Allotments 4 All

Hi

I am trying to find things to use for making some raised beds on my lottie. Cheap or free would be good. At present I have several large pieces of moulded plastic, about 6foot long by 9inch high.
Also I have lots of plywood (external) about 6foot by 6inch.

What do you think? Are these any good or should I look elsewhere.

I am very new to this, so any help would be good.

Cheers

Tony

Hi ant!! Try the search bit...there is a thread running called "Raised beds-wood-where from?" started by amanda21, I think. Lots of suggestions on there!! Lots of them free...my favourite price!!

;)

 ;D Hi Tony and welcome aboard,  ;) the materials you have will do fine, I have moulded plastic boards that I will use at the bottom of my plot as that is where all the water drains to, it will help keep the roots from getting their feet wet. 8)

You could just mound up the soil - I had raised beds when I first started 6 years ago, beccause of the heavy clay soil, but have now removed most and just have long mounded beds, as I find them a lot easier to manage.

I'm with jenny, and don't use edges on my beds, just mound 'em up. Apart from being Less Work,  ;D I like to think it discourages slugs from setting up home. And like j. says, they're a doddle to keep up.

ive just bought some reclaimed wood to make rasied beds, will upload the pics later. 

i got 180ft worth of 6x1 plus 50 stakes made from 2ft bits of wood (3x2). the guy who we bought them off cut the end to0 a sike and delivered the lot. it came to £75, which isnt too bad.

i've been using a couple of old baths for growing carrots quite successfully, apparantly carrot fly don't fly that high -or someones taking the mick out of me!! i've been gathering up pallets from skips etc cos they looked like they might be useful.

Ive used all sorts for raised beds...

at home Ive used bricks and treated pine sleepers so they look good

but down at the allotment I used pallet surrounds, hinged wooden strips
that sit on a pallet and can be stacked to any height to make a large box
if needed. Made of pallet wood so wouldnt last for ever but very easy to
use for small beds ie 3' x 4'. could make something similar from pallets.

The ply that I have got is external. Has anybody got an idea how long it will last. I also read somewhere (but cant remember were) that plywood has lots of chemicals in it. Has anybody else read this.

Cheers

Tony

ply will have a lot of glue in it, as its made of pieces of wood stuck together as im sure you know. the glue sint ordinary wood glue either, so it will ahve a fair few chemicals in. how much oif these would be released into the soil an dwhat affect they would have though im not too sure?

Thanks for the tip re carrots in baths and low flying pests weedbusta. My next door neighbour has been a skip diver for 50+ years and will give up his plot this year. Rumour has it* that he has four baths  :o :o so I will put in a bid for these.
*it's impossible to see into his allotment to verify lol