raised bed layering . Screening /Stones/ mulch / soil

draggontail
draggontail Posts: 2 ✭✭✭

High hopes to everyone on this site !!! My name is TODA ( a soon to be gardener) in Canada. I,m planning a raised bed off the ground to help mom with less bending. I’ll be using wooden pallet skids with added sides supported on cinder blocks. Thinking of layering screen material or weed fabric then stones then mulch then soil maybe repeat another layer. Any thoughts or suggestions will always be appreciated ( smiling at you always )

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  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin
    Answer ✓

    @draggontail Hello! Welcome to the network discussions. I am from another side of the Earth - mountainous part of Austria, but our climate is sometimes very similar to the one in cooler places in Canada. Nice that you think of your moms convenience. We here in Austria have high beds. I stand when I work. I find it very convenient.

    When I fill a high bed, I place a fabric not against weeds, but against mice, then a lot of branches, then all the rests from the garden and the kitchen, then not ripe compost then ripe compost and then garden soil. But my high bed is about 1 meter high. For a raised bed you need less material.

    i prefer high bed not only for convenience, but also, because the soil gets warmer much quicker and I can cover it, if frost is still there.


  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Answer ✓

    @draggontail All my beds are raided beds now. Its easier on the back and helps control rabbits and such. Its also easier to cover for cold snaps.

    I do a layering method for the beds. Normally I am not fond of landscape fabric but I would consider it here. I like the mention of screen material if you have animals that will dig in to your beds and ruin crops. And sometimes instead of landscape fabric I will use layers of cardboard. If applied heavily it will take years to break down and is good for the soil. It brings in earthworms.

    I use layers of Brown material (dead) and green material (alive) and then have some soil and compost. In the bottom of your raised beds,depending on how high your beds are, you may want to consider sticks and branches. They take time to break down but add nutrients to the soil over a long period of time. They also help rertain moisture, which is great if you have droughts or extreme high temps in the summer.

    And welcome to TGN! Looking forward to hearing aboiut your raised beds and gardening adventures.

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