How should I prevent soil from touching fence in the garden bed?

[AJ-DIYer]

Hi,

I want to build a garden bed similar to the following, should I put a villaboard or a better option is available for the back side of it so that there is a barrier between the soil and the fence.

https://youtu.be/Uzqf33F4TQc

Thanks!

[Jewelleryrescue · Accepted solution]

Hi @AJ-DIYer 

The way they built the wall is ok as  shown in your video link, it should be fine for many years and Villaboard is suitable (over lap the sheet 50 mm to stop earth leakage to fence.  But a raised garden bed next to a timber fence can be a termite 5 star motel and eat the fence. Have you ever seen big ants with 20mm wings  in your area? They are termites on scout.

Wall  upgrades if you wish

I personally would make the footings cement with  trench mesh for a forever wall  Footings 100mm - 200mm deep,  by 300 wide. They are using gravel sand and  cement already for footing why not mix it all together and make a footing if you have that skillset.

I  found on several occasions  liquid nails  is effected by water and stops bonding I  might use regular tile glue instead or  thin mortar

I personally also buy and install Besser bricks 390Lx 190H x 90W a thin half brick as they are cheap to make a back wall to the garden   instead of  versa board so its all solid and free standing install  the same way as front bricks I use pavers as capping if  required.  This  means a footing all the way around.

One  day all fences  will need to be replaced if the villaboard is attached to the fence it will be ripped out with the fence or damaged  your garden earth will partly collapse and it will cost you much more to put in a new fence if the fencer agrees to a  larger quote to restore you raised garden  bed. Consider your neighbour will be  paying half that cost too.

Solution use  cut up strong in expensive  color bond fence posts(Spray  paint cut edges)  along the inside of the villaboard  (Villa board touching the  fence as  per video support two ends and two posts in the middle dig post in 300mm  back fill the earth will compact to  color bond post ) and attach the  villaboard to the color bond  posts.  So the whole ideas is the villaboard is free standing if the fence is removed in the future.

Well  some food for  thought the original how to on that video  will give you a new raised garden bed. And Villaboard will work to answer your question better is a bricked in garden all the way around.

[EricL]

Hi @AJ-DIYer

It's great that you've received excellent advice from @Jewelleryrescue. All the points they mentioned are spot on, it's important to think about this garden bed in the long term. You also want to make sure that the materials used will not rot or degrade. My only suggestion for this build is to use the same material used at the front. It would also be prudent to leave a gap at the back of the garden bed so that rainwater does not get trapped behind it.

Here is a link for ideas and inspiration: Top 10 most popular raised garden beds

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @AJ-DIYer  @EricL  

Those blocks cost a bomb $10 to $15 each  thats why suggest  besser half width  at $3 each plus  half width gives you more garden space in a tight spot. You will never see the gray bessers once plants grow.

But  besser bricks best to use mortar and those others dont so there is pros and cons.  Some of those garden shows cut too many corners for the longer term results.