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Hi I'm new
4 posters
Page 1 of 1
Hi I'm new
My name is Karin I'm new to gardening in a box. In fact, I don't even have one yet. I live on 5 acres but have no garden for veggies because of horses and dogs. I saw a 4x4 gardenbox today in someone's yard and became intrigued ....that's what I want to have too! Sooo, I looked on the Internet for guidance, found this website with tips and here I am. Tonight Hubby and I will start building a box. I just need to know what type of wood should I use? Someone mentioned ( on another website) that treated wood should not be used. Well, that's what we have plenty of due to fencing in the horses. I thought about using landscape timber ( cut down) for the corners and then 2 2x6 boards for the sides, I would like my bed deep because of so many weeds here in Texas. I'm planning on putting weedclothes on the bottom of my box. Will the water drain through the clothes or do I need to drill holes in the sides?Am I planning all this wrong? Please let me know before we start and doing it wrong!
Thanks
Karin
Thanks
Karin
sundanz- Posts : 1
Join date : 2010-05-04
Location : Tyler,Texas
Re: Hi I'm new
Karin,
Welcome to the forum and square foot gardening!
The reason untreated lumber is suggested in because the "treated" part can seep into the soil and then into your food. Yuck. I was able to find all my wood for free from craigslist I have also heard of finding it at local construction sites, just ask to see if they have any scraps that would work.
http://forum.doityourself.com/gardening-horticulture/223381-pressure-treated-wood-ok-vegetable-garden.html
The depth of the box is up to you. Only 6 inches is needed but you can make them deeper. It just gets more expensive with the Mel's Mix soil the deeper you go. Others have filled the bottom with sand before adding the Mel's Mix to deal with that.
Weed cloth just prevents the weeds from coming up but still lets the water drain out.
Good Luck!
Welcome to the forum and square foot gardening!
The reason untreated lumber is suggested in because the "treated" part can seep into the soil and then into your food. Yuck. I was able to find all my wood for free from craigslist I have also heard of finding it at local construction sites, just ask to see if they have any scraps that would work.
http://forum.doityourself.com/gardening-horticulture/223381-pressure-treated-wood-ok-vegetable-garden.html
The depth of the box is up to you. Only 6 inches is needed but you can make them deeper. It just gets more expensive with the Mel's Mix soil the deeper you go. Others have filled the bottom with sand before adding the Mel's Mix to deal with that.
Weed cloth just prevents the weeds from coming up but still lets the water drain out.
Good Luck!
ColoradoNatureGirl- Posts : 58
Join date : 2010-04-19
Age : 45
Location : Littleton, CO
Re: Hi I'm new
I built two beds with pressure-treated and one with just pine/fir. I had the pressure treated at home from a while ago, so used it.
The reality is that the new pressure-treated stuff doesn't really use much in terms of harmful chemicals. It is a copper based solution without the arsenic and I don't see that it is going to be harmful for me.
Your kids can literally chew on this stuff and it won't hurt them any more than pine.
The reality is that the new pressure-treated stuff doesn't really use much in terms of harmful chemicals. It is a copper based solution without the arsenic and I don't see that it is going to be harmful for me.
Your kids can literally chew on this stuff and it won't hurt them any more than pine.
Judge Kemp- Posts : 77
Join date : 2010-04-19
Age : 47
Location : Zone 5a --Central Iowa
use carboard too
Howdy from just across the western state line of texas. Since you're over there where everything stays green I'd definitely lay down a few thick layers of cardboard under that weedcloth too. No sense in giving the bermuda any opportunity to climb into your box. As far as the wood....if it's the copper solution wood you're ok, but you may want to seal it with "one time wood" from a Do it Best or Ace Hardware. That stuff is a 100 percent solids, penetrating, UV cured wood sealer. I've talked to the manufacturer and it's 100 percent inert after you let the sun cure it as per the directions. That'll protect your box from all the rain you get over there and prevent any of the wood treatment from leaching into your mix.
SirTravers- Posts : 327
Join date : 2010-03-01
Age : 50
Location : Hobbs New MExico, Zone 7A/7B
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