Garden bed help

[perchplucker]

I know some of you garden. I have above ground beds. About 8 years ago we installed treated lumber around the beds thinking that would last a long time. Well I discovered this morning that the boards are getting really rotten from the inside of the bed out. They will last this summer but need to replace in the fall. I have 8 beds that are 8-10ft. long and 3 ft. wide. I need something that will last a LONG time and not be outrageous on price. Any help would be appreciated. The treated lumber we used sucked as far as I am concerned. :

[FROSTY]

See alot of people using used railroad ties. Haven't tried it my self, but looks like it would last a long time. I'm down to using 5-gal. buckets now.

[bayoulee]

I used rr ties on mine which I built about 8 years ago, and they are still in great shape. Buy a bundle of ties, and use the good ones, and cut some of the ends off which will be split, but you can use them for your center pieces so the joints dont break in the same spots. You'll need a big electric drill, and rebar stakes to pin them together. Buy a new chain for your chainsaw, and throw it away when you are finished! they are hard on chains.

[Joedog]

I heard railroad ties last forever, but yeah, they're a $*%)!^ to cut! I went one place in KCK and priced them. They were crazy expensive and when I went to see the cheapest they had he pointed to a pile of chewed up tinder that looked like they were falling apart. I didn't bother and used treated landscape timbers instead. There's some breakdown after 8 years, but...other than that, so far so good.

[perchplucker]

Mine are headed to beyond some breakdown. don't want to mess with it now. Will wait until fall. Wish I could afford cedar. That would last forever.

[shockley32]

RR ties will rot faster than you think. Here's your fix - concrete cinder blocks. Don't go buy news one, look for piles around town of old building etc... You'll be surprised how quick you can assemble a mess especially if you have all year to collect them.

Good luck on your project.

Brad

[pvchief1]

I second the idea of the concrete blocks.

[FAADAN]

I'm using 5x5 landscape ties. Had them in the ground quite a while now. There is a wide range of pressure treated lumber. Some of it is not treated for ground contact. Some is. The block idea works but you have to tie them together some way of they will fall off