Recycled plastic boards (for raised bed edging)

[Pipeskeepleaking]

Does anyone have any ideas of where I could find these? Ideally both second hand and recycled... I need to replace - for the third time - some raised bed edging, while the heavy-duty plastic planks our allotment owner put in to retain paths still look as good as new (and don't harbour slugs!)

I have tried to get away w no bed edging, but my beds are on a steep slope, and it just doesn't work...

Any ideas? Everything I can see is insanely expensive!

Problem is if they are that durable you're unlikely to find them second hand! Are the ones at your allotment solid plastic or hollow?

Is this the sort of thing?

www.kedel.co.uk/mixed-plastic-lumber/recycled-mixed-plastic-boards-100-x-30.html

I wouldn't use plastic for raised beds unless you're not planning on growing food or unless the plastic is food-safe. Same with treated wood

@Turkeyhen those look great! And that's not too insanely expensive either. The ones they have at the allotment are solid and very sturdy - they support the paths/plot edges on a steep site.

I will ask the leaching question @EnglishBluebell particularly as I really want whatever I use to be VERY stable, sun-resistant etc. But it's for the lower edge of steep beds, and I can't really see a mechanism for it to be a problem. Or more accurately, if that's a problem, then I have so so many other things to worry about, that I'd better stop trying to grow anything!

Those plastic boards apparently don't leach toxic substances according to the product details, so they look great - maybe order a free sample to compare with the allotment ones?

Such a great find @Turkeyhen, I am really grateful! I had been looking for second hand decking boards on eBay, but they are expensive and not what I wanted. These look great!

Tbh I'm tempted to try them myself 😂

Yikes to the delivery charge though! That's a bit painful...

Oh damn 🥴

Hello Pipeskeepleaking,

Have you considered old scaffolding boards as a non plastic alternative to hold back the soil.

Gardeners World presenter “The late great” Geoff Hamilton was a fan of them and one who liked seeing what he could cadge for his garden.

Some years ago I emailed a local scaffolding company to see if they had any old ones that they no longer had a use for and when I explained what the were for they were more than happy to help. You may also try salvage yards.

Geoff Hamilton was one for seeing what he could cadged for a TV series The £2 Garden Gardening on a weekly budget. A book also accompanied the series ISBN 0563 20226 2

Happy Gardening
TheSustainableGardener

found these sites (no idea what any of them are like)

https://www.filcris.co.uk/category/garden/raised-beds/

https://marmaxproducts.co.uk/product/raised-beds/

https://britishrecycledplastic.co.uk/product/recycled-plastic-raised-bed-kits/

https://www.gardenskill.com/raised-beds/250mm-high-raised-beds/

https://www.linkabord.co.uk/

https://www.harrodhorticultural.com/link-a-bord-kits-and-components-pid7567.html

Hello again Pipeskeepleaking,

If you go down the scaffolding board route I would recommend long pressure treated wooden landscaping pegs similar or the same to the ones shown here.

If you do go down this route I suggest depending on the length of the boards a peg inside the board one at either end and one in the middle or one every three feet.

When knocking in the pegs protect the top with another piece of wood.

Happy allotmenteering
TheSustainableGardener

https://www.pennyhilltimber.co.uk/categories/products/timber/site-pegs