Raised beds

mary m 11/10/2011, 12:29 am

Hi All:

I am constructing a raised SQ FT garden for a group of special needs students at my school. I am using concrete block and two pallets in order to get the bed up high enough for students to reach. I will lay down landscaping cloth on top of the pallets prior to laying in the Mel's Mix.

Does this sound right? Any suggestions? We can plant lettuce, radishes, brocoli at this time of the year.

Thank you,

Mary M

BackyardBirdGardner 11/10/2011, 9:24 am

Welcome aboard! Good to see another budding SFG'er.

I don't like the idea of pallets and landscape cloth because the cloth will eventually break down and your mix will start falling through. I would just plywood like the book suggests.

Do some research around the site on TT (Table Top) gardens. And, if you don't have one, read the book...The All New Square Foot Garden. You may also jump over to the website's store (someone please provide the link) and look through the teaching section for the book for kids. I bet you find some useful information along your research journey.

And, as always, ask questions. That's why we are all here. Hopefully, you will get some other comments on your current design idea. I don't claim to be 100% right.

**Kelejan** 11/10/2011, 10:50 am

mary m, to the SFG forums.

I agree with BBG, use plywood for the bottoms. Perhaps you could add wood to the pallets, but you would have to fit it in very carefully. Eventually roots will get through the weedcloth then you would be in trouble and have to do it all over again.

Best of luck in your venture. Raised beds 61949

boffer 11/10/2011, 11:04 am

All of my TT boxes use weed cloth to hold the MM in. Some are going on six years old. The weed cloth is holding up just fine.

But, given your hot and arid climate, the weed cloth will allow more surface area for water to evaporate from your MM. Your boxes might need more frequent watering.

plantoid 11/10/2011, 6:18 pm

mary m wrote:Hi All:

I am constructing a raised SQ FT garden for a group of special needs students at my school. I am using concrete block and two pallets in order to get the bed up high enough for students to reach. I will lay down landscaping cloth on top of the pallets prior to laying in the Mel's Mix.

Does this sound right? Any suggestions? We can plant lettuce, radishes, brocoli at this time of the year.

Thank you,

Mary M

Mary ,

you may find it useful to have a peek at my raised beds extra thread .

I have a bust back , bust left shoulder joint , arthritis in both knees and am nearly 61 ( If I were a horse I'd be put down )

You mentioned it is for special needs kiddies .. the beds will have to be bomb proof or else you will leave yourself open to being sued if anything falls off on to a kid.

My beds are built on a 12 inch thick by 18 inch wide concrete foundation and te deviding walls are keyed into the main brick wall run to give great strength and integrity as each cube of earth tends to expand and contrct due to drying out or getting wet creating a pressure on the wall .

If you are interested in more information PM me and I'll send you loads of pictures taken during planning and building in a Photobucket link form.

mary m 11/16/2011, 6:18 am

I followed your advice and used plywood on top of the pallet. Today the mix goes and then the kids will plant. YAHOO! Very Happy

I will send you some pictures as the process continues.

Thank you all,
mary m

**Kelejan** 11/16/2011, 11:23 am

Phew! Mary. We feel better now you have done that.

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