Saturday, February 16, 2013

What material is best for a raised bed?

After some research, I chose eWood, which is a very strong, dense wood-like material made from recycled plastic. Here's why:

MaterialAdvantagesDisadvantages
SoftwoodVery cheap, attractiveRots quickly, weak
Treated woodCheap, attractiveLeaches toxins into soil, weak
HardwoodVery attractive, durableVery expensive
Corrugated ironCheap, durableUnattractive, heats soil, can rust
eWoodVery durable, strong, affordable, resistant to rot, insect damage, UV and moisture, eco-friendlyModerately expensive

And here's the bed itself, now filled with layers of cardboard, sugar cane mulch, lucerne mulch, tea tree mulch, garden compost, dry leaves, cow manure, mushroom compost and organic compost:

1 comment:

  1. Terrific job, looks great and what a great mix of compost and manure. Can't wait to see the results in a couple of months.

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