[Poolfield2]

I wish I had found this site before I had paid for all my materials :roll:

[Bombers]

I made my garden beds out of Decking boards, because they are pressure treated, and will last a good few years before they need replacing.

I think they are quite attractive too.  

[Porffor]

great beds bombers! I'm thinking higher to ease my back a bit.. maybe a foot or even two off the ground. not sure on the gaps in between boards whether i'd need to overlap them, if you know what i mean.

[Bombers]

I'm thinking higher to ease my back a bit.. maybe a foot or even two off the ground.

I'm in danger of missing the point here, as Ice will no doubt verify, but as it's imperial, here goes... If you're thinking of raised beds ("a foot high"), then you might just get 10" in height with scaffold boards, but any higher, and you will have too much weight in the beds.You will need something more substantial. (probably railway sleepers, stacked on top of one and other?) - but that would be 'substantialy' more expensive!   Others may have some ideas on this , I think...

[Porffor]

hmm will have to have a think about them then, as I'd like a 2 heights so that one part is higher than the other, at the very least I need it to be a height I can kneel at or use a stool - my back doesn't hold out for bending straight over for prolonged periods of time so weeding and even just sowing is a problem on the ground.

I used a retaining wall in my garden as a 'natural' raised bed (as I live on a hill, last year but it's shaded a fair bit by my house so wasn't great for some of the crops.. am planning potatoes and corgettes in the sunnier area so that I don't have to 'do much' with them.

[Barry sharpe]

You should be ok Porffor providing you support them well, instead of placing posts just in the corners, consider placing post every 3 feet or so. Or even better if your good with wood you could create an "A" frame with each of the corners and maybe just put posts in the middle of the beds for support. It depends on the length of the raised beds. But i am sure you could provide enougth support for a fairly high bed.

[Porffor]

had a nosey at some wood with my chippy today.. (aka husband)
He preferred some pre-treated planks rather than the decking - they're gravel boards I think - he was saying that if we do this this year, work with it for a year then we can look at making them more 'solid' next year when we know we have the right design in place. He was talking posts every few foot to support well Not sure what you mean aobut an A frame though.. sorry being a girl n' all!  :?

Am going to have a section of the frame slightly higher (one board) than the rest.. so it has a support across the middle to hold back dirt too, planning salad crops in there so can net over if need be and pick n' sow - this was the problem last year as we went through a lot of leafy veg etc the rotating of lines became a problem for me - but then I had a pretty bad back by the end of the summer so fingers x'd I can avoid the problem this year.

Now if only my hubby would 'get the bug' I'd be well away! lol

[tiny50]

I AM LOOKIN AT FORMING RAISED BEDS ON AN EXISTING LAWN AREA,  SHOULD I TAKE THE TURF OFF FIRST, OR JUST DIG IT IN AND DEPOSIT TOP SOIL ON THE TOP. :?:

[Ice]

Hi tiny50.  I would take the turf off and then dig first.  That's what I did and my raised beds are very productive.  I've stacked the turf in a corner so that it breaks down and I can re-use it later.

Take the caps lock off as it's considered shouting on a forum.

[tiny50]

Thanks for the advice will do that,  I am in a wheelchair so the less of a struggle it is the better.  was kinda hoping the top soil might kill the grass off and save me a bit of back ach.  Still onward and upward as they say.

[Faz]

This looks like a good source of raised bed material to me!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7844112.stm

I am going to pop along and see if I can get anything on my trailer after work tonight

[tiny50]

Grab me a few hundred boards if your down there Faz    

[sunshineband]

Anyway my simple question is i need wood for all of this so an online source would be handy one that will serve non trade. Johns book talks of at least 38mm wide, and will need enougth depth to raise the beds.
All suggestions welcome, even if it is to suggest another look at the design itself.

Well, I bought decking planks from Simplysheds (yes they do sell decking boards) 3m long and made beds 1m x 2m, stacked two high, so they around 10-11 ins deep. Attached the corner posts so they were all kind of standing up off the ground, then dug holes for them with a narrow spade thing - I think it is a fencers spade. Only in the ground about 8 ins. Then just back filled the holes and stamped the soil down. They look great. Also have one 3m by 2m for fruit and a 1.5 m sq one for herbs.

Only thing is,make sure you leave enough space between them so you can push a barrow along, even when spud leaves flop.

[Rangerkris]

i popped into the loal scaffolders yesterday and played on the doing it for the kids thing hahahhahahah i got to go and pick the free timber up today even in this heavy rain i will drag myslef down there.   

[BestBreast]

This may not be cheapest but not everyone likes asking builders etc... Homebase are selling decking boards and associated wood cheap at the moment.

For those that are a little less brave, now is an excellent time to ask, the snow seems to bring out the community spirit in people. Have a go the worse they can say is no.