You could probably make a raised garden bed from scratch, but it would take several hours and you’d need to get timber and have tools to put the bed together.
If you want a much easier option that takes almost no time, get the Garden Life raised garden planter. It’s a raised wooden bed that takes less than 10 minutes to assemble and then you can fill it up with your choice of compost.
Here’s my full review of the Garden Life raised garden planter.
Garden Life Wooden Raised Garden Planter Review
What Are You Buying?
1. Bottomless Raised Garden Planter
Ideally, a raised garden bed shouldn’t have a bottom. This allows good drainage and gives plants lots of space to spread their roots.
The bottomless design of the Garden Life raised planter works great for vegetables, flowers and whatever else you plant in it. It keeps the soil well drained and allows plant roots to thrive while still keeping out weeds and pests.
When fully assembled, the Garden Life bed is 22.5cm high, so it also saves your back when gardening since you don’t have to bend as much.
2. Heat-treated Fir Wood
Even without any treatment, fir wood is pretty durable. Depending on weather and soil conditions, you can expect a fir wood garden bed to last between 3 and 5 years.
The Garden Life wooden planter is made from fir wood that has undergone carbonisation treatment. This is where the wood is heated to a high temperature to drive out moisture, methane and other organic compounds that cause rotting in wood.
What remains is carbon-rich wood that’s closer in chemical structure to charcoal than fresh wood. It is much more resistant to decay, rotting and pests. You can expect the Garden Life raised planter to easily last at least 10 years.
Another advantage of carbonisation is that it is plant-safe. There are no paints or sealers on the wood, so you don’t have to worry about chemicals leaching into the soil.
3. Available in Three Sizes
Depending on your gardening needs, you can get the Garden Life raised bed in one of three sizes.
There’s a small 60x60cm planter, a medium size 80x60cm planter and a large 110x90cm planter. All three are bottomless and measure 22.5cm in height.
How Easy Is It To Assemble?
In my garden…
Unlike building your own raised garden bed, the Garden Life raised planter is so much easier and faster to put together.
The four sides come already assembled. All you need to do is line them up and insert the provided metal poles at each corner. No tools required. Once assembled, the planter feels very sturdy. And if you need to move it or change the compost inside, it’s just as easy to disassemble.
What Accessories Are Included?
The Garden Life raised garden planter includes the wooden sides and four metal poles for joining them. You don’t need any other accessories to use the planter.
Pros
- Durable treated fir wood planter.
- Easy to assemble.
- Three size options.
- Bottomless design for root growth and drainage.
Cons
- Not suitable for those who want a taller raised garden bed. 22.5cm (8.8in) is at the lower end when it comes to the average height of raised planters.
Anything Else You Should Know?
Because of the bottomless design, the Garden Life raised garden planter will not completely stop weeds from coming up. They will be far fewer compared to planting directly on the garden, and they will be easier to manage, but they’ll still be there.
If that bothers you, you can lay a weed barrier at the bottom of the bed. But keep in mind that some of these barrier fabrics can restrict root growth, which goes against the whole point of a bottomless planter.
To reduce weeds without blocking roots from going deep, spread sawdust or wood chips at the bottom of the planter then add soil and compost on top.
Conclusion
The Garden Life wooden raised garden planter makes planting vegetables or flowers a lot easier. It retains moisture and nutrients within the planter, ensures good drainage, and reduces attack from weeds and pets.
It’s also easier than building your own garden bed. With its solid fir wood construction and carbonisation treatment, it’s guaranteed to last a long time.
Where To Buy?
- Amazon UK: > CLICK TO CHECK TODAY’S PRICE
