is a rusty frame safe for sfg bed?

psimoneb 6/7/2013, 12:16 pm

I have a rusty iron skid/building foundation in my backyard and would like to beautify it by using it to make a raised bed for pumpkins and watermelons. Would it be safe for fruit and vegetable plants, would I need to line it first, or should I just not use it at all?

**camprn** 6/7/2013, 12:46 pm

I think the biggest risk in using it is cutting yourself on the metal, other than the it sounds like a perfect place for Mel's Mix and raising squash! What a Face

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boffer 6/7/2013, 2:04 pm

The old joke in gardening is that rusty steel in the garden provides more iron for the plants! I would use it.

One thought for consideration: in your hot climate, will the steel hold too much heat? If that could be a problem, you could line the steel with foam board to provide a thermal break.

psimoneb 6/7/2013, 3:17 pm

Thanks for the advice! I don't think there are any sharp edges to it. It's heavy duty welded iron, so cuts shouldn't be a problem. The bottom is actually open to the ground so hopefully the hot metal won't be a problem. I'm going to give it a try!

mschaef 6/7/2013, 11:50 pm

$glad you\'re here$ sounds like you already made your decision but I wanted to add go for it and post pictures if possible. Also let us know how it turns out.

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is a rusty frame safe for sfg bed?

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