[mickeyboy]

Hi I have just constructed 4 raised beds using heavy duty concrete blocks. They are  4 blocks high which is 1m 60.
The problem i have now is what to do next and what to fill them with? I am having the outsides rendered but do i need to protect the blocks that are internal with anything?
I was going to fill the beds half way up with rubble and rubbish soil, lay plastic over this and put 2ft of good stuff on top. Does this sound ok?
Thanks for any help.
Mike

(The beds will eventually only be 1 meter above ground level due to uneven garden)

[Buzzy bee]

Hi

I would try to fill them with good soil and muck, if you can't fill them all this year, dig new stuff in every year, you will soon have loveley full beds of good fertile soil!

Cheers

Dave

[SnooziSuzi]

I agree with BB; fill them with whatever you can find over the next year or 2/3 and they'll soon fill up - maybe put all of your used compost into them every year...

Isn't 1m high a bit... um... high though?

[oldbean]

with 1m height, there will be significant side forces pushing the walls apart.

[Rangerkris]

1m high would save any back pain bending down to work, thats a nice height for wheel chair users i would think.  ermm fill with something thats not going to cause problems in later years if you decide to grow prize winniner carrotts.

[Mr McGregor]

On Gardeners World last night this was discussed, they reckon 3 parts top soil to 2 parts soil improver.

[mickeyboy]

Thanks for all your help. I do have back problems so bending is a problem and my friend who constructed these beds has made many more before. I have an l shape design with 6 angles rather than 4, making it far stronger. (apparently)

Any more advice on raised beds would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Michael

[Howard]

...Any more advice on raised beds would be greatly appreciated.

Don't believe your builder when he tells you that a structure's strength is derived from the number of angles that form the structure. 

[Ice]

...Any more advice on raised beds would be greatly appreciated.

Don't believe your builder when he tells you that a structure's strength is derived from the number of angles that form the structure. 

I think you need to expand on that so that we can all benefit.

[Howard]

I started to write it in my last post and then deleted it, mindful that it may have offended mickeyboy and that's certainly not something I would wish to do.

Howard

[mickeyboy]

I started to write it in my last post and then deleted it, mindful that it may have offended mickeyboy and that's certainly not something I would wish to do.

Howard

Started to write what?
 I am sure i wont be offended, my builder claims 6 right angles are far stronger than 4.

I have filled 1 bed and so far there is no sign of cracking or any problems
 

[andreadon]

i think your builder might not have said right angles - you can have 4 right angles (which is 4 x 90 degrees = 360 degrees) if you have 6 sides, your angles are 60 degrees (6 x 60 degrees = 360 degrees)
it always has to add up to 360 degrees.
 

i've written degrees so many times it doesn't look like a real word anymore....  :blink:

[Highfield]

But it is L shaped - so 6 right angles would be correct .....

[andreadon]

d'oh!!
i even read that bit, thought that should look good! 
silly me!!!

[Howard]

Started to write what?
I am sure i wont be offended, my builder claims 6 right angles are far stronger than 4.

The strength of a structure is determined by the quality of both it's construction and the materials specified, not by the number of right angles used.

Let me give you an example...

If I were to build you a straight section of wall with a pier at each end, using a good quality frost hardy brick and a mortar mix conforming to BS EN 998-1:2003, on top of foundations complying to both BS 8004:1986 and the directions of your local authority Building Control office, I would reasonably expect it to be a darned sight stronger than an 'L' shaped raised bed built using two-bob 'seconds' bricks, bonded together by a mortar mix my missus knocked up* and built on top of rammed earth foundations!

I have filled 1 bed and so far there is no sign of cracking or any problems

Given that it is pretty new, I should ****** well hope not!

In all seriousness, if your builder is a friend then I'm sure he will have built you some fine raised beds and I hope they work out brilliantly for you.  But they are no stronger than regular rectangular ones.






* - I would like to make it clear that I used this analogy on the basis that my missus doesn't have the foggiest idea how to mix mortar. I am in no way implying that this is indicative of the fairer sex in general, some of whom I know are more than capable of such a task.