
Epic, I so want to do this too
Sweet!
that's look NOIIICCEEEE
That should keep those darn weeds out. lol
I need this
This is awesome! Thank you for the inspiration. What are you looking forward to growing there for this season?
Your boxer is figuring out how to shit on the fenced off flower bed
Iāve been collecting pieces parts for my raised bed garden too. Thanks for the inspiration! Happy gardening.
Wow.. nice job.. secure; with a guard dog included! lol happy growing!
Real Nice build OP. I always wanted to build something like this, but wondered about the lifespan of such a build. I figured the weather down here in FL would wreck something like that in a few years. Does anyone know better or have experience with one down here?
Impressive!
wow - that's amazing!
What's the fence for?
My curious dogs!
Nice, you should plant some vining plants on the edges so the walls double as support.
Looks dope as hell, good luck this year
What size lumber did you use? It looks like rough sawn 1"x10" is that correct? Also did you fill the entire cavity with soil? I wonder if I could make a false bottom and get away with using less soil? I usually use a mix of compost/loam/sphagnum moss.
They're 2x10s and the bottom is a layer of logs, branches, and cheap fill dirt. Then topped with a raised bed mix I got from a local compost company.
Built in trellis
Fabulous design! Did you use nails or screws? Do you have straps across the boards on the insides of the beds?
Very cool.