I've built raised best using cardboard boxes before. They only last a season but are easy to pull apart and hoe in when getting ready for the next season.

we've used hay bails our last one is still going strong, and also roofing tin, have a look at our pic's.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page

Len,
I've checked out your page when I saw you on the permaculture forum. I like it. I think we might try a similar potato method to yours sometime. I just have to figure out how to get seed potatoes the right time of year for growing here since most mail order companies ship them only in the spring and it seems to get too hot here in central FL to grow regular potatoes into the summer. I think they would either do better planted here at the end of summer or perhaps very early spring (Most spring gardens here in FL can start in Feb, at least a month before most companies even think about shipping seed potatoes it seems.)

I built my one and only one from cedar wood. I've seen other things used though. If you live in an area with a lot of large rocks you can use them. Regular untreated wood would work, though it would rot in a couple years I imagine; redwoods like cedar are supposed to last longer, but are more expensive. I've seen the roofing tins used like len uses. I've also seen cement blocks used, though they are ugly and could leach stuff I guess. The main thing is not to use stuff with chemicals like treated wood or railroad ties. Anything that holds the soil in is the idea.
Looking for a long term bed? You can buy recycled plastic lumber---expensive though.
I like len's straw or hay bale idea. I'm thinking of going around to all the churches that use straw bales for their pumpkin and halloween displays and seeing if they'll give me the bales after Halloween. Otherwise, I'm going to use just plain, cheap untreated wood and see how long it lasts.

Pete

If you need something for a raised bed you could use redwood (not sustainable according to some people), cedar or black locust (naturally rot resistant), stones, concrete blocks (which would leach calcium only if the soil pH was way off), or bricks.
Like bins for compost piles sides for raised beds are an option.

tclynx,

you would have very like climate to us here, so we have to grow our spuds through winter plant very late summer or early autumn, i like to get my seedies in say january/february so i can store them in egg cartons in a dark dry place so they sprout good growths before planting. this way also then you only get to plant stock that is going to grow.

len

I have a related question:

If one were to use regular untreated lumber for a raised bed and wanted to stain it with something to prolong the amount of time it took before the wood eventually decomposed, what could be used that is still reasonably safe?

I have 10 raised beds - all made out of redwood. Some people may object, but they last a LOONG time, look good, and don't leach anything into the soil. My compost piles are made of hay bales - I then use the spoiled and rotted hay for layers in the winter for bulking up the beds, also for mulch in the summer. My plants are happy, so is my hubby. It was a lot of work to build them, but they are easy care, and they look great!

Kathy

Hi,
I use blocks of sod cut from the lawn. I remove a lot of the soil from the sod blocks and then stack them like bricks, grass side up. You can make beds of any shape.
The grass growing on top sends down roots that hold the wall together. You'll have to cut more area than you will need for the raised beds. I just make it into more garden space by adding a lot of material like compost and peat moss.
You will need a large lawn area to start this. You'll end up with less lawn but it's overrated anyway.