How to build a raised garden bed with sleepers

How to build a raised bed with railway sleepers

Chose where you want to put the raised bed. ...
Lay the railway sleepers on the ground. ...
Fasten them together. ...
Stack and fix a second layer (if you want the raised bed to be higher) ...
Attach a plastic membrane (see photo above - optional with raised bed) ...
Fill with soil. ...
Fill with plants!

How many sleepers do I need to make a raised bed?
Can you lay railway sleepers on soil?
What do I put on the bottom of a raised garden bed?
How do you fix railway sleepers to the ground?
What soil do you put in raised garden beds?
What are the best sleepers for gardens?
What do you lay railway sleepers on?
How do you prevent sleepers from rotting?
How do you fill a raised bed cheaply?
Should I put rocks in the bottom of my raised garden bed?
Should I line my raised garden bed with plastic?

How many sleepers do I need to make a raised bed?

These instructions demonstrate 3 sleepers being used for each layer of the raised bed (2 whole and 2 halves). You can change the sizes according to your own requirements. For our example we are using sleepers in lengths of 2.4 metres, so these can be cut to the desired size for your raised bed.

Can you lay railway sleepers on soil?

For one, you can simply place your sleepers directly onto soil, allowing the heavy sleepers time to bed in. ... When making use of sand or gravel, it's also much easier to maneuver and make your sleepers level during the laying process.

What do I put on the bottom of a raised garden bed?

The bottom of a raised garden bed should be a layer of grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, straw, and other organic material. The cardboard should be placed on top of that layer. The organic material will turn into compost, while the cardboard will prevent weeds.

How do you fix railway sleepers to the ground?

Sink the bottom sleepers into the ground to half their depth, drill holes in the sleepers at 1m centres, 25mm wide by 75mm deep. Tap 150mm long dowels into the holes, fix the next layer of sleepers by locking dowels into matching holes. Drill and fix the next layer of railway sleepers.

What soil do you put in raised garden beds?

For most situations, we recommend these proportions: 60% topsoil. 30% compost. 10% Potting soil (a soilless growing mix that contains peat moss, perlite and/or vermiculite)

What are the best sleepers for gardens?

Green treated or “tanalised” railway sleepers are coated in environmentally friendly, non-Creosote based preservatives, such as ACQ or Tanalith E, which are safe to use and suitable for all garden landscaping projects, making them a wise choice for your garden.

What do you lay railway sleepers on?

The railway sleepers should ideally be laid on a surface that is level and firm. Many people simply lay them down directly on the earth, grass, deck or concrete.

How do you prevent sleepers from rotting?

Like all wood, sleepers will eventually rot and fade when exposed to the weather. To prevent them falling to bits before their time, you need to use a good wood preserver.

How do you fill a raised bed cheaply?

First, dig a trench that's about ten inches deep and two feet down the center of your raised bed. Put down a few layers of cardboard to kill any weeds or grass. Then, fill the core of your raised bed. The best option for this is to use straw bales, but you can also use leaves, grass clippings, or old twigs.

Should I put rocks in the bottom of my raised garden bed?

Building raised beds is well worth the effort. Raised beds allow you to overcome problems such as poor, rocky soil, waterlogged areas and people walking through your gardens. While raised beds drain better than in-ground beds, adding rocks to the bottom of the bed improves drainage even further.

Should I line my 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.