Building A Raised Bed Planter-Part 1 / Overview

[digmatology]

I built 2 4X8 beds with untreated regular pine, the wood cost me $30 that was 2 1/2 years ago and the wood still looks good. I filled the beds by digging a trench down the side of the back yard. Then i filled the trench with leaves that I collected from people throwing them away all over the neighborhood. I mulch the bed with leaves that I composted. Amazing how many people throw 100's of pounds of free organic material away every week. 

[marccarvajal]

do you really need cedar? go to some construction sites where they are more than willing to give away pieces of wood, with screws attached to them. soil is $6/50L top soil and get some seeds for $3 per pack! or go to gardens/farmers and ask for some free plants/ seeds.....keep your $100

[pocket83]

It might be worth mentioning some considerations about what type of wood to use-

Regular home depot pine rots too fast, but cedar is really pricey,

and treated wood contains undesirable chemicals that may leach into

your food. I would recommend cypress for a project like this.

Ask your local distributor about getting twisted or knotty stuff at a discount.

As a bonus, you don't need to seal cypress with expensive chemicals (only shellac is foodsafe).

[keidiobiawadu]

$100 to build 3 boxes of this dimension is very reasonable. That most likely did not include soil. Wood for the boxes can run $10 ea for a 2" x 8" x 8' (each 5' x 3' double stacked needs 4 boards times 3 beds).  Screws will run another $6. Landscape fabric runs $15 and staples can be another $3. The finish is sealed and that is $8 plus a $2 brush.

Do the math. For the hard materials alone for 3 beds, $100 is a bargain. Now, add soil for about 35 cubic ft of organics is over $100.

Good job.

[strategicmarketsites]

$100. built these 2 beds plus a smaller one for herbs. This is the third year using them so if you look at the cost per year it is actually quite low. I think the next ones I build will be from composite lumber made from recycled plastic bottes. Although probably will be more expensive will last more many more years. This year the two main beds are costing about $17.00, you have to look at the big picture.

[aityadeen123]

$100 ,wow, is the inflation that bad in USA ? did you hire a carpenter to make it and deliver it from alaska,

[Jonasinc1]

Is it necessary to use landscaping fabric on the sides so that the dirt doesn't ooze out between the boards?

[strategicmarketsites]

@Jonasinc1 - haven't had any dirt escape the sides of the beds. I recently moved them to a new location as some had commented that having them next to the shed was not a good idea.

[hollallilly]

Wow i really like how you did that!!! it looks soooo cool!

[drinkmoresoda]

jesus christ 100$? wtf???????? what are you growing it better be some kinda drug to pay itself off

[BreakfastBentoBox]

100 dollars?  FTW?

[CelticSouthland]

Having that wooden bed right next to the shed wall will cause the bottom of the shed wall to rot out.

I just saw the same thing on someone else's shed.

[zoomerlawns]

I grow tomatoes but I don't eat them because plants feel pain.

[redtiger546]

@zoomerlawns are you for REAL!

[DBSpy1]

@zoomerlawns I know,that's why I love a big Steak.

[1too3fore]

that's wrong. Using his method they would need to take up 9 squares in order to have optimum air circulation. Just because the method is called square foot doesn't mean all plants can comfortably grow within those bounds. Tomatoes are prone to all kinds of moisture-related fungus when planted that close together. Other plants, perhaps as I also use the square foot method but tomatoes, not a good idea.

[obsidianazul]

@1too3fore it depends on the kind of tomato plants - a determinate variety for example will do fine at 1-1.5 ft each as no pruning is needed. 3ft is the recommended spacing for the indeterminate variety.

[MegaOldhippy]

@obsidianazul

100 dollars??? That's about £63 in proper money! Use recycled wood.

[1too3fore]

your tomato plants are way too close together for optimum results, should be 3 feet apart

[anslowp1]

@1too3fore Using Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Garden method, tomatoes only need 1 square foot per plant.

[jimdiavastes]

too many tomato plants in this small of an area

[QuickGardens]

Great job

[TheWillowwaterer]

nice job , looks a fine growing box... we're building a couple this spring

Did you line the inside, you know with with plastic or somesuch to help prevent the wood rotting..? doin it it stops soil spilling through the gaps too man.

anyways top job, hope mine turn out half as good and were set.

[v632]

how did you build the box

[cwaj]

Just a word of advice:

Sometimes having peppers next to your tomato's - You might get spicy maters...

[egnilk66]

Spicy maters sound GOOD!

[ASFx2600]

@cwaj Only when you plant the seeds after they've been cross pollinated right? The tomatoes on the original plant shouldn't be spicy even when cross pollinated from what I understand.

[DC180]

look like he got some wood pieces and nailed them together...

[TheNewUpsetters]

I an building 2 boxes tomorrow President Day 8feet by 2 feet8 here in Miami Beach .

Let see how it goes!! Thanks for the video.

[Charcoal10000]

Nice video.