Making raised garden bed material not to rot? (2024)

FAQs

Making raised garden bed material not to rot? ›

Get some of that plastic on a roll that's used for damp proofing a brick wall. It's thick black plastic and comes in a few different widths. Use it to line the wooden side of the beds before you put the soil in and it'll stop some of the rot. It's quite cheap and lasts really well.

A good-quality, environmentally friendly wood sealant will improve the durability of your wooden raised bed by protecting it from the elements, particularly the moist soil on the inside. I use a mineral powder made by Eco Wood Treatment.

Cedar is naturally resistant to rot and pests thanks to something called tannins. That makes cedar a timber that will last a long time. You can expect to garden in your cedar raised bed for at least 10 years before it starts to degrade.

Raised garden beds can be constructed from a variety of safe and sustainable materials. Cedar or redwood are two great options for wood as they are naturally rot-resistant and won't leach harmful chemicals into the soil.

If you're going to pay for a product to fill your raised beds, again, it should just be really good soil and compost. I only recommend a thin layer of gravel at the bottom of your raised bed and under the edges to help you level the area. Save the rest of your gravel for your garden pathways.

Providing Sufficient Drainage

This is by far the most important part of any successful sleeper installation. If water is allowed to sit against timber it will start to rot after a matter of a few years, even with pressure treated softwood or oak sleeper that have been treated before installation.

Cardboard or newspaper: Cardboard is a great option if you are on a budget. You can line the bottom of your raised garden bed with cardboard and newspaper to deter pests and weeds.

Prevents soil erosion in a raised bed: As a liner, landscape fabric lets water drain away from the soil while leaving the soil intact. While raised garden beds have a wooden bottom, the soil could still wash away in nooks and crannies each time you water the plants.

Raised beds that are small and shallow (under 12 inches deep) are typically only filled with soil. Adding other organic materials to shallow beds usually isn't a good idea. Sticks, twigs, and other materials further reduce the limited soil space and can interfere with plant root growth and water drainage.

What is the longest lasting material for a garden bed? ›

Stone Is the Most Durable Raised Bed Material

Nothing beats stone for longevity and beauty when it comes to garden materials, no matter what type of temperature ranges, humidity, and water intake your bed will experience. Stone is also food-safe and can often be locally sourced.

As a final reminder, avoid lining your garden beds with plastic. Doing so prevents drainage and could drown your plants' roots with too much water. If you have a weed and pest problem, consider installing a combination of metal mesh and fabric or hardware cloth and cardboard to address both issues simultaneously.

Fill the bottom half with broken branches, twigs and general forest waste. Add green material like grass clippings, weeds (without roots or seeds) comfrey cuttings, kitchen vegetable waste. Top up with 6 inches of topsoil and home-made compost mix.

I recommend at the very least coating your lumber in linseed oil or beeswax to preserve them for the long haul. Some gardeners use lining between the interior of their raised bed and soil to protect the wood. Even with the lining, you'll get seepage of water that will penetrate that wood and linger.

Will fungi grow on my raised bed? Saprotrophic fungi can colonise and rot down untreated timber, which softens it over time, so you may need to undertake occassional repairs to keep beds structurally sound if you use this material.

The Type of Wood Used

Pine is an inexpensive wood, but it can typically only be expected to last about 5 years, maybe 10 under the best conditions. Cedar, redwood, cypress, and hemlock are all types of wood that don't decay or rot quickly, and they can be expected to last anywhere from 10 to 20 years.

I recommend at the very least coating your lumber in linseed oil or beeswax to preserve them for the long haul. Some gardeners use lining between the interior of their raised bed and soil to protect the wood. Even with the lining, you'll get seepage of water that will penetrate that wood and linger.