Clever, isn't it? There's been zero moisture coming through the gaps so far too 🙌😁

But before then comes the care and irrigation phase 🙌 Maggie is going to have her own jungle

I'd have never known! 🦎 As for this application, I'm pretty excited about it! In my old raised beds I'd notice moisture sometimes leaking through the side planks. They are perfectly dry and watertight now 👌 Looking forward to the wood lasting longer too!

It’s a great tip

I'm not sold on it for permanent raised beds. While the wood is breaking down it would give lots of lovely places for ants, slugs, and other critters to live. Fine in a true Hugelkultur mound outdoors though.

I'm so happy! Thank you 😊

All the cats love it 😹 Sciatica IS horrible! Thank goodness he's seeing the other side of it 💚

I'm glad that I found it! I'm sure ordinary silicone would be fine but aquatic sealant gives me more peace of mind :)

Hard work pays off, whether a big structure or a smaller version! Thanks, Sam :)

I'm really excited about it too! There will be livestreams, Q&As and all sorts of fun going on over on Patreon :) Josh was in SUCH pain when it set in...plus numbness and pins and needles. So glad that he's recovered now. Took a couple of weeks though 💚

Thank you! Yes, she's a very happy kit-cat 💚

I'm pretty sure that the majority is -- it's worth reading the information on the packaging and asking customer services though :)

You as well, Linda :) thank you

I'd try that too! Makes a lot of sense and the wool will eventually break down 👌

Thank you 😊

Absolutely! Can't wait for harvest time :)

Thank you and welcome!

I'm hoping so, but we'll see! Excited for the year ahead 😁

I'm glad too...it seemed so bad! 💚

Ollas will definitely be making an appearance 😁🙌

Ooh, not heard of it before. Sounds like an intriguing building material 👌

Thanks for the feedback!

I get the concern -- you want to avoid nutrient deficiencies, pests, and disease if planting the same crops in a raised bed every year. I'm not changing the soil each year but I am planning on an annual top-up of compost and planting each future plant with even more. These beds will get top-ups of liquid plant feed too and any plant issues would be closely monitored :)

You're welcome! A layer of cardboard at the bottom is probably all you need. It breaks down over time but not before smothering the plants underneath.

I've been very pleased with it! The beds are doing great and filled with tomatoes, sweet potatoes, aubergines, peppers, and more at the moment. Congratulations on your new Polycrub!

Interesting, and sounds worth looking into!

Pressure-treated wood used to have arsenic in the past but it no longer does anywhere in the world (that I'm aware of). It got a bad reputation, for good reason, but is much safer now. The material that's used in most applications now in the UK is called Tanalith E. It's a material made of copper and biocides that only affect insects/animals if they start burrowing into the wood. According to the UK's Soil Association (the equivalent of USDA Organic), an accepted treatment for organic raised beds, and won't leach poisons into the soil.

I've looked into it and have even spoken to a manufacturer of the substance used to pressure treat wood here. I'm completely at ease with using it in raised beds, as I am with using the silicone. The latter is completely inert 👌 Go with what you feel comfortable with though :)

I think pressure treated has had a bad reputation since it used to be treated with really poisonous chemicals. Things have changed since then here and I'm sure N. America too. Pressure treated wood here is treated with compounds that have been given the green light by our leading organic association, the Soil Association

It's recycled plastic pipe formerly used in a fish nursery.

I use ashes and charcoal leftover from our wood burner, but not specifically made biochar. I've heard good things, though, especially in poor soils.

Hi JBW and thanks :) You tend to only do that if the plant roots are starting to circle and become a bit pot bound -- it's to stop the roots from continuing to grow that way and to spread out. No need to do it if the plant roots aren't showing congestion.

Absolutely!

I'm not worried about soil contact with the wood. It's safe :) plastic lined wood generally leads to a slug problem, here. I wouldn't do it.

@@Lovelygreens Hello Tanya, please check these look like green pressure treated wood so CCA (Copper chrome arsenic) at (4:17 time of the video ) the end of the bed bottom panel shows the residue from this. I have lined all mine because of this.

Thanks Ursula :) It would add more work and time moving the compost to the sieve then moving it back. The soil and compost are in different places!

Polycrubs are designed with them :)

@@Lovelygreens I was thinking about getting, maybe, 1 then cutting it in half and using it for a small half tunnel maybe….with a flat wall at the rear

I've used weed membrane in the past but it does not stop moisture from creeping into the nooks and crannies. If you're meaning solid plastic (like the visqueen I use for clearing land kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fZNpjcd9pt6tZH0.html ) then it could lead to two problems. Moisture collecting in the space between the plastic and wood, from watering, rain, and other factors. Then slugs and insects finding a nice home between the wood and the plastic. That's why I'm SO excited about the silicone. The fact that an eco-conscious raised bed installer has been successfully using the method for decades says a lot too.

Mine is 4x7m...Great size 🙌

I looked into this and it's not true. The types of pressurised wood treatments used now in Britain are approved for use in organic vegetable beds.