Yardenman said: I completely enclosed it all in chicken wire on PVC pipe. Keeps the critters out but lets the pollinators in.

It sure baffles the squirrels. I haven't had one find a way inside yet. I even put dabs of peanut butter of some of the frames and they never got touched. And no squirrel will pass up peanut butter.

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What thickness of pvc did you use? How has it fared? Would you use that same thickness if you had to do it over?

Rick Corey, you can buy an 8' wooden trellis railing, which has about a 3/4" groove on the underside. It would make such a nice touch to the top of your slanted tiles, provide rigidity, a nice finished look, plus you could stand them up straight and fill in behind same. Cheers!

I've built a few raised beds for my backyard, all of them using 2x10" pine building boards. I expect them to last around 5 years, and since I likely won't be in this house by that time, that's okay with me. I filled them with a mixture of potting soil, topsoil, and compost, and my plants did very well last year (almost entirely vegetables, plus one bed of strawberries).

This year I've added more of the mixture with a little extra compost, and mixed it in well to existing soil. After a year of wear (no staining or wood protection), they look great still!

UrbanWild said:

What thickness of pvc did you use? How has it fared? Would you use that same thickness if you had to do it over?

I used 3/4" PVC tubing with 1/2" electrical conduit pipe inside for strength. It has remained very sturdy and I would use the same construction again.

I would use all electrical conduit but they don't have the angled connections you need. PVC has a LOT more angled connections, and the cement to attach them is very easy to use.

Sorry, I was off-site for the Winter.

PismoBeach said:I've built a few raised beds for my backyard, all of them using 2x10" pine building boards. I expect them to last around 5 years, and since I likely won't be in this house by that time, that's okay with me. I filled them with a mixture of potting soil, topsoil, and compost, and my plants did very well last year (almost entirely vegetables, plus one bed of strawberries).

This year I've added more of the mixture with a little extra compost, and mixed it in well to existing soil. After a year of wear (no staining or wood protection), they look great still!

I used modern "pressure-treated" 2x8 for mine. I've read a lot about the newer treated boards and I think they are safe. I've been here 30 years and expect to stay another 20, so durability matters. I considered Trex but it is very expensive.
If you had access to "repurposed" cinder blocks, I think that might be the best. Concrete paver need a wood frame and that is the same problem needing wood. Redwood would be good, but it seems wrong to use something unsustainable.

No perfect answers here. It is either replace every few years, tolerate some potential leaching, go "block and morter", or kill huge old trees. You could line pressure-treated pine with black plastic, but you would have to be careful not to rip it with a shovel and it doesn't last more than 5 years either..

Yardenman: Great post! In Canada and I would presume in the US also, "treated wood" is no longer treated with arsenic, but with a copper solution. Copper is everywhere, they are even making clothes with it now! Seriously. PS. I don't think you are going to leave this Planet that soon! Cheers!

What would anyone think of raised beds using this as pictured, they can be made as long as you like and have different designs and yes I made these. They would cost more than wood but mainly I am interested in what people think about them and if they would consider using them? I have not finished putting a full set together but you can get a good ideal of what it would look like from the pictures, with one set it will make about a 5 foot square planter or you can make it longer by adding more sections and different designs are available and should last a very long time. I will also offer these as a DIY kit, one would be able to make these at home. We will also be making some wildlife scenes as the main panels so one can have a little of both worlds. Thank you for any and all input.

I think very nice for a formal garden and house. . We are in midfle of woods with a laid back vibe so not for me but I can see how msny would like. ..especiallybif ate corners could be sold separately to make bench around the bed

Hello My Friends
Here is something you may find useful. I made my raised beds (what I call luxury gardening) using 2" x 6" lumber two high. The corners were made of galvanized sheet metal with wood screws into the 2" x 6" boards. I did not use pressure treated wood as I was concerned about the chemicals leaching into the soil. This plain lumber usually lasts about five years. These beds were mainly for vegetables but as the years went by flowers seemed to find their way in. I really love sweet peas and their wonderful fragrance, and in Grover Beach just a few blocks from the ocean I could grow them almost all summer. This garden here in the photos was in Grover Beach, just a stones throw from our friend in Pismo Beach. The climate here was wonderful as I could garden all year round, although some plants that like warm water were a problem. I now live in the high mountain desert and gardening here is a real challenge with hungry deer, squirrels, and mice. I built an enclosure using chicken wire but the mice came in and ate everything! Even the jabenero peppers. More about that another time.
Jack

Jbodenmann - Oh WOW!!! I love all those raised beds with paths in between them. That is a really nice layout. I live in Florida and have a very mild climate. I have had to make my raised beds out of concrete because the rain and humidity here destroyed the wood within 2 years. But the concrete pavers wall raised beds are holding up nicely.

I am so sorry to hear about the hungry critters at your new place in the mountains. I have rats here sometimes too, unless the bobcats get them (which they do when they are raising cubs). Seems it is always something ... whether large critters or insects.

Thanks for sharing your inspirational backyard. It is a gardener's dream!