Raised bed ideas

[DrMike27]

I used horizontal palates this year and they have worked good for my plants that were short-rooted, but we’re still only about 4-6” deep. What kind of depth would be good for multi year raised beds? Thinking 4’x4’, 4’x6’, and 4’x8’ as my LxW.

 

[DirtMechanic]

What types of plants? 18" Would be a random minimum 4 years out as roots continue to grow. Will they have open bottoms? 12" then maybe.

 

[DrMike27]

Thinking onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, and asparagus as my mainstays. By open bottoms do you mean that the dirt is going straight on the ground? Because that’s most likely what I would be doing.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Yes. Were I to do that I would amend that soil and then carry on. I was contemplating raised beds myself today. Thinking what to make them of, as there are some masonry sales on now. I could use polyurethane glue on 12x12 or 18x18 patio tiles turned on edge, staggered for a 2 glue line per stone setup on the left and right vertical and capped with stone or maybe brick. I have enough woodwork already around here. I do not want more down the road. If I broke one I could chisel it free and replace it. It would be trimmer friendly and hold moisture. Plants seem to do well around stones here.

 

[BereniceDoty]

Thanks for the posts guys. It made me think of something great for my garden as I am a new to this, I want to in as much information as I can.

 

[Tetters]

I built a number of raised beds here a few years ago, with big timbers (railway sleepers etc) and some with broken paving slabs.... a couple with very large plastic plant pots too. Although I plan to keep a couple of the biggest beds, I have decided to demolish the rest - reason is that they need too much watering in dry periods, and for the last two years we seem to have drought. All the UK rain misses us - comes from the West, and turns tail and disappears up to the North before we get any here in Kent.
I find generally that veggies usually do best down in the ground where they should be

 

[bubba man]

I used horizontal palates this year and they have worked good for my plants that were short-rooted, but we’re still only about 4-6” deep. What kind of depth would be good for multi year raised beds? Thinking 4’x4’, 4’x6’, and 4’x8’ as my LxW.

i use 2x4`s with a 1/2 in. space between - 4x8 beds

 

[Rene61]

Yes. Were I to do that I would amend that soil and then carry on. I was contemplating raised beds myself today. Thinking what to make them of, as there are some masonry sales on now. I could use polyurethane glue on 12x12 or 18x18 patio tiles turned on edge, staggered for a 2 glue line per stone setup on the left and right vertical and capped with stone or maybe brick. I have enough woodwork already around here. I do not want more down the road. If I broke one I could chisel it free and replace it. It would be trimmer friendly and hold moisture. Plants seem to do well around stones here.

All of my raised beds are stone (Lowe's 4x11 blocks). I use the adhesive just on the flat tops so excess water drains out the crevices. I think people get over zealous with concrete trying to fill every little nook and cranny. I can use a masonry hammer to separate them if I want to change my pattern or expand, which I am doing this year. They do not rot like wood, and the wood has nails that make it harder to separate and change the pattern. I have two palettes on the way now.