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Raised bed timber

24

Posts

  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    Just out of interest, does anyone have brick beds?
  • Yes me. We had to replace our front wall and it was cheaper to order whole pallets of bricks than a whole number plus the extra actually need. With the leftovers we replaced the loose-laid concrete blocks of our raised bed by building in front of it thus making it deeper and took away the blocks afterwards. We even had left-over loam to fill the space from when we filled in the pond. Looks a treat cos the bricks match.
    Southampton 
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    Your beds sound like mine slow worm .Mine were put in about 15 years ago ,sleepers ,but as you say critters have eaten them and they’re rotting a bit ,so looking decidedly tired now .Can’t do much about it now ,71 and getting over my second heart attack ,hubby not that bothered so putting up with it . Wish we’d used concrete or bricks but it’s too late now .
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    Maybe a timely message, bcpathome, for those who see 'a good idea at the time', but I'm sure there's an able bodied neighbour who'd help you?
  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    ‘ fraid not Nick . Maybe we should resurrect bob - a - job week and let the scouts have a go for a decent donation. Can’t afford a landscaper or such like . Once the garden grows it won’t look so bad ,as I said ,wish I’d used different material but hindsight is a wondrous thing .I was into Alan Titchmarsh at the time and sleepers were his answer to most things .He also started the craze for decking ,which as far as I’m concerned,and said so at the time ,decking is just building a home for rats .
    I don’t follow his advice these days ,prefer what I glean from this site .
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Alan T was a good basic gardener in his earlier years.  Unfortunately his reputation was somewhat tarnished for many with the endless Makeover programmes he was involved in.  Shame really :(
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    We use scaffolding boards at our allotment, and have covered them with heavy duty black plastic, to slow down rot. Awful to look at I know, and not good environmentally, but it's a compromise we can live with. 


  • alfharris8alfharris8 Posts: 513
    I think this discussion is another reminder of the difference between pretty "inspiration" photos and reality. 
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    You're not wrong, Alf, but my aversion to RBs is the waste of valuable space.  Far be it from me to say KeenoOnGreen is wrong in what he does, but a simple assessment of his pic will determine how much of the area shown is actually in use for crop production as a percentage of the whole.  As long as he's happy, that's all that matters to anyone else, but I'd dig the lot, move my planting around it so that the gravel areas are used equally, and no RBs to give me headaches.  Here endeth etc. etc.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think @KeenOnGreen's beds look good, as they're finished to a very high standard, with what is a difficult job.
    It doesn't matter how you plant as such, you need a decent space/path around those beds to attend to them, otherwise it would just be a total mess - especially in wet weather.  :/
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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