Raised garden beds

[Marianna1988]

Okay, you may remember me from last year. I was the thick headed noob who needed every step explained. well, more handholding is being requested

To make a raised garden bed (that is the right term?), do you just nail 4 2x4s together and throw some dirt in it and call it good? Do you make a bottom? I first thought yes, but then I was thinking if it was wood, it would just rot... So now idk.

They would be fine on concrete, right? Or do tey need to be on grass?

They would likely be safe from free range rabbits, right? (Not ours, the neighbors) or would I need to do something more to protect te pants from them?

How deep do they need to be to grow things well? Anything that can't be grown in them, if they aren't deep enough?

[Tris]

I HIGHLY recommend this book that was just recommended to me and I'm about 20 pages into, squarefootgardening, I'm gardening dumb and it is spelling out everything about this

Not safe from rabbits though, if you get them in your yard. I'll probably make a chicken wire "lid" for mine.

[3lilbubs]

Well for mine, I put them on the ground. NO you don't want to put them on concrete. Mine are 12in wide boards, 8 foot long, 4 foot wide. You want to make them big enough to really give you growing space and hold moisture, but not so wide that you can't reach the middle of the bed when you're kneeling by it. Most plants need at LEAST 6-8" depth for root space, so the taller the better. It will EVENTUALLY rot, yes (not for a long time), but you still want to use untreated wood because the chemicals in the treated boards may poison your soil. I prefer to use a lasanga method for the first time you ever fill a bed. How I made mine, was first threw down a ton of flattened cardboard. Then some straw to hold the moisture. Then layered soil from the yard with compost all the way to the top. If you can buy some redworms and add some to each bed, they will do all the hard work of tending the soil for you. No they won't be safe from the rabbits. You'll have to put a chicken wire fence around them or a box over the top like this:

http://www.charsgardening.com/2010/10/19/how-to-build-a-multipurpose-raised-bed-protective-cover/

[Tris]

Do you have a pic of yours Liz?

[3lilbubs]

Not the greatest pics but here's two of mine from last year some time. Looks like early spring. This was before my chickens were big, and I have my garden inside a fenced yard. Later I covered mine with netting.

[Tris]

Wow that looks great!

[Marianna1988]

Originally Posted by Tris I HIGHLY recommend this book that was just recommended to me and I'm about 20 pages into, squarefootgardening, I'm gardening dumb and it is spelling out everything about this Not safe from rabbits though, if you get them in your yard. I'll probably make a chicken wire "lid" for mine.

I will look for it!

[Marianna1988]

Originally Posted by 3lilbubs Well for mine, I put them on the ground. NO you don't want to put them on concrete. Mine are 12in wide boards, 8 foot long, 4 foot wide. You want to make them big enough to really give you growing space and hold moisture, but not so wide that you can't reach the middle of the bed when you're kneeling by it. Most plants need at LEAST 6-8" depth for root space, so the taller the better. It will EVENTUALLY rot, yes (not for a long time), but you still want to use untreated wood because the chemicals in the treated boards may poison your soil. I prefer to use a lasanga method for the first time you ever fill a bed. How I made mine, was first threw down a ton of flattened cardboard. Then some straw to hold the moisture. Then layered soil from the yard with compost all the way to the top. If you can buy some redworms and add some to each bed, they will do all the hard work of tending the soil for you. No they won't be safe from the rabbits. You'll have to put a chicken wire fence around them or a box over the top like this: http://www.charsgardening.com/2010/1...tective-cover/

Thank you!!! Glad I didn't just wing it lol. I would have been sooo wrong!

[carrollrj25]

Originally Posted by Marianna1988 Okay, you may remember me from last year. I was the thick headed noob who needed every step explained. well, more handholding is being requested To make a raised garden bed (that is the right term?), do you just nail 4 2x4s together and throw some dirt in it and call it good? Do you make a bottom? I first thought yes, but then I was thinking if it was wood, it would just rot... So now idk. They would be fine on concrete, right? Or do tey need to be on grass? They would likely be safe from free range rabbits, right? (Not ours, the neighbors) or would I need to do something more to protect te pants from them? How deep do they need to be to grow things well? Anything that can't be grown in them, if they aren't deep enough?

I love that you ask! I want to know too!!!!

[Tris]

And they can't be on concrete unless they are bottomed with something like hardware mesh and a layer of plastic/or landscape mesh, and then up on cinderblocks, as the concrete will suck up moisture and not let your plants drain properly
(I have a copy of that book if you want, I can email it to you )