Return to the Square Foot Gardening Forum | Post a Follow-Up

o
raised cedar beds- does the wood have to be dried?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings
Posted by sgclarke 7 (My Page) on
Mon, Dec 20, 10 at 17:53

Hello everyone-

I may be able to get cedar for raised bed fairly cheap, but it would be fresh from a sawmill instead of dried. They have 8 foot long lengths that are 6" or 12" wide, and either 1" or 2" thick.

I'm planning a raised bed that is 8 feet long by 4 feet wide, and I'll brace it along the side.

So, If I don't wait for it to dry, will it bow more? and would you rather have a 12" deep or a 6" deep garden ( i'm thinkg 12")
thanks!

Follow-Up Postings:

o
RE: raised cedar beds- does the wood have to be dried?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings
  • Posted by chudak 10 San Diego (My Page) on
    Mon, Dec 20, 10 at 18:37

The first beds I built were 8" and I used pine.

When I remodeled my backyard this summer I redid all my raised beds and this time I used redwood. I opted for 12" beds even though they are on dirt. I just like having a deeper bed even though SFG tells you that you can grow things fine in half that much dirt.

Regarding wet/dry...the biggest problem I think you'll have is your fasteners. As the wood dries it will shrink and your fasteners may become loose.

o
RE: raised cedar beds- does the wood have to be dried?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Thanks for the advice! I hadn't thought about fasteners coming loose.

o
RE: raised cedar beds- does the wood have to be dried?

clip this post email this post what is this?
see most clipped and recent clippings

Don't know what area of the country you're in, but if you have a couple months before planting time, why not put the boards in your garage or basement and let them dry a bit before making the beds.

o Post a Follow-Up

Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum.

    If you are a member, please log in.

    If you aren't yet a member, join now!

Return to the Square Foot Gardening Forum

Instructions

  • You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
  • Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
  • After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
  • It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
  • HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
  • No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
  • If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
  • If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.



 
Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.