Contents
- 1 What kind of wood should I use for a planter box?
- 2 What should I line my planter box with?
- 3 How do you fill a raised bed cheaply?
- 4 Should you line a raised garden bed with plastic?
- 5 How do you waterproof a wooden planter?
- 6 How do I keep my wooden planter from rotting?
- 7 How do I keep my planter box from rotting?
- 8 What do you put in the bottom of a planter for drainage?
- 9 Do raised planter boxes need drainage?
- 10 How deep should a planter box be?
- 11 What soil do you put in raised garden beds?
What kind of wood should I use for a planter box?
Cedar and redwood are naturally water-resistant but can be expensive and hard to find. Hemlock, fir and pine are suitable materials for raised beds but aren’t very long-lasting. Pressure treated lumber is an option.
What should I line my planter box with?
Line your planter boxes porous landscape fabric. The goal here is not to prevent the wood from getting wet—that’s impossible in outdoor settings—but rather to prevent the potting soil from directly contacting the wood.
How do you fill a raised bed cheaply?
The cheapest way to fill raised beds is from materials available on your own property–soil, and organic matter (leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, wood chips, etc.). Your town & local schools might also have soil, wood chips, and compost available for free pickup that can be used in raised beds.
Should you line a raised garden bed with plastic?
You can line your raised bed to make it more durable and to prevent toxics from leaching into the soil. For lining, use landscape fabric found at garden supply stores or cloth fabric from clothing. Avoid non-porous plastic, as it can retain too much water and discourage beneficial insects and worms.
How do you waterproof a wooden planter?
Line the inside of the wooden planter box with thick plastic. Thick, 6 mil polyethylene sheeting, commonly used for greenhouses, works well — but even a plastic trash bag can be used to waterproof the inside of the planter. For best results, fold the trash bag in half to double the thickness of the liner.
How do I keep my wooden planter from rotting?
The best way to prevent deck planters from rotting is with a liner. Lining a wood planter prevents water and fungi from contacting the wood. Preventing rotting by separating that which is good for the plants, water and fungi from the wood.
How do I keep my planter box from rotting?
Peat moss mixed with vermiculite or sand is a perfect choice. Do not use garden soil as this is far too heavy and will compact together, therefore preventing adequate drainage. Sit your planter box on top of some bricks or pieces of wood to allow at least 2 inches of space for air circulation.
What do you put in the bottom of a planter for drainage?
Instead of putting rocks in the bottom of big porch planters, fill the bottom with sealed empty plastic 20 ounce bottles! They give the pot the drainage it needs, without adding all that extra weight!
Do raised planter boxes need drainage?
Yes, raised garden beds need drainage. All kinds of plant containers need drainage. Poor drainage can make your soil overly wet or waterlogged. When this is the case, the root system of your plant can drown in the excess water.
How deep should a planter box be?
For most plants, a 6-to 8-inch-deep planter box is sufficient. The depth may vary for some vegetables, however. Turnips, cucumbers, broccoli, beets, lettuce and green onions can all grow well in a planter box at that depth, but other vegetables, like cabbage, need a deeper depth of at least 10 inches.
What soil do you put in raised garden beds?
Soil taken from your yard or a garden bed is too dense to use in a pot or raised bed. Instead, for containers, you’ll want to use potting mix (also called potting soil), a lightweight and fluffy alternative. For raised beds, you’ll want to use a slightly heavier soil made specifically for that type of garden.