Question

Started building a raised flower bed to grow vegetables in using My sons old divan bed base and old bed slates. ( slates will be hammered outside the from, only placed them inside to get rough idea of how many more I need. What do I need to use to protect the wood before painting it. What vegetables are easy to start off with?  

Answer 1

If your painting it, that will protect it. And line the inside with plastic before you put soil in. Put holes in the plastic for drainage.  

Answer 2

This is softwood so I would use yacht varnish inside and out, and line the inside with plastic. Lift the wood off the ground if you can so it won't draw up water  

Answer 3

Check Pinterest for square foot gardening tips

Answer 4

As above otherwise will rot 2 years but amazing well done. Carrots. Beetroot, radish quick crop. Safe beans, I grown peas in mine but make sure not a tall variety. Turnips. I never have much luck with lettuce but I but cut and come again lettuce and split them up and plant to grow into full size.  

Answer 5

Safe beans lol dwarf beans lol. Is any bean safe.  

Answer 6

It’s Gonna cost a lot to fill that with compost

Answer 7

Put broken pots, broken up polystyrene packaging, rubble, stones, bits of slab etc. in the bottom for drainage (and to fill it up a bit) and mix topsoil, well-rotted horse manure and compost and maybe some play sand to fill it, and some proper home made compost if anyone will give you some. :) Bought compost on it's own is too light and unifom for veg, all the water runs straight through and the roots have little to hold onto

Answer 8

Got yo think that wood is the cheapest and worst for outdoor use especially wet dirty soils. any paint will peel because it will be damp I use Decking OIL from Rightway as it penetrates wool not a coat as any paint is which will peel . I would estimate between a ton ton to 2 ton of soil to fill to high level if you get a couple of years lot of work if you have that falling to bits pallet wood been better it quite good wood in terms of it not rotting very quickly