Jazmin's World: Cement Block Raised Bed

I've been thinking about updating my raised beds next year. I found a comment that says it is better to build with cement blocks and partially fill it with straw and black dirt on top. She used rebars and such to stabilize the blocks. I would consider cementing the blocks together also. Top the sides with flat cement blocks to sit on when working in the beds. And you could use the PVC pipes as shown in the photo to help hold plastic up while it is a green-house in the spring - to start plants. Then a trellis in the center would help with climbing plants or to stake plants to. There is a lot one can do to make nice raised beds. Here is what I plan to follow whenever I can afford to start building my new bed!

Want to know how to do this? Here is a blog that tells the whole story, detail by detail.

Building a raised bed out of cinder blocks is easy and if you watch the local classified ads you can probably get the material for free. Also, cinder block raised beds have the added advantage of the holes in the block that can be filled with rocks, gravel and sand to create thermal mass for absorbing solar energy, in which the block stores heat and releases it back into the soil later in the evening.

Some people also fill the block cavities with soil and put an individual plant in each cavity. Plants that like to spread are great for this, plants like mint. etc...

NOTE: My thought is to leave it open on the corners so that mint, basil, catnip or maybe other herbs can be planted and not worry about them spreading. They would just come up every year. That would be nice!

adding stucco

The photo above shows how to be sure your garden is square. Your measurement should be the same corner to corner. NOTE: Make the bed no wider than 4-feet. This allows you to be able to reach the center from either side of the bed. Also, consider an irrigation line to the beds. This really helps when the weather decides not to cooperate. Think of how nice it'd be to turn on the spigot outside and the beds get that drink of water that they need.

Also you can mortar or not, the higher you go the more you may need to, just make sure you stagger each layer. Another option is to hammer re-bar through the holes for support. I would personally mortar if I were going to use stucco because they may shift and that would cause cracking of your stucco finish. NOTE: I feel it is best NOT to stucco the sides. Maybe paint or be creative otherwise and just use the rebar. My reasoning is, what if you want to move the bed sometime in the future or simply just want to skip the extra work of mortaring. After all, 3 blocks high is a perfect height to sit down on and you can still just push rebar in to hold it together at that height. My opinion.

plain block raised beds

even corn can be in one!

My ideal garden - except I would add cap-stones

CONSIDERATION:
Organic farmers may be limited to using concrete block to build raised gardens on commercial farms. Organic farmers are prohibited to grow in treated wood beds. If organic growers use treated wood beds, instead of concrete block or other all-natural materials, they cannot label or sale their produce as organic. Using concrete eliminates this problem.

with a netting cap

LINKS:

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I hope this information has been of some help to you. As always, if you would like to add a thought, question, give suggestions for another topic, or make a general suggestion, please post a comment below. Also, please follow / subscribe to this blog. Thank you!