I'm a huge fan of vegetable gardening - or any gardening for that matter - in raised beds. There are many reasons raised beds are great for gardens like being able to garden nearly anywhere (even on rocky ground), controlling the soil, or planting more plants in a smaller space but what actually makes a good raised bed? The best raised beds give you all the advantages I just mentioned and can be made of many different kinds of materials.
The Best Raised Bed Materials
In my mind the best raised bed materials are those that will last for a long time, are low on care or maintenance, and provide a healthy environment for plants and the people who eat them.
Natural Rocks: Natural rock raised beds definitely give you form and function - especially if you like the rustic/natural look (I'm a fan).
- Advantages: Solid, no maintenance, can be made into multiple shapes and forms.
- Disadvantages: Can be heavy to move around, may need mortared together to gain bed height..
Bricks: reclaimed bricks make excellent raised bed materials
- Advantages: Solid, no maintenance, can be made into multiple shapes and forms.
- Disadvantages: Can be expensive in large quantities, if small may need mortared together to gain bed height.
Concrete Blocks: concrete blocks made for construction are very economical.
- Advantages: Solid, no maintenance, fairly inexpensive
- Disadvantages: Very heavy to move around, may not look as nice as other options.
Cedar or Redwood: Durable wood materials that naturally resist rot.
- Advantages: Resist rot and will last several years. Easy to assemble.
- Disadvantages: Can be expensive, will eventually need replaced
Pots: Believe it or not pots are great raised beds for vegetable gardening.
- Advantages: You control the soil, can move the pots into the best locations or indoors if there is danger of frost.
- Disadvantages: Dry out fast and need frequent watering, need to find the right vegetables for the pots (determinant, dwarf, or bush type plants)
Good Raised Bed Materials
Good raised beds offer the function of a raised bed vegetable garden but may require some maintenance or repairs over time. They can be very functional yet attractive at the same time.
Untreated wood: Untreated beds will last only a couple years but are inexpensive and easy to put together.
- Advantages: Inexpensive and easy to assemble into basic shapes.
- Disadvantages: Will need replaced within 2-3 years, could attract termites - don't put too close to your home.
Mounded Beds: Mounding is a good way to do a raised bed garden without sides for retaining soil.
- Advantages: Inexpensive, easy to build.
- Disadvantages: Lack of barriers for soil retention may cause erosion of the bed over time.
Poured Concrete
- Advantages: Will last a long time, very solid, looks good and can be stained/painted
- Disadvantages: It takes a lot of labor and time to set up. Can't be moved easily - fairly permanent.
Poor and Bad Raised Bed Materials
Pressure Treated Lumber: Older pressure treated lumber should be avoided. The treating process used to use arsenic but that is no longer the case. New pressure treated lumber is probably fine although I won't use it for edibles (I'm paranoid). Today's pressure treated lumber contains copper which probably won't leach into your soil in significant enough quantities to cause any harm.
- Advantages: Resists rot and will last several years.
- Disadvantages: Depending on the type pressure treated wood its toxicity may be in question.
Old Tires
- Advantages: Easy to come by and easy to assemble
- Disadvantages: Will eventually degrade and release toxic chemical into the soil - not good for vegetables! May not be very aesthetically pleasing - I'm not a fan.
If you are building a new raised bed this year you may want to look at this post: Designing a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden 11 Things to Think About.
I'm very partial to using stone and bricks as raised bed even though most of mine are built from cheap, readily available untreated pine. What materials do you like best for your raised beds?Labels: raised beds, vegetable garden, vegetables
