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jleiwig

Pictures of Raised beds

jleiwig
15 years ago

Ok..so last year I had too many irons in the fire and just did a mishmash of things in the garden. I ended up with about 20 tomato plants, 1 cuke, 1 zucchini, and some basil. I am planning now to be more orderly, more efficient, and more on time with the garden this year.

Last year I took the cheap cedar fence boards from Lowes and cut them at about 11" each as a cheap quick solution to containment. I then dog eared all the tops to match, and tried to pound them in the ground to form my beds. Needless to say it didn't work very well, and by the end of the season I think I had two pieces of the boards still standing. They ended up as fuel for the fire pit in the fall.

This year I'd like to do something different. I was thinking of maybe using the same cedar fence boards again, but maybe running them sideways like shiplap siding. I still would need ideas on how to secure the corners. Do they sell 4x4 cedar posts at lowes or HD? I like the cedar beds that gardeners supply sells with the copper corner posts, but they want over $200 bucks for a 3x6 bed.

I am looking for pictures of raised beds that are as much functional as decorative. I also plan on installing an underground drip irrigation system while I have everything torn apart. I had mild success last year with some DIY SWC for tomatoes, and I think I'll continue that this year, but on a lesser scale. I've never given away so many tomatoes in my life!

Hopefully in the next couple weeks I'll have a planning diagram of what my SQFT beds will look like. Definitely less tomatoes and more things like beans and lettuce.

I'm open to all suggestions.

Thanks

Justin

Comments (15)

  • greenbean08_gw
    15 years ago

    I would probably re-consider using fence boards if I were you. I don't know that they would hold up all that well, (though maybe someone else has used them, and will say otherwise...) I'd watch for a good deal on some 2x6 or 2x8 lumber.

    Here's a couple pics of mine. I went for more for function and price than decoration. The wood was used (old deck material, some redwood, some not) and free (craigslist.org).

    Last summer:

    From 2008 Garden

    Part of the expansion for next year:

    From 2008 Garden

  • jleiwig
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    greenbean08-Thank you for the pictures. Unfortunately I am not as lucky as you and have to make mine "pretty and presentable" according to the boss lady. Last year she got pretty miffed with me when I had the 4 SWC containers on the patio taking up all her room, so this year I'm determined to up the SAF(spouse approval factor).

    Here is what I'm thinking

    The Gardener's Supply beds have 4x4 cedar posts in the corner with 1x6 cedar boards attached to it with aluminum angle for ease of assembly. They are topped with a copper post cap at each corner. They want $250 shipped for each 3x6 bed.

    At the local Lowes, we have the following prices:

    1x6x10 cedar boards for 13.66 each x 4 = 54.64
    4x4x8 cedar posts for 32.04 x 1 = 32.04
    ornamental copper post cap 2.97 each x 4 = 11.88

    A grand total of 98.56 for a 3x6 bed, which admittedly will have some waste of the cedar boards left over...but this is just for comparison sake. So Gardner's Supply charges another $115.00 for convenience.

    I think with these figures in mind I can make myself happy as well as the wife happy. I'll post some diagrams of the current layout and proposed layout soon.

  • jleiwig
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Ok...here is my current layout..excuse the crude MS paint pictures!
    {{gwi:1260200}}
    The garden area in the bright green is 4x8 at the end of the patio. The maple has a lot of shade and I cannot go any further to the west with the garden area without taking out the maple...which I would love to do!

    Now I propose two different layouts.

    Layout #1
    {{gwi:1260202}}

    This layout adds a 2x20 or so bed along a fence line to the east, and a 3x8 or so bed to the side of the shed.

    Layout # 2
    {{gwi:1260204}}

    This layout changes the 4x8 bed to two 3x10 beds and everything else from layout 1 transfers over.

    Problems or suggestions with the layout? Not quite sure what I'm going to plant in all the space. I know I want slicing tomatoes, paste tomatoes, and some salad tomatoes. Cukes, Pickles, zuchs, yellow squash, and basil and dill. I want some garden peas and sugar peas and carrots too. And I want some lettuce and maybe some potatoes. Other than that I have no idea yet what I'll plant. LOL..sorry..I'm rambling!

  • disneynut1977 ~ Melissa
    15 years ago

    CALL YOU LOCAL LUMBER YARDS!!! As much as I like Gardener's Supply for some things, you will be getting ripped off if you buy those...unless your looking for an all in 1 kit. If you don't mind putting your own together, call all lumberyards and get pricing for 2"x4" or 2"x6" white or red cedar boards. A lumber yard will have these in all lengths too. They should have 4"x4" posts too, but those are gonna cost you a bit. You won't need top grade either, get the cheaper quality boards. I personaly went with hemlock from HD because I could not afford cedar and I called many lumber yards. Hemlock is alot cheaper, won't last as long as cedar, but for the difference in price it's worth it, for me at least.

    As for the cedar boards at Lowes, I know what your talking about, I was considering them myself a few years ago before I went with the hemlock. They are cheap, but if I recall they are only 1" thick.

    Melissa

  • anniesgranny
    15 years ago

    I have a huge stack of old cedar boards, left from the fence that blew down last summer. I really doubt they'd last a year in direct contact with soil, but I've considered using them to disguise some of those bright blue SWCs if I ever get mine constructed. Maybe nail the fencing to a frame to make a box that would enclose the SWCs.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

  • sinfonian
    15 years ago

    Not sure if you want to see mine, they're heavy on function with some fashion thrown in. Check out my Design/Build section of my blog.

    Sounds like you have a good plan on planting more variety. I recently discussed my quest for the same qualities of tomatoes as you. It's a process but well worth it.

    All I can say about your design is more space gives you more options as far as different varieties, succession planting and crop rotation.

    Enjoy your garden.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure

  • carolynp
    15 years ago

    I was thinking the same thing Melissa is thinking. I'd probably check local lumber costs. Prices on lumber have been coming down out here and the prices you're quoting seem high to me. I'd really love to see your end caps. My hubby wants me to make the boxes in the front yard beautiful if I intend to use the space...easier said.
    I'm not the science gal here. Can anyone remember if you're supposed to plant to the east or the west? I'm thinking your plot next to the shed is going to catch alot of shade. Are you able to plant it on the north side instead? I cast the question to the resident experts, lol. John? Granny? Sinf? EG? GB?

  • anniesgranny
    15 years ago

    I'd milk that space for all it's worth!

    {{gwi:1260205}}

    Granny

    Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

  • sinfonian
    15 years ago

    Granny's got it right. You want the most square footage facing north possible. Alas, I didn't do that because it would have severely limited my space. Anything similar to Granny's would be perfect.

  • greenbean08_gw
    15 years ago

    I read so many conflicting things as to which direction the garden should run, I just did it how I wanted, just pay attention to the height of the plants (taller to the north). I also think the bed to the west of the shed may be pretty shady, but wouldn't it be shadier if you moved it to the north of the shed? I may be wrong on how shady it is there on the west, since the diagram may not show the reality (mine often don't).

  • jleiwig
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well I've kind of had a change of direction.

    I'm thinking that I'll save some money and just use 2x6 pine with some linseed oil on it. If I can get a couple years out of it then it's more than worth the effort considering it's 1/5th the cost of cedar. And trust me..I know all about lumber yards...woodworking is my other hobby besides gardening. Here in my area, most places do not carry cedar. The Home Depot here doesn't even carry it, just Lowes.

    One of my regular lumber suppliers carrys it in 4/4 rough, which is around an inch thick, but wants almost $3 a board foot which would make a 10 ft long board more expensive than Lowes. I only wished I lived in the Pacific Northwest where I could get cedar reasonably, and abundantly.

    Everywhere I highlighted on the picture I drew gets full sun most of the day. I would take Granny's suggestion, however I have no idea what I would plant in all that space!

    I think I'm going to change my construction method to one I saw online where they finger joint the end boards and then drive rebar down through drilled holes to hold it all together. You can see pictures of this method at www.naturalyards.com. Is it as pretty as the copper corner caps? No..it's not, but it's cheaper, which will allow more money for more and varied seeds. I didn't save any seeds from last year, so I'm getting a big order ready once I finalize what I'm going to plant.

  • disneynut1977 ~ Melissa
    15 years ago

    If you local HD carries Hemlock, I would really consider this as an option. It is not much more than pine and last's alot longer.

    Melissa

  • pls8xx
    15 years ago

    "pretty and presentable" according to the boss lady

    You might consider something like I show below. The material cost for a 3.5' by 8' bed should come in around $100.00 with an extra $40 for reusable forming for the first bed. The concrete will last forever and since the wood doesn't contact soil or concrete it should last a long time too.

  • jleiwig
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    pls88xx-Nice idea, but eventually everything will be moved for a 2 car detached garage that I hope to add in the next 5 years. That's why I've decided to go with pine treated with linseed oil. That way if I have to tear it down and move it or rebuild it, it won't be such a killer on the pocket book.

    {{gwi:1260207}}
    This would be the method of construction that I'm going to employ.

    {{gwi:1260208}}

    This would probably up the SAF quite a bit. I'm thinking this in place of the bed right next to the patio only planting flowers, lettuces, carrots, and herbs. Keep the bed along the fence for tomatoes, melons, and squash.

    Does that sound like a good idea to anyone?

  • wildwillyb
    13 years ago

    I put together some basic/cheap cedar raised beds built mainly out of cedar deck planking (pretty common, readily available board). I put together a web page with pictures on how I built them (see link).

    Here is a link that might be useful: budget cedar raised beds

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