Galvanized raised beds question

R&R 1011 5/9/2017, 5:48 pm

So my Mel's mix, bed of strawberries, and herb bed are all gone from flooding from the creek. People's trash keeps clogging up the creek which causes my garden to flood. The only bed left untouched is an old galvanized bin.

I'm looking at rebuilding my beds with galvanized steel which are just over 2 ft high. So my question is what would you recommend I fill the bottom up with? Rocks? Sand? How can affordably fill the bottom of the bed so I'm only filling the top with Mel's mix?

RC3291 5/9/2017, 7:17 pm

Sorry most of your garden washed away. I don't know if you were thinking of rocks to weight it down so it doesn't wash away or not. Might be an option if needed. I was reading another post somewhere else and they filled the bottom of theirs with mulch. They filled up to with about 2 inches of the deepest roots of their plants and then good soil or mix on top. Often mulch is available free or low cost from your city or town. My local city offers mulch to residents free and is mulched tree trimmings the city picks up(think back to Eden). Of course it breaks down over time into good soil and the level drops in the bed but the price is right. I've also heard of people using sand or just fill dirt if it drains fairly well. You wouldn't want a heavy clay soil and make a vegetable swimming pool out of it.

ralitaco 5/9/2017, 8:10 pm

Hey RC,
Have you thought about doing a Tabletop style bed. You could frame up a table using treated lumber, use a piece of the galvanized for the bottom and wrap the opening underneath with the galvanized.

Hope that makes sense

R&R 1011 5/9/2017, 8:31 pm

ralitaco wrote:Hey RC,
Have you thought about doing a Tabletop style bed. You could frame up a table using treated lumber, use a piece of the galvanized for the bottom and wrap the opening underneath with the galvanized.

Hope that makes sense

Not a bad idea.

ralitaco 5/11/2017, 12:03 am

R&R (sorry I called you RC earlier),
search Tabletops and you will find all sorts of ways to make them.
The ANSFG book suggests 3/4" plywood with holes drilled in them.
Someone here used 1/4" hardware cloth.
I used metal shelving and sheets of styrofoam.

Good luck

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Galvanized raised beds question

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