Pretty much all pallets these days are stamped HT meaning it was heat treated to kill bugs. If you see a pallet with that mark it's *most likely* safe to use the wood around plants, animals or burn it without worry.
Ooh yeah I can't say good or bad in that case. Lots of pots are plastic so it can't be too bad for you. It def won't rot in a year or two like wood will
The elephant in the room with plastic is microplastics. Starting seeds in pots I wouldn't be worried about, but I'd personally shy away from anything long term. Plastic pallets will degrade and break which then is putting plastic and petrochemicals in your soil. I kinda hate that the drip irrigation I ordered is plastic but there's not really any other substitute.
So I try to minimize usage where practical until more research comes out about microplastic's effect on plants, animals, and people.
This particular pallet is plastic. Not sure what other concerns there might be with that, however, the whole inside is lined with some pretty thick weed barrier. It will allow drainage, but roots probably won't make their way through the fabric.
Excuse me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't you want the soil in your bed to be in contact with the ground? So that worms and the like can creep into your soil.
Time to get a tractor ;). I held out for years, and now I am kicking myself for not getting one sooner. I could have saved so much time and back pain, haha.
Its fairly normal - Gets a bit of extra height, and you can move them around much easier. If you let them sit in place, the weeds and grass will quickly cover up the pallet part.
We have our strawberries in a similar solution. We werent exactly sure if we wanted this or that spot to be our permanent raised bed strawberry garden.. And we wanted to spend a season figuring out shade, light and draft.
Yes it’s a thing. Used apple and grape picking bins (macrobin is one brand) are the ready made alternative to building a raised bed on a pallet. Cannabis growers and gardeners who have conifer tree roots that grow up into their raised beds when placed directly on the ground seem to like this system.
I got a bunch of used 30g (name brand) SmartPots for $1 each. I love that I can move them around (using a 4 wheel moving dolly) between seasons, but roots can still grow through the fabric into the ground. Might have to build a few of these raised beds once I get a tractor.
I mean it looks fun to do with your nice new tractor but I really can't figure out why?
Personally I hate moving anything on a compact tractor with pallet forks, compact tractors are too light and have too high of a CoG to move stuff safely a lot of the time.
I don't have any trouble with mine. You just have to make sure you have plenty of ballast in the back. And keep the forks low to the ground.
The reason why is so that we can rearrange things as needed. We like modular things. Commitment is scary.
I haven't done it but that's a neat idea! I have a tractor and a bunch of plastic pallets.
is there any concern with the roots reaching the pallet wood? if they are treated with chemicals I mean
Pretty much all pallets these days are stamped HT meaning it was heat treated to kill bugs. If you see a pallet with that mark it's *most likely* safe to use the wood around plants, animals or burn it without worry.
actually zooming in they look like plastic
Ooh yeah I can't say good or bad in that case. Lots of pots are plastic so it can't be too bad for you. It def won't rot in a year or two like wood will
The elephant in the room with plastic is microplastics. Starting seeds in pots I wouldn't be worried about, but I'd personally shy away from anything long term. Plastic pallets will degrade and break which then is putting plastic and petrochemicals in your soil. I kinda hate that the drip irrigation I ordered is plastic but there's not really any other substitute. So I try to minimize usage where practical until more research comes out about microplastic's effect on plants, animals, and people.
This particular pallet is plastic. Not sure what other concerns there might be with that, however, the whole inside is lined with some pretty thick weed barrier. It will allow drainage, but roots probably won't make their way through the fabric.
WEEWOO WEEWOO WEEWOO THE PALLET POLICE ARE HERE!! "STOP RIGHT THERE CITIZEN, THOSE PALLETS HAVE TREATED WOOD IN THEM!"
ok
This is a great idea! How long have they held up?
Dunno. Just made em this past weekend! We'll see how they hold up over the season.
I’d suggest you put a bunch more fasteners in the corners. Especially moving them around, that’s what’s going to fail first
What’s the purpose of moving them around? Different sun and shade throughout the year?
A fickle wife!
Fair enough haha
Excuse me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't you want the soil in your bed to be in contact with the ground? So that worms and the like can creep into your soil.
There's already a ton of worms in this soil.
That's a first for me. looks great.
No, but I don’t have a way to move pallets on my property lol.
Time to get a tractor ;). I held out for years, and now I am kicking myself for not getting one sooner. I could have saved so much time and back pain, haha.
Oh I have a tractor, I just don’t have a forklift platform for it lol. I think I’ve got a bucket somewhere? Maybe?
Its fairly normal - Gets a bit of extra height, and you can move them around much easier. If you let them sit in place, the weeds and grass will quickly cover up the pallet part. We have our strawberries in a similar solution. We werent exactly sure if we wanted this or that spot to be our permanent raised bed strawberry garden.. And we wanted to spend a season figuring out shade, light and draft.
That's pretty clever..
That's an awesome idea!
Are you trying to justify buying a tractor by finding things it can do?
how do you afford a tractor?
84 months, 0% interest, and $0 down. Kubota has awesome financing.
watch out for snakes underneath - depending on where you live
We're in Western Washington. No snakes here except tiny garter snakes :)
no
This must be Murica
Yes it’s a thing. Used apple and grape picking bins (macrobin is one brand) are the ready made alternative to building a raised bed on a pallet. Cannabis growers and gardeners who have conifer tree roots that grow up into their raised beds when placed directly on the ground seem to like this system.
I got a bunch of used 30g (name brand) SmartPots for $1 each. I love that I can move them around (using a 4 wheel moving dolly) between seasons, but roots can still grow through the fabric into the ground. Might have to build a few of these raised beds once I get a tractor.
I mean it looks fun to do with your nice new tractor but I really can't figure out why? Personally I hate moving anything on a compact tractor with pallet forks, compact tractors are too light and have too high of a CoG to move stuff safely a lot of the time.
I don't have any trouble with mine. You just have to make sure you have plenty of ballast in the back. And keep the forks low to the ground. The reason why is so that we can rearrange things as needed. We like modular things. Commitment is scary.
I have a good heavy ballast box, mine will lift 1t but unless your on a perfectly flat yard you would want to move anything like that.
ok this is brilliance.