Many gardeners avoid using raised beds made of steel due to concerns about leaching dangerous chemicals into the soil and vegetables. Corten steel, a type of weathering steel, relies on a wet/dry cycle to build up a protective layer of rust. As the surface develops, it changes color over time, beginning with a red-or. The answer is no, as the temperature near the edges of the garden may rise slightly on a warm day but not enough to have any impact on your plants.
Metal garden beds are easy to build, pest control, and heat retention. They can protect plants from pests like slugs and snails by making their smooth, slippery walls harder for them to climb. Metal raised garden beds, like Birdies, do not get too hot for plants, and many garden plants will thrive in them. The long lifespan of corten steel planters means they won’t need to be replaced, reducing gardening waste.
Corten steel is 100 recyclable throughout all stages of its cycle, preventing further contamination. It is a popular choice for raised garden beds due to its unique appearance and durability. It is made by adding a small amount of copper to regular steel, which is a safe choice for growing food and vegetables.
Corten steel is not toxic, and these environment-friendly materials are completely safe for humans, animals, and plants. While corten steel releases iron as it rusts, it generally benefits plants rather than harming them. Corten steel is an excellent insulator, meaning that the soil in your planters will warm up much faster than it would in other materials. The microscopic amount of zinc that your plants might absorb from the garden bed is not enough to impact your plants or harm anyone who eats the vegetables.
📹 3 reasons NOT to buy metal raised garden beds
Hey there nature lovers, in today’s video I share my top 3 reasons why I regret buying metal raised garden beds. I have my …
What are the problems with Corten steel?
Corten or bare steel roofing should not be installed near salt spray environments, high humidity areas, or areas subject to standing water or frequent rain. It is not suitable for use with dissimilar metals, and roof panels should not be installed on a pitch less than 3/12 as it will cause rust runoff and stain the surrounding areas. Corten steel does not arrive pre-rusted, but it will develop a dull gray appearance upon arrival. It will continue to patina as it is exposed to the weather, eventually rusting orange and eventually cinnamon brown.
There is no warranty for Corten or Bare Steel, as it is designed to rust and is not warrantable. However, it is an excellent product that will yield a long lifespan with the correct weather conditions. A standard disclaimer is included in every order confirmation.
Do metal raised beds leach into soil?
Galvanized Metal Raised Modular Raised Garden Beds represent an optimal solution for horticultural applications, offering robust support for plant growth and eliminating the need for stooping. Although zinc and cadmium can be released into the environment through water exposure and soil acidity changes, the quantities released are insignificant, rendering them safe for use.
What metal is best for raised garden beds?
Metal raised garden beds, made from materials like galvanized steel or corrugated metal, are durable and long-lasting options for gardeners. They resist rot and insect damage, and can last for decades with minimal maintenance. Metal beds are particularly effective in absorbing and retaining heat, which is beneficial in colder climates. They can also be aesthetically pleasing, providing a modern, industrial, or rustic look depending on the metal used.
However, metal raised beds are typically more expensive than wooden or plastic beds, with initial costs being higher but potentially cost-effective in the long term due to their durability. Heat conduction can be a disadvantage in hot climates, as it can cause soil to become too hot and potentially harm plant roots. Metal beds may also have sharp edges, which could pose a risk of injury. Additionally, metal can rust over time, potentially affecting aesthetic appeal and potentially leaching into the soil, affecting plant growth.
Lastly, metal does not insulate the soil as well as wood, which could impact root temperatures and plant health, especially in cold or hot weather. Overall, while metal raised garden beds offer advantages and disadvantages, they are a viable option for those seeking a long-lasting garden solution.
Can you overheat vegetables in metal raised beds?
Metal raised beds and trellises are safe for plants in Houston’s triple-digit heat, as they provide a nice soil buffer. Although it may be uncomfortable to press yourself against the metal on hot days, the plants will be fine with their beautiful appearance. If you’re looking for the right raised beds for your garden space, check out the book “Kitchen Garden Revival” for more information on selecting materials and setting up your space for growing leaves, roots, and fruiting plants. For assistance, find a Gardenary consultant near you to come and discuss your interest in metal raised beds.
Is Corten steel bad for the environment?
Corten is an environmentally friendly material with exceptional durability, resulting in a long lifespan and reduced resource consumption. Its unique properties include a protective rust-like layer on its surface, created by copper, chromium, and nickel alloying elements, which shields the material from further corrosion. This layer increases its lifespan and makes Corten more resistant to atmospheric corrosion than other types of steel. Corten Steel is low maintenance, requiring minimal painting or coating, and thrives outdoors in its unfinished state.
Its self-protective capability allows the protective layer to restore itself over time, reducing the need for maintenance. This makes Corten a valuable choice for products that require minimal maintenance and offer maximum longevity.
Are metal raised beds safe for vegetables?
Steel is a safe and durable material for organic kitchen gardens, offering sleek, stylish, and customizable raised garden beds in various colors and finishes. These beds are not only durable but also last a lifetime, never rot or swell with moisture, and require minimal upkeep. If budget allows, steel is an excellent choice for raised beds. Gardenary offers resources for beginner gardeners, helping them find the right materials and resources to create a beautiful and functional garden. If you have any questions or concerns about steel raised beds, Gardenary is a helpful resource for beginners.
What are the cons of Corten steel?
Cor-Ten sheet facade cladding offers several advantages, including its resistance to atmospheric agents and corrosion, its ability to change its appearance over time, and its low maintenance. However, it also has disadvantages such as uneven color variation, the need for constantly clean surfaces, poor compatibility with other metals, and water and environmental control. Cor-Ten allows designers and planners to create continuous surfaces that establish a visual dialogue with the surrounding environment, using its ornamental characteristics and the “formal language” typical of steel. Today, Cor-Ten is used in architecture as a tailor-made covering, enhancing its elastic qualities through inlays and processes.
Is Corten steel safe for vegetable garden?
Corten Steel planter boxes are safe for growing food due to their environmentally friendly and beneficial properties. The iron in Corten Steel leaches into the ground, promoting chlorophyll development and healthy harvests. These planters can last for decades with proper care, as they are designed to form a protective layer of rust on their surface. Although all steel planters eventually rust, Corten Steel planters are designed to extend their lifespan by protecting the underlying metal from exposure to the elements.
Is Corten steel safe for wildlife?
Corten Steel is safe for animals and can be used for bird baths, feeders, and other garden features. Its natural rusting process doesn’t release harmful substances, but it may cause staining on surfaces when exposed to water. Careful placement and design can minimize this effect. Corten Steel adds a unique touch to gardens, complementing various elements and enhancing aesthetics. It can be used for planters, sculptures, or edging, transforming a garden into a visually appealing and harmonious space.
Are Corten steel planters good?
Corten steel planters are a low-maintenance option for gardens, as they don’t break, corrode, or require ongoing maintenance like painting or sanding. They offer a competitive edge over timber and plastic planters. Combining multiple planters can create a fully bloomed garden without the stress of continuous upkeep. For more inspiration, visit online resources from landscapers and amateur horticulturalists who already benefit from this easy-to-maintain option. They can last for years without requiring paint, even in harsh British weather.
What is the safest material for raised garden beds?
To minimize soil contact with treated wood in raised beds, paint the wood with exterior latex paint, treat it with a semi-transparent oil-based stain, and apply a heavy plastic liner between the treated wood frame and your garden soil. Build your raised bed with decay-resistant wood like cedar, black cherry, oak, black locust, Osage orange, or redwood, and use non-wood materials like stones, concrete blocks, bricks, or synthetic lumber.
Pressure-treated wood is the most widely available type of wood preservative for residential use, but it contains arsenic and is considered low in toxicity. Research from Oregon State University showed that pressure-treated lumber does increase soil copper concentrations by a minor amount, but only within 1 inch of the raised-bed edge. Their study found no increase in copper concentration in plants grown in raised beds made with pressure-treated lumber. If you have concerns about using MCA-treated wood, paint or stain the wood, use a heavy plastic liner between the wood and your soil, or use a non-wood building material (e. g., stones, bricks).
Cement blocks are safe to use for raised gardens, but they are made with cement and fine aggregates such as sand or small stones, often including fly ash, a byproduct of burning coal and containing heavy metals and other hazardous waste. Labels do not provide specific information on the aggregate used in the manufacture of the block, and there is little research data on this topic. If you plan to use blocks as a raised bed material and are concerned about potential risks, seal the blocks with polymer paint or choose another material.
📹 5 Misconceptions of Metal Raised Garden Beds – Bright Ideas: Episode 12
Are they safe for growing edible plants? Do they waste water? Will they get too hot for your plants? Read full blog version: …
As with any gardening project, experiences vary. You want a hoop structure for metal raised beds? Try four or six short lengths of rebar pounded into the soil next to the bed, then slip conduit/pipe over it and bend it in an arch – works great. An arched trellis over the top of my beds gave my tomatoes and cucurbits plenty of space to grow vertically. Don’t like leaning on and over the beds to harvest and plant? I love being able to pull an outdoor chair next to the bed to do whatever I need to do. I didn’t have the same experience as you did with superheated soil in my painted (color exterior, white interior) beds. My tomatoes, squash, eggplant, etc., gave bumper crops. Perhaps the white interior was reflective, or my lining the beds with surplus cardboard boxes helped insulate the soil and retain moisture. My soil does settle some from season to season, but that’s a benefit! I’m able to mix fresh compost, peat, etc., into my beds to build up the soil level and the nutrients for each new season. Personally, I’m not physically able to build my own wooden beds, nor can I kneel on the ground to tend my garden. Sit on the ground to garden, as you demonstrate? Not going to happen. It’s raised beds (to a height that I don’t need to kneel – mine are 17 inches high) or no beds for me. And, like you, I’d much rather grow my own vegetables than purchase them. I don’t disagree that the metal beds are more costly than the wood ones (assuming one already has all the tools and is able to find scrap wood and build one’s own beds rather than purchase wood and hire someone to build them), but I was able to buy my metal beds at a great discount by purchasing in the off season.
I have had these garden beds for 2 years now, and I love them . They are much cheaper to buy than wood and easy for this 68 year old woman to put together myself. I live in SW Florida, and I garden year-round, and I haven’t had any issues with them. I have no regrets, and my garden looks esthetically pleasing. I have brought all of my own beds, and I don’t sell them. To each is own.
Concrete blocks are the way to go. Cheaper than wood and lasts forever. You can stack another layer of blocks on top every 10 years or so to raise the bed height with time and save your back when you are older. The openings in the blocks can be used as either planters (I have strawberries in some and insect repelling flowers in others). You can also use some of the holes as places to secure hoops if you want to cover your plants. No real issue with chemical leaching on modern concrete blocks. (Cinder blocks used long ago would have been a different story.) Biggest downside is the labor involved in initially building them.
These lower height planters should be all soil, no perma underneath. My gardening experience has taught me that plants need a minimum of 24 inches of soil. Right now you have maybe 6-8 inches which isn’t enough. I’d remove the wood underneath and fill it with compost. Since your summer is really dry, you will need to run the drip system around the edges. Lastly, you can make a hoop system from cow fencing or rebar and conduit since it’s galvanized. I honestly don’t think you set the beds up correctly considering your environment. If you build the hoop system, the mesh will help keep the sides cool. You can also paint the sides white to reflect the UV rays. It’s going to be more expensive to purchase Cedar (don’t use pressure treated wood) and build new boxes. It’s still early, fix them and I bet you will have a better experience. Oh, raise the ground with dirt or rocks so the beds will be higher.
Haven’t been a problem, my tomato and pepper grows great in them. Awesome harvest with photos to prove it. I’m more northern side, but we get to high 80s to low 90s here in the summer. I enjoy hand watering daily which is probably redundant, I do not like automated gardening where I have no interaction. I do add compost every fall to my beds as a replenishment and then cover it with a few inches of leaves which breaks down over the winter, this amount of organic matter helps with water retention. The beds I bought on Amazon in 2020 were 5×2.8′ for $90. They’re still holding up great four years now. I found a 6×3′ one for $53 just now which is even cheaper. Not sure the need for spending $300 for one. I don’t like buying beds that are wider than 3ft because it’s hard to reach to the other side. Also the bigger they are the more issue with flexing and bowing, hence I like these round beds that are no more than 3ft wide. Wood beds are just as expensive imo, in fact sometimes more expensive because of increased cost of lumber. You can use PVC pipes to make hoops and attach your nettings to it, cheap enough. I actually find it to be much more durable than the junk hoops they sell on Amazon. Every gardening and farming supply are very expensive now, so I agree it’s important to be frugal. But 53 post-inflation dollars for a 6×3′ metal bed that lasts more than 10 years, I think it’s a good investment. I do agree that some big youtubers do shill very overpriced products. The youtuber you mentioned sells a small bag of fertilizer for $64, this is rip off on a level that even I would be ashamed of.
We’re in Northwest Florida zone 9a. We used wood for years but had to replace too many times and lumber is getting very expensive. Switched to metal raised beds over the past few years and love them. We do not have heat issues with soil like you mentioned having, curious if your problem was because of the type of bed in your article? Appears to be galvanized without any type of powder coating. We decided to purchase Birdies beds and so far after 3 seasons they’re showing no wear & tear. Yes, I agree with you as far the cost, but I’m 54 and convinced I most likely will not have to replace in my lifetime. Where are you located, and what type of wood is available in your area? Good luck with your garden and have a blessed day!
Thanks SO MUCH! I am the most frugal person I know and I have been plagued by the metal raised beds. I couldn’t get a $459 one off my mind, and it wasn’t even large enough for my needs! I didn’t want to want it, but I couldn’t stop wanting it! I wanted it SO BAD! The color was so …. aesthetically pleasing and all the pieces … I could shape in so many ways … AGGHHHH! — Then I’ve had the 2 x 6’s and some corner brackets in my on-line home depot cart for 4 months that would cost me all of $20 to make a perfect-sized bed for my needs. FINALLY I can buy the stuff from home depot and get my summer stuff down. Thanks SO MUCH, Truth Lady!
I have purchased 10 metal raised beds and in the last 3 years. 3 have rusted, 1 has severe rust and will not last through the year. I had wood beds in the past but they showed signs of termite damage. I think I will move more towards how I started, direct sowing in the ground 😂 FYI-I live in zone 9.
I’m a super cheapo guy… so… three, four hundred dollars are big bucks to me! Nope, never going to spend that kind of money on a raised bed… even without the problems you have presented. I make my own raised beds for free… with untreated woods from pallets, or even from scrapped woods laying around the house (or friends’ and neighbors’).
I got sucked into buying them when they were cheaper and on sale. I am very cheap. The biggest ones i got were under $50 and a few smaller ones at $20. A couple remedies is i am only using them in my perennial food forest which means they do warm up sooner in the spring before the leaves start diminishing the light and in the dead of summer they have partial shade so they don’t get as hot and dont require as much water. To counter the sharp edges, i get pool noodles at walmart, cut half lengthwise and cover that edge. I would never buy them for my regular garden for a few reasons. If i were to do raised beds i would need to get the ones 36+” tall because i am aging and as such would need to build my garden up to be able to continue with potential mobility issues and that cost is even more exhorbitantly high and of course the heat that would be generated. I do appreciate your honesty about them as everyone else is just jumping on the bandwagon.
Every year I grow anything I always put extra leaves or old branches because the best thing is that they decompose now your building into the bed and eventually you will be using that first for other parts of your yard. It just does not stay the same level because it’s not all dirt it’s your leaves or wood. If you do this in order for the decomposing part to happen it needs to heat up. Peppers love it, when you start early planting. I don’t have these planters what I used was cement blocks for the corners and my wood in my back yard to keep the dirt in the bed.
I think brand matters. My Vego beds don’t get hot and have a rubber gasket to protect you from the edges. I bought the first 2 four or five years ago and have added a couple each year. The first ones still look like new. I have to add soil each year to wood beds as well. The first year is the worst because of settling. I am forced to make a major move in a few months. I will be able to disassemble my beds and take them. Of course I lose the soil. I am 75 and building wood beds is difficult but these I put together with no assistance. This is like many products. If you buy the knock offs you don’t get the quality and features of the original.
SOME OF THE METAL BEDS DO HAVE A RUBBER PIECE THAT THEY PUT OVER THE SHARP EDGES OF THE BEDS. THIS WOULD DEFINATELY HELP. HOWEVER, IT WOULDN’T HELP WITHT THE TEMPATURE OF THE SOIL IN THE METAL BEDS. SO THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD PERSPECTIVE. TO PREVENT THE WOOD FROM ROTTING ON A WOODEN BED, A PERSON COULD PUT NEATS FOOT OIL ON THE WOOD, JUST BRUSH IT ON. WAIT TWO OR THREE DAYS, THEN SHELACK THE BEDS TO PREVENT ROT FROM THE RAIN WATER.
You can use pool noodles to cover the edges. Just slit down one side and pop on. Paint them gloss white on the outside to cool them in the summer. I’m looking at them for a few reasons: keep my blackberries where i planted them, to keep critters from tunneling into them by being able to run wire mesh in the bottom, and because i can’t dig up all the gravel, concrete and sand to replace with good soil. In some areas, i actually have to build up to get around these problems.
None of this is my experience. I have a variety of metal beds from Vego Garden, Subpod, Vegega, Amazon, and more. I love them all. The heat is not an issue. Most of them do not get hot at all. And the soil does not get too hot to grow things. That is a myth. I grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, and more in them without a problem. I have been using them for 4+ years now and I get a huge harvest every year. Mine are all 17″ or higher, so no stooping. And yes, the wood will break down and need to be replaced. The metal will outlive me, so actually that is a benefit, not a bad thing. Need to sit? I have a little garden stool that I lug around. And you can still use trellises and covers. I’m about to build a PVC one for one of my beds. I think if you made some adjustments they would work just fine for you. If things do not seem to be growing well it could be the soil. 🤷
It is usual for me to completely disagree with an entire gardening article but this one clicked disagree on all three. I still greatly enjoyed and appreciate this article so this is not an attack. Just sharing my feeling and interacting with the article to support you. We don’t have to all agree to support one another. Thank you for the content.
I’ve had a garden for over 20 years and have always used wood. Personally, any time I can do something once and not have to do it again, I’m going to go that route. As I get older, I realize I’ve done A LOT OF STUFF around the house and therefore that means I have a lot of maintenance. I built a tool shed from scratch many years ago and the roof needs de-mossing and my compost bin has broken down and needs rebuilding and my screened porch floor rotted out and needs fixing. I told my wife that I literally could spend 8 hours a day just fixing things around the house. I’ve recently gotten into hydroponics and if things go well with that, I think I’m going to switch over to that more. But even with my raised beds, I think I’ll be switching to metal. 20 years from now, it’ll still be there and I won’t have yet another chore in rebuilding it.
I agree with everything you’ve just said I stayed away from these beds because I know that they would heat up however I have considered them for possibly front landscaping for aesthetic purposes, but I know that the front lawn gets a lot of sunlight and gets really hot so common sense tells me to just stay away from them. I have wooden beds that are now about eight years old and they are still holding up strong. I’m in the process of redesigning my backyard to something more simple and plan on doing just one wooden raise bed.
I paid about $150 or less for many 2′ x 8′ x 17″ coated, painted beds. I’ve grown in these this year and it’s been the best garden of my life. I’m 58 and have grown in many styles including, of course, wood beds. First year so I can’t speak of long-term durability. But, I’ll say these things so far. I’ve not noticed a heat issue with my beds. They don’t get hot. In fact, I’ve not even thought about hot metal all season. I suspect yours are so hot because they’re not painted/coated. I can certainly understand that heat could be a killer subject with some. Cost is not bad for the long term investment. Filling is also an initial cost for any raised bed so not a factor plus it’s only topping up in future years. ECO? Well, metal recycles and are natural elements. So, maybe after a couple decades, hopefully, they’ll be brought in for recycling. The use of all resources, including trees, metals, and minerals concern me, but at my age, I’ve about surrendered to letting the youth manage the issue now. Overpopulation is the biggest threat to our planet, but no one talks about that.
I hear you and appreciate your experienced opinion, but I’m going to buy a stock tank and paint it to look faux CorTen steel. My neighbors have an aggressive maple tree that spreads roots halfway across my yard. Nearby, the roots are fibrous and every year it takes me hours to cut them away. That can’t be healthy for the tree. I plan to bury the shallow stock tank (about a foot tall) and use that soil to fill it along with branches, leaves and compost, of course, I’ll drill a few drainage holes. I’ll plant it with perennials and maybe then they’ll survive. I’m tired of trying to grow plants that are touted as easy to grow only to have them succumb to root competition and dryness. This area is partially shaded by that aforementioned maple tree.
I have had my metal beds for over 7 years now. 2’ high. I’m in Delaware near the beaches. My gardens are awesome and I share tons of produce with my neighbors. 5 of my metal beds were only $25 each. IMO, a lot of what she said didn’t make sense to me. I tried wood, it rotted in 3 years. But to each his own, i love my super cheap raised beds and will continue to buy more as needed.
I mentioned to a neighbor that I was thinking about using a horse trough as a planter and the first thing he said is to surround it with a wood (scrap wood, e.g.) skirt to protect it from the sun’s heat. In fact, there’s a neighbor here who’s done the horse trough thing, I should check on their experience. I’ve also seen a article that recommends bulk burlap material as a sunscreen skirt for anything you want. So, there’s two solutions to the solar heating issue. Personally, this article pushes me back toward the “making beds from scrap palettes” but also not filling all my space with such beds but rather leave space to rebuild beds every 5 years (so maybe 20% of the allotted bed space is empty at the beginning of the year). Good article.
When I started gardening 20 years ago, I initially went with wooden raised beds. I had 3 4×24 beds and still not enough room and after 3 years of that I finally gave it up to plant directly in the ground. I ended up having 4 24×24′ beds fenced in. Just in the last couple years I saw everyone going for the metal raised beds. They were too expensive for me. What is not esthetically pleasing about a nice, fenced garden area? Lot cheaper. As far as the wooden boxes… so what, 5 years later you might have to replace the lumber?
I have 4-wooden raised beds, 2-birdie’s, 8-galvanized bushel baskets, & a cheaper metal bed. But I am old school & had wooden beds for about 20-years! I like the wooden ones, you can mark for square food gardening & I like the natural look! Yes metal looks nice & does get warm, to me wood is timeless!
Great article with information, thank you. got my metal beds for $70 from Tractor supply for my roses. I use the cattle troughs and take out the bottoms or the old ones rusted out. Ok so the only thing that might bother me is the heating of the metal and that could be taken care of with paint, mulching, taller grass, small bushes, etc, the second one: I buy soil/mulch by the truck load-its cheaper and add anything I might need. the third is not a thing to me.
I have been thinking of buying the vego raised beds but then I started thinking I have pretty good soil and for $20 I can get chicken wire to fence it off from ground hogs. Supposedly the new pressure treated wood is OK for gardening and lasts maybe 5-8 years. I know raised beds give you a head start because the soil warms quicker in the spring and it’s organized but you can put garden fabric down to warm the soil too. I can see where the taller raised beds are good for people to keep their hobby gardening if they have health issues but I’m starting to think I like the wood beds I’ve built in the past. My local city yard composts and provides free soil. I should take advantage of that but I always wonder about what might be in it. I guess I don’t know what’s in the bags of soil I purchase too. Thanks for your opinion on these raised beds.
I appreciate your honest opinion of the raised beds. Reason #1 is the only real concern but can be addressed with a cooling color. There are ways to make the top edge easy to lean on. I’m very frugal and use a garden hose as top edging, works great. Reason #2 is to be expected even with wood beds so should not even been mentioned. Any raised bed will need amending with added soil. Covers are easy and cheap to make and looks nice without looking DIY as you said. Reason #3 if you wanted to stay natural you could have stayed true to nature. Again this is just my opinion of your opinions. So just like belly buttons everybody has one. Keep gardening.
I live in MAryland, zone 7B and we had the hottest ( or at least nearly the hottest) summer on record with long periods of drought. I had no issues with the metal beds heating up any worse than in ground. She didn’t get the best quality metal beds, but I don’t think there’s much difference. It is true that you can’t sit on the sides, but since I opted for mostly tall beds (30″ tall) it’s not an issue for me. The metal beds are no more expensive to fill than wooden beds, that point makes no sense whatsoever. Filled mine halfway with rotted logs, straw and mostly composted old wood chips, then topped them off with my own soil mixed with compost and coir. All raised beds will settle and you will have to add more material, that’s a fact of gardening, sometimes even with in-ground beds. They are more expensive including any add ons, but for someone like me later in life, the prospect of replacing wood beds again before I give up gardening is way more challenging. It’s true they don’t really align with permaculture principles, but most of my permie friends remind me to do what we can and not to feel like the principles are an all or nothing lifestyle. If I had someone here who could rebuild wooden beds for me every five years or so, I’d have probably gone with that setup as I had in the past, but that is not an option for me anymore. Glad I decided to go with the metal beds.
We are in south central Texas. Translated that means high summer temps. We have 21 17-32″ metal raised beds. Never had any issues with getting crops from these beds if you use the correct soil, fertilize and water correctly there will be no issues. All edges of Vego beds are protected by a top rubber strip.
I have a very small budget for gardening so these beds are out of the question for me. I currently have eleven wooden beds, four made of reclaimed concrete blocks and one made of brick and stone. Total cost of all? Less than $100 and $15 of that was for a 4′ x 6′ cedar bed kit I purchased at a yard sale. With the exception of my first two wooden raised beds, all materials were scavenged and I even reused some of the nails during the pandemic. I’ll admit that the ease of pulling a bed out of a box and putting it together is enticing but unless I find a used one cheap, it’s just out of my budget. As for soil, I used to have access to a good quality top soil for less than $2 a bag but the quality has greatly diminished over the years. Lucked into a pallet of organic raised bed soil on clearance for $2 a bag a few years ago and just used the last of it yesterday. Also produce as much compost as I possibly can and grab free wood chips whenever I can. Thank you so much for your honest review as I notice so many vloggers are recommending them.
I got a metal bed for $50 on Amazon. I filled it with blackberries. They’re doing fine. The bed gets partial shade. Most of my raised beds are recycled wood. My biggest beef is with the plastic tomato clips. I bought some, (and yes James Prigioni is recommending these, too)thinking I would use them for years. They do not last and I have little broken pieces of plastic in my garden. I am instead using covered wire, and even the Velcro garden ties are lasting for years, even with some being left out during the winter. Thank you for the advice!
I can’t believe I just stumbled across your stuff, as I am always looking at gardening websites. Thank you for sharing, I’ve always wondered about that exact same thing but, no one has ever mentioned it. I’m in central Texas and the temps during summer months, where I’m at, reach 100+ for extended periods. I was about to purchase galvanized water troughs to use as raised beds, now I’m thinking of making my own beds, Thank you for covering this.
I have the tall Vego beds. I started last year with four of the square ones and two of the round ones. They worked out great. This year I bought three of the rectangle ones. They work wonderfully. I’m replacing my wood beds. The wood lasts about two years unless you were to use pressure treated. Regular pine just can’t take the soil contact. Yes, you are going to get settling. All soil settles and the deeper it is the more it will settle. Depending on your local building code, you can’t build on fill for something like 5 to 10 years for a reason. I haven’t noticed any problem with warmth. Many plants like warm soil. Peppers love hot feet. The best pepper plant I ever had was a potted jalapeno plant that I kept on my patio all summer (pavers). They aren’t a cheap option but I think you will like them more if you give them some time.
I got lucky, because I work in a soil testing lab that receives large bagged soil samples every day – I filled old poly sand bags with compost that was too young and hot to use yet, and stacked the bags to form a roughly oval garden bed. Placed it right over existing grass – no ground prep, no leveling, just fill it up and go. Worked great, and when the season was over, I could dump ready to go compost out of the old bags. Held moisture and insulated wonderfully.
Northeast PA here. I have grow bags, metal beds and large containers. I love my metal beds. I use the metal beds for tomatoes, eggplants, blueberries. Last year potatoes were in them. I put organic material; cardboard. twigs,, old mulch and then add compost, worm castings and then top soil. I have great crops and no problems. For the blueberries, I have an easier time controlling PH in them. My only tip is for the soil and climate here, add some blood meal or other calcium for the tomatoes.
I planted arugula, radishes, green beans and peas in four 4×4 metal planters and had to cover them with white mosquito netting last summer to keep the grasshoppers off. It also seemed to keep the beds cooler. We bought them on clearance for a huge discount in the fall a couple years ago. They were $15/ each. The same thing today is over $250. 😢
Thank you for posting this opinion. I agree that those metal raised beds are ridiculously expensive for what they are. My mind immediately goes to how many pounds of garden edibles I’d have to grow to to justify the cost, when I could more easily buy veggies from the supermarket at far less cost. Sort of defeats the purpose gardening when you think about the real cost of a radish that you may grow in the damn things.
My metal raised beds are painted, and I did not have the issues you described. Mine came with a rubber edge, but I never put it on. You may want to set up shade cloth if your summers are that hot. Wood is not cheap, trees have to be cut down, and it deteriorates versus metal beds that last much longer. I bought my bedditectly from Amazon for a really good price, not from a YouTuber.
I cannot imagine putting plants in a metal box in the summer. They are way overpriced too. If you want to try it go buy a large stock tank first. A lot cheaper and you can use it for something else if it doesn’t work out. Nice to see someone finally speaking up about them. People are just making money.
The first thing I thought when you mentioned the sharp edge was…pool noodle it. I have some scrap metal laying around that I’m considering using for raised beds, and I was already thinking of how to mitigate that sharp edge. I am trying to wean my family off the corporate teat, while being kinder to Mother Earth, so I don’t want this metal to end up in the landfill. Even if I don’t make beds out of them, I have to find a use for them fo rmy own peace of mind. Thank you for the tips and info. I will adjust my plans accordingly.
Yep. They can overheat. But you can remedy that by buying some chicken wire and surrounding them. Leaving a space between to pile leaves etc that will keep sun off the metal. Just remove the chicken wire and leaves at the begining of the season if you want the beds to heat up. Also, you can easily buy a hoopbender (easy to find with Google) to make a small hoophouse for each bed(s).
I have multiple metal raised beds. And I have never had an issue with The Heat and I bought them off of Amazon and they were 2 beds for $79, which is way less expensive than buying wood to make a raised bed, And to be clear I have both raised beds in metal and wood and I enjoy them both equally. Also, you can use Metal gate post beside the bed, just like you would for a wooden bed and use a cattle panel and have an arch over it. There’s many nice ways to make DIY additions to your metal raise beds. i’m not sure where you’re going with all of this, but I think you’re very wrong based on my experience with these for the last three years
Thanks for the article. Good point about the heat. I had not factored that in, and I’m on the Texas Gulf Coast, so heat is a huge factor. I currently use landscape timbers to make raised beds. I double dig the soil under the beds and then spread some compost and manure before adding my soil to the beds. I have to rebuild the beds about every 4 to 5 years since they break down. Northern Tool has 3ft x 6 ft beds for $69. They also have other sizes. For now, because of the heat issue, and because I don’t think the metal ones are very attractive, I think that I’ll stick with the method I’m using now. Cement or cinder blocks are starting to sound better though!
Expensive to fill is a necessary evil of ALL raised beds, regardless of what the frame is made of. And ALL raised beds need to be topped off every year, especially if you did a modified Hügelkultur. You should have known that before starting a raised bed garden. The sharp edge and “hot” surface is because you bought the cheap amazon version. IMO, it’s almost impossible to find an amazon branded product that meets the quality standards of the original manufacturer. If you would have bought a reputable brand such as Vego, you would have gotten a much sturdier, painted metal bed. The outside paint helps to insulate and the white painted interior reflects the heat. Also, being in Kansas where the wind NEVER stops blowing, the metal beds actually slow down the drying out of the soil compared to a wood framed raised bed. And you would have gotten a protective metal reinforced rubber gasket for the top edge so you don’t hurt your hands on the sharp edges. BTW…the rounded corner pieces go OUTSIDE the straight side pieces, not inside as you have done. Vego’s simple, detailed instructions clearly explain this and why. I bought my beds directly from Vego, without any influence from YT. As my gardening needs expand, I will continue to purchase more of these Vego beds because they work FOR ME.
wood is great but my main reason is to keep the animals out if it is metal the mice and other critters cannot get up, and in wood they can,so fyi .after losing multiple crops and strawberries and beets and well everything,little bite marks all over,so use metal put wood around the edge to keep cool or use painted white metal . just my opinion.
i have metal beds like yours and i agree about the sides drying out. at my local menard’s (like a home depot or lowe’s) they sel 1′ x1′ rubber squares which are used as stepping stones. i took them and lined the top 1′ of my beds with them, put a little soil between them and the bed, and the drying out has lessened. yes it is more money but its better than the current situation.
Never thought of the heat issue. That is a concern for many. I wonder if the direction they face would make a difference. I dont think you can say that the amount of soil it takes to fill them is a drawback to metal beds because all raised beds have the same need for soil initially, as well as topping off in subsequent years.
Looking at ideas for some more of these beds. We have quite a few of these types of beds here in Florida. LOVE them. We started with wood, but won’t do that anymore, attracted more bugs and break down and rob the soil of so much nitrogen. We use native soil for the base (sand, dirt, for the base, then we make a soil consisting of peat and black kow with a bit of sand mixed in. We rarely need to fertilize and the plants do amazing. June through August we pull anything that won’t take the heat, regardless of the bed or in the ground, but have our cold crops ready to go in. We do add a leaf mulch that helps retain moisture and keep them cooler.
I’m considering my options. This year I planted in the ground. Next year I hope to have raised beds. The metal ones like yours came off the list as there was no wide rim to rest my knees on. It’s just a relatively thin metal lip — even the kind with a rolled edge. I also thought about the heat. Good to hear that I was correct in my thinking (though a number of people commenting don’t see to have a problem with it). The last thing, and it was not covered in your article, is the galvanized coating on the metal which makes it less prone to rusting and corrosion is sure to leach into my soil. I’m sure there’s “safe” versions – perhaps the stuff used for livestock water troughs is less harmful, but it certainly can’t be better than untreated lumber or whole logs.
Thank you for this. I have looked into different kinds of planters for our small back yard. Your “1st Reason” is exactly what I suspected…metal gets HOT especially in the harsh sun of western Colorado, and the soil up against that metal would be hot, making it harder to water and keep the plants happy. And the sharp metal top edges, as well, would be a problem for me. I see from the comments that they have worked for other people (although I wonder about the “allegiances” of some), so good for them.
The main issue i have with raised beds, aside from the cost of the beds, is the cost of soil. Here in southwest FL, we have almost no deciduous trees, so no way to get logs for hugelkultur or leaves for filling. That means buying in bulk soil (not many good or reliable options for that near me) or buying in a couple of pallets of bagged soil for $500-600 a pop. I calculated that 4 raised beds plus soil would be something like $2500. Thats a LOT of grocery money. I suppose that there are more expensive hobbies, but if you’re doing it as a self sufficiency thing, i don’t think they make as much sense. I’d rather take that money, buy smaller quantities of good soil amendments, and amend my native soil over a larger surface areas that could grow more plants
I appreciate your assessment of those raised metal beds. I have another reason I don’t like them…no comfortable ledge to sit on. At my age, I need a way to sit on the edge to plant, maintain and harvest each bed. I have a few metal raised beds. Here in Oklahoma, they get way way way to hot to touch in the summer and then way too cold in the winter. I do, however, prefer raised beds as Bermuda grass will take over everything here…especially a garden that is watered and fertilized on a regular basis. It’s a nightmare! We use 4×6 cedar posts. It’s a wood that is easy to get in this area and lasts for years. It can also be treated inside with a food-grade sealant to make them last longer. I also have a mole problem. If I didn’t use raised beds and hardware cloth, moles would tear up everything.
I have two Horseradish roots I planted last summer in a metal wash tub because I didn’t want them spreading all over the place. Not only are they doing great this spring, but will be harvesting some roots this fall. Don’t fall for the propaganda. If we ever achieve carbon zero, you’ll have no plants to eat. Plant life needs carbon. I put my potatoes in pots(plastic) and could care less about my “carbon footprint”. I’m looking for the ease of harvest(just cut tops off and dump into wheel barrel) and planting.
Not true about these galvanized raised beds cost. I bought mine off season for $28 each, 6x3x1 ft. Works for me. You should not have a problem accessing your veggies of you do not put your grow beds close to the wall. And about carbon footprint… the metal bed will last for many, many years while wooden ones will rot and need to be replaced. Which means more trees will be cut, more trucks needed for logs delivery…tell me about carbon footprint.
Ahh, you’re into permaculture. Now the article title makes sense. I agree the metal beds aren’t for your garden. They may still be useful to you though. I’ve seen metal beds lifted from the soil after a couple of years. A nicely made raised bed is left behind. The metal bed is moved elsewhere to create a new raised bed. A thing I’m likely to do I expand the gardens I’m helping to build. I’m two years into building a community garden using straw bales, busted Rubbermaid stock tanks, fabric growbags, a salvaged dryer drum and 17″ deep Vego Garden metal beds, as well as planting in ground. One thing all those “containers” have in common is the soil pulling away from the sides and the soil level dropping by as much as several inches as it settles over the course of the season- just as the easily worked spring garden soil becomes harder to dig or till as the season progresses. The Vego beds probably require the least amount of water. We’ve grown pansies, marigolds, snapdragons, bachelor buttons, gladiolus, peas, radishes, onions, cabbages, kale, eggplant, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, dill, rosemary, sage, chives, melons, runner beans and winged beans in the Vego beds. The Vego beds have been cool anytime I’ve touched them. I suspect the Rubbermaid stock tanks get warmer, being almost black. However, we’ve grown garlic, shallots, carrots, peppers, melons and even corn in those busted tanks. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the cheaper metal beds. I’ve been thinking of trialing them, but will spend my limited income elsewhere.
Sorry, those were poor excuses. First, stop being a follower. Second, metal is going to lay longer than wood and yes you can recycle the metal. If the wood is going to break down, rot or get attacked by termites, that’s not cost affective. That means i have to buy another one. Third, yes, warm soiled veggies and fruits love them. I’m growing watermelon in mine and I love it. Sorry it didn’t work for you, but I highly recommend them.
These are some great points. I have Veikous metal beds from Home Depot’s website. They are far cheaper than all the other metal beds I’ve seen. One pro is that as a renter, I’ve moved once since getting my metal beds. All I had to do is take the screws off one panel, pop them apart, and load them into a moving van. Two cons to the metal beds that I’ve found are: 1:,they’re harder to modify. All those articles where people are screwing hinges for winter toppers into their wooden beds don’t apply to these. 2, the round corners are cute but it makes true square foot gardening a little more awkward.
I appreciate hearing your in-the-field evaluation! I guess if you can find a metal raised bed at a reasonable price, you should buy one and test it out before committing to more — but there’s never any need to purchase through the youtubers selling them in their stores– many of these websites have become commercialized, and I prefer to support independent local businesses, including single-owner run ones based out of a home. I get many of my native perennials from a single owner selling healthy zone-hardy plants grown in his back yard at very reasonable prices.
I feel like the only legit problem was the heat. They last “forever” and you can always just not plant along the edge. Everything you’d use to make your garden beds has pros and cons. Part of being human is figuring out things work best for you and what you’re trying to do. Thanks for pointing out some issues that you’ve had so that the rest of us can take it into consideration.
I use the metal raised tall beds in a high desert environment without issues. You don’t irrigate the edges- run directly to the plant with drips systems- again no problem (you don’t need to soak the entire soil surface. Shade cloth helps with too much heat. Use chopped straw or wood chips and water in the summer no problems again. The height is great for older people like me who can sit in a lawn chair and work the garden. We bought them on sale in the fall, at a local feed store. I put metal fence poles on both inside ends for the hoop house to secure to. They may even survive an apocalypse for a few years. My favorite beds that get only the best vegetables planted in them.
Thanks for this post. I have Hugelkultur Brush drains in my garden for my annual beds. I have been perusal some of youtubers, promoting the metal beds, but intuitively I felt it seemed counterintuitive …All your points confirm my concerns. Thank you again. Great post. You might like Morag Gamble’s approach. I love her permaculture designs and her own garden. She is in Australia. For the past five years I have used her super easy sheet mulching method and it rocks..💚
Your perspective is correct, across the board. And from my experience, I take it one step further: not only is plant health and performance exceeding better in soil … fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, etc., are the means by which we obtain the vital minerals we need, as well as the other nutrients they create. No matter how the growing medium is raised beds is concocted, it will never achieve the quality of soil. And thus, it never produces top quality food. It appears to be that, but chemical analysis proves it is not.
During the Covid lockdown, I built raised beds out of leftover metal roofing pieces. Soooo disappointed in the crop results. For one thing, these beds dry out quickly and must be constantly watered and filled, as you said. But the big thing is that plants do better if they are in contact with planet Earth. Now, why, I don’t know, but the plants I had in the ground did much much better even though I loaded the raised beds with organic matter and nutriets and everything required.
If at all possible, grow in the ground. Don’t get sucked into the latest Youtube gardening fad and go to all the trouble of buying and filling up these things. If you wanted to get started with great soil for one year’s gardening, this is a way to do it. But plants are made to grow in the earth – they’ve been doing it for millions of years. Just one reason is that veggie plants typically form roots much larger than you’d think. Many plants can send down roots multiple feet, and they’ll go sideways multiple feet all around as well. These block off the roots from spreading, giving them less access to water and nutrients. Grow in the ground – it doesn’t cost any more, and it’s far more natural.
Yeah I wish I would have seen this article before I bought the most expensive birdie beds and I bought four of them! The fourth one is still sitting in the box. The birdie beds are very sturdy and I am not having the heat issue with them like you mentioned and I live in Texas. But there’s all sorts of issues when you want to put netting and plastic etc like that to make it a hoop house it’s ugly as you say.
Thank you for your honest opinion. And I completely agree with you that these metal beds do not seem to align with the permaculture philosophy. Recyclable or not – metal is not something that ‘occurs in nature’. If we truly want to live in harmony with nature, the wood is a much better option. Once again something was created for our ‘convenience’, that is not actually beneficial overall down the road. … Much appreciated article. Blessings
To each their own. I paid $79 a piece for my 8’×3’x1′ raised beds from Northern Tool. The top sides of the metal are folded over & smootherd out & do not snag you. It gets 108° for 3 months straight in our summers of hell.. my metal beds don’t dry out as quick because I have an inch of straw mulch covering all my soil, as any no till living soil beds should have. I have had an amazing season for vegetables. Have harvested more than I ever have before. Not to mention the old wood beds I made were more expensive & rotted in 2 years in our Texas humidity. Guess it all depends on the Gardener.
absolutely correct. i make my metal beds from used metal roofing and only use them for heat loving plants like melons. if fact any fruit crop does pretty well in them. i also make them 4′ wide. and i put a board on top to lean on. still, i would not use them for veggies. and all of my raised beds cost me less than one of those you show here. when they first became popular, i looked at them and did not see how they were better than mine. as for filling your raised beds. i get tree service people dump their arborist wood chips and i age them. i never purchase soil, compost, or mulch because of this. you just have to plan ahead to be successful. fresh chips will reduce in volume to 1/3, so you need to start with 3x the volume you need. it also takes 3yr! i have a continuous flow of chips for my orchard. they dump fresh on one end, i use aged from the other. the very large chunks of wood, i make bio-char with. in 15yrs, i completely changed the soil of my whole orchard. i do not have to water my mature fruit trees at all now, even when i get no rain for 4 months. i do seed the piles with cover crop after the 2nd year which attracts deer and turkeys that poo over the pile while eating and further enhance the balance. after 3yrs i can grow anything in it. i do not buy any fertilizer either. each year my production and soil quality improve and i buy less to do it. to succeed we must work in accord with nature 🙂
Framkly I find these metal beds ugly and unnatural-looking for gardens. And also as you mentioned, too expensive. I would probably need 25 raised beds if I used them for my entire garden. Also would be too much work to build out of wood, and too expensive. So guess what? My garden is planted directly into the ground. It’s worked for thousands of years and it works for me. I do separate the bed areas and surround each with large stones from the nearby river, and build up the soil slightly in the beds from the paths in between.
If you’re on a budget just grow on the ground or use the scrap wood. The wooden one I built started falling apart after a while so I bought a metal one and have never had any of the problems you mentioned in this article. Metal can be recycled over and over again and buying wood that is forested at some point isn’t necessarily eco friendly so not sure about the environmental impact.
Hey 👋 Thank you so much. I didn’t want to buy them too expensive. I just like the wood look better. You can also use pallet wood that way it’s free wood. You can get scrap wood at Lowe’s or home depot also they have a lot of scrap wood that is free. If you’re cute 🥰 you won’t have to pay money to get it cut or just take the wood scrap home and cut it yourself.
Subscribed because I want to see your house plans. I’m in the process of perfecting my own house plans – fully compliant with wheelchair accessibility codes so it’s a lot bigger than my current house because wheelchairs take * s p a c e * – and I love seeing what other permaculturists think is most important when designing their forever home.
I live in the outback of Australia, hot to an extreme, dry to an extreme, and I have a yard full of specifically Birdie’s metal raised garden beds, yes, the painted ones. I’ve never had a problem with heat, nor drying out too fast, no rust, no problems at all. Then again, Birdies is an Aussie company, they make their beds for Aussie conditions, they’ve been around for a long time, was the first company to make and sell them and their beds have been in Aussie gardens for over 15 years. I’d say you get what you pay for, but there’s a lot of dodgy metal bed companies popping up nowadays that are charging big dollars for the crap they’re selling, but it’s obvious from just looking at your beds that they’re of rather low quality, so for you to have had problems with them is not surprising at all. As for problems filling the beds, it’s got nothing to do with the bed itself, if you fill a wooden bed of the same dimension in the same way with the same materials, you’ll have the same cost and sinkage.
Wood beds are beautiful, but are just about as costly as the metal beds. The price of wood is insane (US KY). I applaud you for being handy enough to make your own beds, if I could I probably would. What I don’t like about the metal beds is the harsh silver color, but I noticed more companies are coming out with colors.
James Prigioni started out following good permaculture principles. Now he is using raised beds and fertilizer. I binged his website last year, and then again this year, and I saw the year he made the shift. He used to be primarily a food forest guy, and now he is a YouTube guy, mostly. But, I still love his articles, and his dog Tuck. I have a Tuck coffee cup on my desk! Of course, he is in New Jersey. Like you said, it is a cooler place.
I have discovered that container growing is a lot harder than growing in the ground, and raised beds are just a way of taking perfect ground space and making it harder to grow stuff! I love how Masinoba Fukuokoa (spelling?) talks about people always asking, “What else can I do?” He says, “What else can I not do?”
Well thought content, thank you! I’ve always hesitated on thinking about them because the price. I do wonder if they would be excellent heat batteries for the winter, especially if loaded with brick at the base – to keep temps above zero celsius – in a green house – like a cold frame in a greenhouse (so double greenhousing for some vegetables!)
Here is what I have found with metal beds. Do not buy galvanised beds, if you do, paint them white outside. Line them with with plastic on the inside vertical surfaces as the zinc oxidises over time and the zinc oxide is soluble and upsets the soil balance. Buy painted beds. They are available with the same coating as roofing sheets . Make a 2 by 4 timber frame to sit on top of the tub on 4 posts fitted inside the tub and problem solved. 15 years ago I built 5 raised beds 5 * 20 * 2.5 ft from recycled timber. Within 5 years the timber was starting to show wear .By 10 I was replacing planks. This spring I flattened them all and have gone back to the oldest and cheapest, but most back breaking way of gardening. No raised beds.
I have over 24 Birdies Beds. Made in Australia, not from China from Amazon. Fantastic beds worth every penny. Allows more growing space. Earth naturally goes down when materials are composting, that would happen in a wood bed too. Wood beds do not last and decompose. I put covers on my beds no problem. The earth dries out along any raised bed because the earth is raised and the raised bed material is exposed to the sun. They are absolutely the best to use in every garden.
You make valid points. However, I do enjoy my Birdies raised beds – all 11 of them! I have gardened with them for the past two years. I live in Zone 4, Utah, elevation about 4,500 ft. During the hottest time of the year, I use shade cloth over a structure that is built over the beds. I don’t have a problem with the metal heating up. I will be constructing some wooden raised beds with covers like you show in this article. I love wood – I prefer wood. I bought the Birdies because they were quick for me to put together, well constructed and supposed to last for a long time.
I like using treated lumber because I can. I would not get any metal version that wasn’t aluzinc coated. Gardner Scott recently showcased a square version that I think is superior to the China lookalike Rebrands. Most YouTubers I have seen want some of the trendy product money. Ad revenue is a joke after all. Just like a touring band the real money is in merchandise.
Sometimes your yard dirt is bad, sometimes you have partial sun, everyone’s yard is different, people complain about pressure treated wood,so wood can rot easily, depends on how much water, people should go through all these vids and take notes, toss the ones that won’t work in your yard, just saying.
With all due respect I disagree with you. I use galvanized raised garden beds and have no problems with the “heat” issue. As far as adding to your beds, it is a common thing will all the raised beds, so no problem there. I should also add, I live in California Central Valley which gets really HOT during warm weather.
It’s just amazing how people are so easily influenced by some of these websites promoting whatever product just for the promo. considerations. Just another sales gimmick in my opinion. I commented at one website about how to build your own metal beds from roofing panels to save money and all I heard back was crickets….Doesn’t fit their “sell Vego sell” narrative. Personally I use wood for all my raised beds and hoop houses. As for the heat build up it’s a fact, just touch your car after in sits in the sun for a while or sit on a metal chair with shorts on. I don’t think there’s been a scientific study on the pro’s /con’s of raised metal beds so we’ll just have to use common sense for now……here come the crickets again😄
First of all, if you can’t even pronounce their name, they’re really not one of your favorites, are they? Second of all, James P and Kevin of Epic Gardening have talked about the pros and cons of ALL types of raised beds, so I’m not sure why you’re saying they sold out to consumerism for selling metal beds. James P actually has a article talking about the exact same cons you mentioned which was put up a couple of weeks ago. And just because they’re earning a good living through their YouTube websites, it doesn’t mean they sold out and are out to con people out of their money. Lastly, those tall raised beds are a great option for those who are unable to bend over for multiple different reasons. So please, try and do some more learning before you knock other people down. It’s off-putting.
Should have bought Birdies garden beds from Australia,they are available in the US,we have used them here for years…Our soil was never overheated,i was able to grow bumper crops in all seasons. You want hot Summers we have 40c degree Summers here. They have a low carbon footprint.I am sorry i just don’t agree with you. You get what you pay for.. Buying cheap you get cheap.I wouldn’t have bought them from Amazon. I top my garden beds with compost as i would if i had in ground garden beds.No different So don’t get the point of them costing you a packet to fill and top up. I know people who have been using the same Birdies raised Garden beds for 16 years. Anyway.I will continue to use them,and advise people of the benefits. Happy Gardening.🌻🙂 .
The metal beds are of less quality metal than truck fenders and that is why they deteriorate so quick. I have some old truck fenders and they are still here 40 years later and look just like they did when I got them. They were already 10 years old then, so 50 years is not bad. If you buy the cheap shit from Amazon and the Depot and places it is at best 1/8th inch if it is a good one, any less and you may as well buy a roll of tin and just make it yourself, 4 a lot cheaper and same time frame of use. at best the ones you get off of Amazon are maybe 1/4 gage and they flex when you try to even put them together. That is why they do not work worth a crap, they are overpriced and under constructed for the job. It is dumpster filler at best over a short time frame. decent metal beds should last a lifetime but better yet is the composite boards as they will do the job of the wood and still not rot, have not heard of any leaching either, but to get wood to last takes treated wood or you got rot very shortly to deal with and the $$$ is astronomical at some point. Been farming in ground and beds for 60 years now and time does tell the tale. I am in Florida, Rot is queen. Rust is a given. Galvanized is too expensive is why you get garbage when you buy these metal beds. They galvanize trash metal and sell it to all the ones who do not know better cuz they don’t give a rat’s butt just want the $$.
IDK what you have but the Birdies are green on the outside and white on the inside. I am older and love I do not have to bend over (I have the tallest beds). I did my homework and reinforced my larger beds, also my beds have a gasket trim to go on the top to protect the Gardner. I do not think your view on the metal bed not being good for the environment is valid. Metal is just natural element(s) and everything has a carbon footprint, take your wood, there is the deforesting to harvest, the fuel and oil used on the chainsaws the the diesel expelled from the logging trucks and then lets talk about the milling process and lets load the cut boards back on the trucks to go to the big box stores then the footprint of the big box store itself and the skid loaders that load it off the racks and finely the pick up or rented truck you had to provide to get it to your home, now repeat that in 4 to 5 years lets not exclude your labor and hardware to build it.
Stop using raised beds, it is very wasteful of materials. If you must, recycle wood from neighborhoods and dumpsters. Get a tiller and a wheelhoe and plant in the ground. I use about a pint of fuel tilling in the spring, the rest of the year use the wheel hoe to prep rows and weed. A true masochist would till by hand, but talk about brutal work. Anyway a tiller will last more than a lifetime (buy a used one if you can). The Wheel Hoe is a beautiful tool for the home garden, very versatile and eco friendly. And never throw away your leaves and grass clippings – start a compost pile.