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Re: building raised beds options for wood

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

> Also, although I have not seen it, I don't think redwood is treated, but
it
> is very expensive. It will probably never rot though.
>
>    Susan S. in zone 9

Au contraire my friend.  I acquired several 100 pieces of redwood 2x4's
to make a fence out of.  They were a fence before on high ground next
to a lake.  The redwood sills on contact with the soil comletely
disintegrated.  The redwood verticals in contact with the redwood sills
(not actually touching the ground) had the last 3-6 inches rotted away.
There were no signs (aka trails...) of termites or other insects just
soil that never dries...  This fence had been up 15 years or so.
In some areas the only evidence of the bottom sill board were the
evenly spaced nails in the "ground"

So there is no perfect solution yet.  One may want to look at a few
options.
1) disposable wood, just replace it every few years
2) raised beds with no wooden sides may have to remake them occassionly
3) plastic timbers.  (might be good, maybe that will leach too)
4) paint the boards with something waterproof and non toxic
5) line the inside and bottom of the boards with plastic
6) innumerable other choices, hay bales, cinderblocks, ESP ; )

I have another of PT beds that are doing fine.  The ones that are not
planted in yet this season I am going to line with plastic.  I am building
a new bed.  I plan on using 1) Disposable wood with 4) 5) painted  and
/or plastic lining.  I am definetly going to put a thin layer of plastic
on the ground before the bottom boards go down.

I find that nice amended organic soil (from my experience) does not
mound well, a good rain shower and the bed just oozes apart.

I am interested in plastic but am waiting to see if it leeches or anything
else.  If it works it would give permanent (movable) beds and be
great way to side track stuff from the landfill.

Of course their is always the Mel plan (if you see the pictures in
his book) don't use raised beds and just use wooden planks to
seperate the paths.  But here with my nebraska clay in the
rainy seaon, if you make an open hole in the ground and leave
it, it does not drain at all, it just evaperates.  My first in ground
garden years ago worked but the yields were paltry to what I
get in the raised beds.  (other differences include the raised
beds being ammended etc...)

Ron Souliere


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