Can a raised bed be built without a foil?
Of course, you can also do without the foil when building your raised bed. In this case, however, you will be especially at one Wooden raised bed do not enjoy gardening for a long time, because the constant high humidity in combination with the considerable heat development not only favors the rotting of the bed contents. The wood of the frame also disintegrates very quickly, and fungi can also colonize. If you are using Avoid foil you should use a water-resistant frame that eliminates the need for cladding can be: Raised beds made of Corten steel, high-quality aluminum or stone come without protection the end.
also read
- Which foil should you use for the raised bed?
- Can you build a raised bed without a foil?
- How you can build a canopy for the raised bed yourself
Advantages and disadvantages of different foils for raised beds
Otherwise, it is worth taking a closer look at the various materials, because not all films contain harmful plasticizers.
Pond liner
Pond liner is actually produced especially for the construction of garden ponds and combines a whole range of desirable properties that are also very useful for raised beds. This is what pond liners are like
- pretty tough
- tearproof
- can be flexibly cut and laid
- impermeable to water
- and often UV-resistant.
The last property in particular is a very useful one because it is made by the action of sunlight many foils are porous and disintegrate over time - not so UV-resistant foils that you can use once for a lifetime buys. Pond liners are made of different materials, but not all of them are suitable for a raised bed.
PVC film
We strongly advise against using PVC film in raised beds: it contains both plasticizers and many other pollutants that are released into the earth over time and from there into vegetables hike.
EPDM foil
In contrast, biologically harmless EPDM foils made from natural rubber are generally free of harmful substances. However, these are very expensive, but also last an extremely long time.
Knob or drainage film
Bubble wrap is a drainage material that Waterlogging Avoiding it in the raised bed helps. Actually a fine thing, but be sure to pay attention to the material used. Many inexpensive dimpled sheets consist only of PVC or other components that are contaminated with harmful substances.
Tips
Instead of a foil, the raised bed frame can also be clad from the inside with thin, untreated hardwood slats (e.g. larch). These also keep moisture out and are free of any pollutants - but they slowly rot away and have to be replaced after a few years. In addition, fungi can colonize permanently damp wood.
