Raised Vegetable Beds

Hi, 

I want to build some raised vegetable beds in my garden for growing a few basic fruit and veggies. Does anyone have any recomendations for what to build these from? 

I have had a look at some that are sold by these companies: 

www.sleeper-supplies.co.uk

http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/

http://www.webbsdirect.co.uk/

has anyone bought from these before and could recommend? 

When I first got rid of my lawn and replaced it with a mixture of raised beds I shopped around on-line, some of them are way too expensive.

I visited a local reclamation yard to pick up old scaffold boards or 1" thick gravel boards pretty cheap and with some 2" square timber made my own 8' x 4' and 6' x 4' beds.

I would also reccomend http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/raised-bed-gardening-tcid2.html  who supply wooden raised beds or http://linkabord.co.uk/home.page who supply beds made from recycled plastic. Both of them are very good and not too expensive or difficult to put together

http://www.primrose.co.uk/botanico-wooden-raised-bed-p-28046.html  I bought these - but I got them half-price when a local garden centre had an offer on.  I'm very pleased with them - they need lining with strong plastic and a base of weed supressing membrane stapled into the bottom to stop soil washing out .  I filled them with approx 50/50 good top soil and well rotted organic farmyard manure.  They've been very successful this year.

My first raised beds were bought off the internet.

 I was pleased with my purchases as at the time although later realised the materials could have been bought at a fraction of the cost at the local DIY store or reclaimed material place on a local industrial estate.

Scaffolding planks look ok with wood preserve on although I've only used these around the GH as a frame for the base to sit on.

My raised beds are made form decking planks, painted with wood preserve,not as durable as sleepers but don't look any different now from the day they went down several years ago. The most recent bed cost £7.50 to make, think it's about 6t by 6ft but only one plank in depth any higher and I'd have lined it with plastic to preserve the wood.

I hve used old scaffold boards they weren't that easy to get but much cheaper than ones bought off internet. Best thing i have ever done as i don't have to dig so much.

i too used scaffold boards on my garden and on the allotment i only paid 4 pound each they where 13 foot long with free delivery

I paid £7.50 for recycled scaffolding boards.

Scaffolders can't use them if they are split...health and safety.. so you might get them cheaper if you contacted a scaffolding firm direct 

i use new scaffled board since I like to use uncracked wood.

We started ours using ordinary 8" wide planed pine planks treated with Cuprinol which is water based so OK for plants.  They lasted very well for about 10 years but then suffered in some deradful winters.  We have grdaually replaced them with pressure treated roofing beams which are thicker and more solid and have stained these a pale grey to protect them.   Theyr'e long so need fewer jopins on our longer beds.

If I'd been able to source scaffolding boards I'd have happily used those.

Managed to get mine for £2 each and they were carried right to my plot. Sadly my source dried up but i do have a few spares. Its much easier on the back not having to dig so much and you can also plant a bit closer together as the soil is deeper. ( i think)

Early this year I researched the various products online and ended up with three 1 x 2 meter raised bed kits from Link-A-Bord and also got the canopy kits for each. I am very pleased with summer crops and with my winter vegetable crop results to date. Best idea I had in years this...quality, value and earth friendly (recycled products).

www.linkabord.com was the site I shopped and can recommend without hesitation.