What can i use for a Raised Bed?? apart from the obvious

[baggieboy]

Hi,

I have been planing the layout of my plot today, i was presuming i would be using scaffolding boards to make my main raised beds.

I then tried to obtain some scaffolding boards which was a mission in itself. I found a couple today but diden't relise they woulden't fit in a new shaped astra  :-[.

I have now racked my brain as to what i could use as an alternative. I now the main things people use ....NOTHING , bricks , sleepers, etc. But has anyone used something totally differnet for a raised bed or has anyone got any wacky ideas?.

thanks

P.S there are 2 reasons i want raised beds...

1) So i dont have to keep shouting at my kids for treding on the patch.

2) My allotment chairman said there used to be nursery kids vist the allotments in the past but no longer did. As my son starts nursery in september , i would like to tell his teacher, the class is more than welcome for a look around

[baggieboy]

[MrsKP]

i used the base of a divan bed split in half and nailed old pallet slats to the sides.

but i have four raised beds, so how we made the other two is fast becoming a mystery to me.   ???  Definitely involved more old pallets however.

;D

[supersprout]

I have read that you can use water-filled upended wine bottles as bed edges - not sure they go with kids, but apparently they help warm the soil up and keep it warm :-\

[Curryandchips]

water-filled upended wine bottles as bed edges

Water expands when it freezes - as in burst pipes - hence broken glass?

[supersprout]

oo yes leave a bit of air in :P :-[

[Curryandchips]

Sorry, still not convinced, the water will freeze from the top down (presumably), and so may not be pushed into the air space if it grips the bottle ...

However this could be got round by using a significant strength solution of brine - actual data can be gleaned off the net ...

[tig]

hows about cutting the boards in half , drop your back seat , slip them in , take them to your patch & join them up again by screwing a splint to the sides of them. ???

[Robert_Brenchley]

I remember sometimes when I was a kid, we'd wake up and find the milk frozen in the bottles. I don't know what unearthly hour the milkman came. It didn't break the bottles; it forced the foil tops oss, and there was frozen milk sticking up out of the mouth. As long as the bottles are left topless, they won't burst.

[mc55]

I use some old, thin concrete 'strips' with iron through the middle.  Not sure what they were originally used for - maybe fence posts ?  They are pretty long (and really heavy) and were junked on my plot.  Quite pleased that I thought to use them to edge the beds as they'll never rot. 

We also get quite a few youngish tree trunks dropped on site - if I could lift / drag them I'd have 'em.

We also got some edging strips on freecycle ages ago which also make good borders / paths.

[LILACSPLASH]

as far as kids are concerned, from about 2 and a half onwards, if the paths are different coloured helps I.E. stay on the green don't go on the brown!

[lorna]

mc55. Well would you believe it. Hopefully my conifers will be removed this year. The friend who is going to bring his chainsaw to help in the removal is also asking a chap how much it would cost me for him to bring his commercial shredder to get rid of the trunks.. I have my own shredder for the small stuff. I have a feeling the cost for shredding will be beyond my means. However, I stood looking at the rather large trunks yesterday and wondered if they would be OK for raised beds. I am sure they will probably outlive me ;D I have a couple of six footers in the family who can place them where I want them. Good idea??
Lorna

[saddad]

If you can get them old rectangular straw bales make excellent edging, if a little too thick for domestic use, and add humus to the bed as they slowly decompose. A friend in Long Eaton has made an excellent rasied area with old tyres... they warm up the soil and he finds they get very hot which discourages the slugs/snails and brings the contents (Strawberries) on faster.

[mc55]

Lorna, sounds like a good plan to me - can't think why you shouldn't use them (other than slugs etc love hiding, but then you'll have that issue whatever you choose to edge the beds with).

I use pine shreddings for my paths and the smell is divine.

[lorna]

mc55  I think I will go down that road unless the guy can shred them for a reasonable amount.
Lorna.

[MrsKP]

we've a country park type place close to us where a wood sculptor plies his trade.  perhaps you've got someone locally that could do with a good length of solid tree lorna.  whole trees must be relatively hard to come by i would imagine.

just another option for you to consider !

;D

[mc55]

if all else fails and you decide not to use the trunks / shred them yourself you could always freecycle them - its amazing the stuff people want.

[Sherwood]

I like SuperSprouts idea of wine bottles - but as we have a very large allotment its' going to take us a very long time - but if I can manage three bottles a day

[steveuk]

Roofing tiles are good and cheep depending on the height you need.
just another suggestion
regards
steve

[baggieboy]

Some excellent ideas , do think the bottles would look cool but me personally gonna try making some out of palletts as they seem easy to get hold of

[STHLMgreen]

I found a wooden shelf that I plan to use later on the allotment. Just oiled it today.

It was plain untreated wood in a rectangle shape with one shelf, making it have two square compartments. And it was free.

The bottles idea would probably look very nice but I'm scared they'd get broken over time and I'd end up with broken glass on the plot. And after cleaning up all that the last allotment owners left me, I'm not keen on that happening!