Constructioon Of Raised Beds

[bubbaba]

Hello. I would like to build some raised beds using the standard hollow cement blocks available here in Thailand. I will grow any and all vegetables that I can grown in Thailand in them. If I only build two or three blocks high is it necessary to build a beam first to support the blocks? A beam with iron or simply a cement beam? Does anyone here have any experience with this. How to build. How do the beds work? Too hot? Too dry? Works good. Any and all advise welcome. Thanks John

[Foreverford]

Really with raised beds you are looking at problems creating sides (wood or cement) unless you are extremely confined for space and soils. One of the great benefits of raise beds is the increased amount of planting area you get by using this method. When you create a raised bed on an area that is say 3 meters long by one meter wide you are planting on 3 square meters of earth. If you didn't raise the beds (or raise beds with sides of cement or wood) you could plant on that area and for example say with your spacing you are able to plant 30 heads of lettuce in perfect spacing. By raising the bed above ground and putting a nice tapering slope tfrom the top of your bed to the border sides Think of a plastic pipe of 1.5 meters in length laying across the width of your bed so 25 cm is sticking outside of your one meter wide bed on each side. If you stuck each end in the ground on the border (where your cement or pieces of wood would be to raise the bed) of your bed and created an arc (think McDonald Hamburger arches flatenned out somewhat) that would create an arc somewhat similar to what you are trying to get when you make raised beds. So now instead of having 3 square meters of soil to plant your lettuce on, you have 4.5 square meters (1.5 meter arc by 3 meters long) and maybe the ability to put hypothetically 45 heads on the same plot of earth.

You will get a lot of bugs where you create your wooden or cement sides and also inconsistent moisture contents due to the enclosure. Your beds should be wide enough that you can easily work the center of your bed from either side. Anything over 6 feet wide usually is too wide to be able to comfortably cultibvate the center of the bed by hand. Watering is critical to maintaining good tilth as anykind of flooding or puddling of water on a flat raised bed (ONE WITH SIDES) WILL CAUSE UNDUE COPMPACTion. a watering can with a fine spray head or a fine spray sprinkler, usually hand held for small plots is the preferred method of watering,. try to recreate light rain. Choke Dee FF

[kandahar]

Cut narrow trenches, about four inches deep, where the first level of blocks will sit, put a sand base of an inch or two in the trenches and level the sand. The trenches will be only wide enough for the blocks to slide down into. This will keep the weight of the dirt and moisture in the beds from pushing the walls out later. At the top of the second row of blocks, lay a piece of the small round rod that they use for rebar here. The rod will lay in between the second and third block layers, on the center-line of the blocks. Lay it around the entire perimeter of each bed. Make a small anchor point in the centers of the beds. A hole the size of a coffee can and 12 inches or so deep will work. Fill it with concrete and leave some small pieces of rebar rod sticking out of it. Run rebar rods from the anchor to the rebar that lays on top of the second row and tie it together. Welding is best. Go ahead and lay the third row of blocks, more if you want, fill the thing with dirt and you will find that the upper walls don't tip out on you later. The rods will be deep enough in the dirt that they won't interfere with your farming. If you make long beds, you will need more anchor points. After you have concreted the blocks, backfill and tamp any space in the trenches.

It is a pain in the butt to build a retaining wall and then to find it leaning a few years later. No need for that if you do it right the first time.

If you don't have a welder or do any welding, get a local welder to stop by. Get everything ready for the welder first and them have him/her weld your little rods together in place. Those guys are cheap and if you have done all the set-up work, the job will go very quickly.

Edited July 16, 2011 by kandahar

[fezzy]

To do a top notch job and if you want it to last years ,I would start with digging a trench for your footings about 4inches deep and about 6inches wide around the perimeter that you require . Then lay 4 continuous loops of steel wire or bar (8mm) and wire the together so they form a box crossection . Then fill this hole full of concrete. Whilst concrete is still wet work out where your holes of your bricks are and push steel bar in so that it protrudes 3/4 the height of your brick to go on. Then proceed to lay your bricks as said in the earlier post but i would also tie in the corner bricks with steel bar on a 45degree angle to stop the corners blowing out .

In my experience you've got to start with good solid footings otherwise everything will eventually fail and fall apart and you'll have to do it all over again properly

Hope this helps you out

[DavidARoss]

Don't buy the standard Thai cement blocks instead ask around as to where you can buy the larger cement blocks which would be equivilant of 3 thai cement blocks in width and heavy enough to stay in place and not move.

[David006]

Don't buy the standard Thai cement blocks instead ask around as to where you can buy the larger cement blocks which would be equivilant of 3 thai cement blocks in width and heavy enough to stay in place and not move.

bloody hell...need planning permission for the construction of plant beds almost.!!

..the good wifey said use rocks or old tyres...so just installed some 8 old Goodrich's and hid 'em behind rocks and some cassava...filled 'em 1/2 with a base of farm dirt then potting soil...they are hidden away so aesthetics not a problem..will see if the lettuce seeds I planted this morning actually grow..never had seeds grow that I "actually planted"...think the bugs or birds have a smorg...wifey says buy some veggies that have roots at market.. eat the tops then plant the rest..lol TIT....Really!!! worked before with celery and mint!

We have about 15 or so papaya trees which I never planted from seed..tonnes of fruit.... just "found" little ones and moved 'em..same with half dozen mango trees..from which we will get mangoes a week before I "pop my clogs" methinks...

[doggie888888]

If you are in Pattaya, go to the orchard that is part of the Cabbages and Condoms Resort...I see they use large pre-fabricated concrete rings to make circular raised beds.