Wooden framed raised flower beds

[Kipster]

I'm part way through (finally) sorting out my garden.

One of the things that has been added is a raised bed. Its made from treated 4 x 2 timber. I intend to leave the top of the frame square however I realise that this may increase the speed at which the wood rots due to water just sitting on it. To help keep the water off the frame I was thinking of covering it with a metal flashing. My metal of choice at the moment is copper.

Questions;

is there any problem using copper. will the water that runs off into the soil pick up anything from the copper that may harm the plants?

Cheers,

Kip

 

[Nerine]

Copper is a great idea Kipster, slugs hate it and it won't do the soil or plants any harm.

 

[Kipster]

Thanks for the answer Nerine. Would hate to sort out all the plants only to watch them perish.

My next question is can anyone point me in the right direction to find some copper flashing. I'll need a strip about 4m x 15cm and have tried all the local sheds and a couple of builders yards without any luck,

cheers,

Kip

 

[Thermo]

try a local sheet metal workers, however it will be expensive as the price of all metals is high at the moment. they will also be able to put the bends in it to fit over the timber

 

[ellal]

I wouldn't worry...decently treated timber will last long enough to offset the cost of copper, so replace it when necessary!

 

[Nerine]

Monty Don on 'Gardener's World' used copper piping on his raised beds -
don't know if its any cheaper than flashing.

 

[breezer]

probaly got microbore from a plumbers merchant

 

[Kipster]

Thanks for the replies.

Its been hard to find any firm prices for the stuff searching the web but all the indications are, as you all said, that it will cost an arm and a leg! As a result I have gone with the see how many years it lasts and replace it. The whole lot is only made of 12m of 4 x 2.

Its filled with soil now and ready to plant,

thanks,

Kip