lining and filling a raised bed

BLUis

Someone has very kindly built me a raised bed to put in my garden for some small amounts of veg. In it I will be growing things like carrots, spinach, cucumber, etc. Not a lot of each, but enough for us. Hopefully I will be able to plant enough seedlings to get 2 crops out.

What I want to know is, what should I line it with? It has been made from pallets and chipboard, about 3 foot high and about 4 foot square. I am going to paint the outside as it’s a little stark in the garden, but I don’t know whether I should line the inside with plastic, or some kind of membrane? Will I need to put some rocks in the bottom for drainage?

Thanks a lot in advance. (I will add a pic of it later when I am back home!)

BLUis

anyone help at all??

Dustykitten

What's on the ground underneath - is it on the soil? if so as long as it isn't compacted then it should drain fine.

Assuming it is made of wood I wouldn't bother to line it but it will potentially rot over time. What sort of wood is it?

BLUis

well i got home and found that my oh had had a delivery of top soil from a builder friend of ours!! he has already lined the box with plastic, punched holes in it and 3/4 filled it!! He even took out most of the weeds for me!!

I just need to mix in some compost and some feed then I can get planting. Need to start my seeds off this weekend, not been well enough to get them in before now. Hopefully they will be ok to go in soon.

valk_scot

If you line it with plastic it effectively becomes a large plastic pot, not a real raised bed. Raised beds are built on soil and the interior soil level raised by a combination of deep digging and adding manure/compost during digging then possibly a mulch on top. Plants with deep roots need to be able to grow down into the soil on which the bed is built.

BLUis

Believe me its a raised bed, its about 5" off the floor!!!

BLUis

why cant i add attachments??

bottlehalffull

If you want to add a pic then can you add it to flicr and then post the link?


5" but with no subsoil .. it'll be fine for lots of things I'm sure... just watch if it rains heavily that it can all get out without making mud.

My new raised bed on the allotment was about 8" wood sides straight on soil - so we rotavated the grass underneath as far down as we could. (I use the we loosely there - him indoors did it, bless him, I had a go and it was horrible to use!)
The deeper the better.

Worth a try this year - but bear in mind if plants can't suck the water up from underneath you might have to water more. Don't know if it's worth you putting some of those water beads in - the things you get for hanging baskets. they hold the water and release it...

BLUis

I'm not on flicr so will have to join up i think.

thanks for the advice. There is no where in my garden i could have it in the soil. its a complete unit on its own. I dont mind watering it more often, I'm just glad to finally have it done!