2019 - Volume #43, Issue #4, Page #30
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Raised Garden Beds Based On Bull Bunks
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“As I get older, I don’t care to work on the ground, so I built 2 of these for myself,” says McLaen. “One of my nephews wanted 2, and then a friend of mine with pretty bad ataxia saw them. He wanted 2 for himself.”
The 11-in. deep garden bed bunks are built to last with treated lumber, 6-mil. plastic lining, and lag screws designed for use with treated lumber. The legs are 43-in. tall 4 by 4’s with 2 by 12-in. sides, ends and floors. The sides and horizontal bottoms are 6 ft. long, and the ends are 3 ft.
“I also used 2 by 4’s and 2 by 6’s to tie the legs together,” says McLaen.
He used 11-in. long 2 by 4’s on the inside corners to secure the sides and ends. Outside corners are reinforced by 1-in. wide metal bands that wrap around them.
“Screws in end grain don’t hold that well over time,” explains McLaen. “The 2 by 4’s and straps tie things together.”
McLaen drilled a dozen holes in the floor and through the 6-mil plastic of each bunk to drain excess water. The floor is then layered with landscape weed barrier before being covered with dirt.
McLaen can easily pick up a full one with his skid steer forks and move it as needed.
“In the case of my neighbor, I can set them in his garage to plant in the shade,” says McLaen. “Later I can carry them out where he wants for the growing season. When it’s time to harvest, I can bring them back inside.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dale McLaen, McLaen’s Service, 13756 Hwy. 11, Rutland, N. Dak. 58067 (ph 701 724-6232; mclaen@drtel.net).
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