Home»Garden»Raised Garden Beds
Last update on August 30 , 2023
There are many welfare to gardening in raised bed or planter boxes : the improved ergonomics , clean appearance , power to fill them with quality soil and compost , and it ’s easier to block out pests . I love lift bed ! Yet one of the few drawbacks is that they do n’t last forever ( and , they are n’t exactly sleazy ) . So , protect your cute investmentand travel along these 7 ways to make woodwind instrument garden beds last longer ! We ’ll talk about how to seal off garden bottom , timber choices , drain and more .
I ’ll admit , we never seal our garden beds in the past . They ’re made from super durable nub sequoia , after all ! However , once we affect to our new homestead and began building our “ forever garden ” ( and feel the uncivil awakening of not being in our 20 ’s anymore during the heavy process ) I cogitate to myself : I want to make these garden bed last a LONG as physically potential .
In fact , we in earnest think over getting some awesomeBirdie ’s galvanized alloy raised layer kitsinstead . Those things should last always ! ( Save 5 % with code “ deannacat3 ” ) . But in the terminal , my love for the feel of rustic forest deliver the goods that battle , so here we are : we just complete building 19 Modern redwood garden beds , sealed and siliconed this time . Do it once , and do it in good order .
Related : After read these tips , pop over and follow ourstep - by - tone guide onhow to build raised garden beds – video include !
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WAYS TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF GARDEN BEDS
1) Choose wood that is naturally long-lasting
One of the best way to carry the life of raise garden bed is to practice timbre , long - last timber correctly from the start . Cedar and redwoodare two first-class choices , as they are both very dull and durable . Thanks to their in high spirits tannic acid content , both cedarwood and sequoia are naturallyresistant to moulder , mold , and insects – include white ant . Heart sequoia lumber ( what we utilise to ramp up our raise beds ) is even more indestructible than unwashed redwood boards .
Garden bed built from untreated cedar or heart redwood can lastwell over a decadeon their own – likely much longer , depending on the climate and other conditions . The 7 - year old untreated nerve sequoia bed in our old garden are still in first-class term . I ’ve also heard stories of friends ’ redwood beds live on well over 20 years ! Then , if you follow the other ways to make garden bed last longer as described below , you’re able to extend their life by several years more .
In comparability , garden bed made of soft woods like Douglasfir or pine tree can molder outand radioactive decay within just a few age . Do n’t be invite to use insistence treated baseball bat ( commonly process pine ) to make garden beds last longer either ! In accession to hold in undesirable chemicals not ideal for organic horticulture , the lifetime of treated wood is less than cedar or redwood anyway ! specially when it is in never-ending middleman with soil and wet – as it will be in your garden .
2) Use wide planks and thick boards
pick out wide lumber planks is another splendid way to extend the sprightliness of wood garden bed . For example , a raised bed fabricate out of 2×6 ” boards will last longer than one made from 2×4”s . Eight , ten , or twelve - inch wide-cut boards are even well ! promote beds are most susceptible to rot in the furrow between the board , where wet collects and air is scarce . By using wide-cut board ( and therebyreducing the issue of seamsin the bottom overall ) it is reducing surface orbit and places for water encroachment .
The same idea applies to board heaviness . While 1 - inch thick boards are often more affordable ( such as cedar fencing control board , which are actually only ¾ ” thick ) , the raised layer will not last as long as one constructed with 2 - inch thick boards . Plus , thin boards are more potential to bow down or even crack over time under the pressure of operose loaded soil pushing against them . Last but not least , thick4×4 ” corner supportswill last far longer than using 2×4 ’s or other smaller wood in the corners .
3) Seal wood garden beds (with non-toxic sealer)
Sealing wood garden beds can help hold out their lifetime many year beyond uncertain woodwind . Applying a sealer willprotect the wood from moisture intrusion , cast , and disintegration . However , you do n’t want to practice just any wood sealer on your garden beds ! Many sealant and stains check toxic chemicals – stuff you do n’t need around your sound homegrown food and filth .
We recently usedthis non-poisonous wood sealeron our young redwood garden beds . If you live me , then you know I do my homework before select materials to employ in our home and garden ! This finical mathematical product isfood - good , made in the US , wo n’t percolate , has no VOCs , carcinogens or hormone - disrupting compounds , and is nontoxic to wildlife . Plus , it gets great limited review !
We ended up employ 3 coat ofGarden Sealto the interior of our bed ( where waste is most likely to occur ) and had enough leave over to do just one pelage on the outside . It conk out on milky white , soaks into the Sir Henry Joseph Wood well , and dries vindicated with a more or less satin finish . However , the third coat inside the beds did leave a bit of a seeable residue , so one or two coating for the exterior would be best . Be sure your wood is totally dry before software .
Hope ’s Natural Tung oilis another nonpoisonous option to seal garden beds , though I ’ve heard it ’s expert to reapply it annually – which is why we chose the other sealer . This would be a good selection to varnish the exterior of garden bed where routine software is potential .
4) Seal garden bed seams
In addition to sealing the Sir Henry Joseph Wood itself , considersealing the gaps between the boards . Again , wood garden beds are most prostrate to decompose in their deepest nooks and crannies , including the corners and horizontal seams between the Mrs. Henry Wood . When build our newest put up garden beds , we appliedclear siliconeto all the seams – which is waterproof , indifferent , and atoxic once it dries . My champion Steve has been professionally installing and maintaining constituent gardens for over 25 years , and he claims that this single stepcan reach out the life of garden beds by 5 to 10 years !
We used aclass 50 premium outside silicone(orthis similar option)to seal of approval our garden layer along the inside seams only . Class 50 siliconeis far more durable , whippy , and resistant to temperature swings than lower - rat classes . This is important since garden bed are display to motley temperatures , and the wood constantly swells and shrinks with moisture .
Use silicone to seal garden bed seams just like you would calk . First , squeeze it deep , thick , and evenly into the cracks . Then while it is still pie-eyed , tuck your finger inside a theme towel and gently smoothen it out – removing gaps , air bubble , and supererogatory . Pay especial attention to sealing your corner supports ! I also added a pat to any open knots , holes or fissure in the bed interior .
5) Reduce wood-to-earth contact
Clearly , your garden bed are going to be full of grime – so a sure amount of “ Grant Wood - to - earth ” contact is a given ! Yet beyond their wrinkle , wood garden beds are also quite susceptible to decay along thebottom perimeter . There , they ’re essentially sitting in constant wet . So , another cagey way to make garden beds last longer is to avoid set the Sir Henry Joseph Wood right on the ground .
Our recruit garden beds are perch on top of a couple inch of well - drain gravel . Because we have a nasty gopher problem , we also have computer hardware textile and landscape textile ( permeable to water ) below our beds . However , that is n’t to say you ca n’t have the bottom heart area of your bed candid to the aboriginal soil below if you prefer ! I ’m just babble about the Grant Wood itself .
My pro garden booster Steve installs all his lift garden seam on top of agravel mete , similar to a french drainage . To do so , he digs a small trench ( about 6 inches wide and cryptic ) and fills it with fast - drying ¾ ” leaching rock-and-roll . Then the border of the wood garden bed frame sits on top .
6) Shou Sugi Ban garden beds
Shou Sugi Ban is a Japanese wood preservation proficiency that take burning orcharring wood surfaces . The scorch process basically seals the wood , making the wood more repellent to pee and insect damage . Shou Sugi Ban garden bed should last several years longer ( or more ) than untreated wood of the same species .
To char Sir Henry Wood garden beds Shou Sugi Ban expressive style , most sept use a blow blowlamp orpropane Mary Jane torch . We ’ve never done this ourselves , but I ’ve hear one drawback is that it does take a lot of fuel and exertion . Expertsalso say it ’s important to not burn it too heavily , since deep burns can actually make the wood more susceptible to disintegrate and repress morphologic integrity .
This articleexplains more of the process . This YouTuber also show his Shou Sugi Ban elevate bedshere – along with anupdateshowing the inside of his bed 1.5 years after use .
7) Promote good drainage
skillful drainage is key when develop in conjure bed . Plants preferfluffy , moist , well - draining soilwith plenty of atmosphere pocket for exploring roots and beneficial microbes . They do n’t like soggy , hard , compact grease – and neither does your wood ! Heavy grunge that hold in too much moisture can increase the likelihood of wood decline . On the other hand , raised beds lean to dry out out more quickly than in - soil gardens . It can be wily to achieve the perfect remainder !
satisfy raised garden bed with territory that is made for containers or raise plantation owner boxes . This articlediscusses how we create our own grease blend with bulk soil , compost , and an “ aeration ” component part . Aeration additives admit perlite , pumice , sand , peat moss , coco coir , Elmer Reizenstein hulls , or our favourite : ⅜ ” lava rock . It upgrade that ideal portmanteau of moisture retention and good drain .
Furthermore , never seal off the bottomof your raised beds with impermeable stuff , such as a shaping liner . You want your layer to drain freely ! I also do not recommend run along the wood wall with landscape fabric , even “ permeable ” and breathable ones . The material will hold in extra moisture right against the wood .
Elevated garden bed or thoseinstalled on top of hard surfaces(e.g on a patio , private road or deck of cards ) should have plenty ofdrainage holesin the bottom – just like pots . For example , we practice at least half a twelve ½ ” to ¾ ” holes in the bottom of our Natalie Wood wine barrel planters .
And that is how to make wood raised garden beds last as long as possible!
All in all , raise garden bed are a fantastic elbow room to grow solid food , flowers , herbs and more . I love their sleek tone , and for us , the power to blockgophersfrom getting inside . I hope you pick up a few new tips to help oneself exsert the life of your beautiful enhance beds today . If you found this info to be worthful , please pass around the love by pinning or sharing this station . We wish you the best of luck in edifice and preparing your layer – with years of bountiful harvests to amount !
