Raised garden bed

After we finished furnishing the flat, we decided to turn our attention to the garden. Since the garden has fill material from previous owners, we went with raised beds. We eventually settled on these ones — the price was reasonable. The construction, as it turned out later, less so. The screws go in from one side between two boards and that principle just can't hold properly. A few months later one of the boards gave way. The beds are oiled to help them last longer. After one season they still look the same — we'll see what winter does to them.

We lined the bottom with landscape fabric and rabbit wire. The sides we covered with drainage membrane to help with water runoff — which in hindsight was definitely the right call. During the hottest summer days the bed was able to retain moisture for two days. The growing medium played a big role in that too. On the bottom we had branches — linden. On top of that, compost and rabbit manure. Then water-retaining substrate on top. The total volume was enormous — hundreds of litres of substrate. It all settles over time, so you need to top it up.

We planted tomatoes. Apart from a problem with ants, we were very happy with the results. We were harvesting right through to the end of September. So we're expanding — we have the space. The new ones will be larch again, just sturdier.