Growing Together: Open Forum

Good afternoon. I am working on updating our school garden and thinking of doing raised gardens. Has anyone here done that and what has worked good for you or not worked well? I'm wondering if wood or pre-made (amazon type) ones would be better. It will be 3yr olds to 10 yr olds working in the garden. 

Thank you so much for your guidance.

Tara 

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Tara Bellefontaine
Henry P Clough Elementary School
Mendon MA
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We have metal raised beds at our school, and honestly, I wouldn't choose them again. If I had the chance to start over, I would definitely go with wood instead. Ours sit in direct sunlight all day, and the metal gets extremely hot-especially with younger kids out there. The beds were donated, and we're very grateful for that, but I constantly have to remind the younger students to be careful and not touch the sides because they can heat up so quickly.

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Laura Latham
Moniteau R-5 elementary school
MO
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Hello Tara,   I really like raised beds.  I have wooden boards that parent volunteers cut, and drilled in nails.  I find that the raised beds contain the seeds better.  It creates safety when you are walking around the garden.  It helps that the raised beds are not stepped on by students.  I wish you luck in your decision to go with metal or wood boards for raised beds.  Thanks Karen from Asheville, NC.

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Karen Chapman
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Our garden is in a temperate rainforest and we love our raised beds.  I would suggest using cedar wood, if your budget allows, since the species has increased rot and pest resistance. 

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Alex Helms
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We love our ten 12'x4' raised beds! They are super easy to maintain and easy for the middle schoolers to work with. They also keep critters out, to a certain extent.

We used long-lasting pressure treated lumber and lined the inside of the bed along the wood sides with a rubberized (neoprene?) covering for any chemical leaching. The beds have worked beautifully.

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Jamie Easley
Garden Club Moderator
Retired Science Teacher
Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School
Dubuque, IA
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-10-2026 06:06:52 PM
From: Alex Helms
Subject: updating school garden

Our garden is in a temperate rainforest and we love our raised beds.  I would suggest using cedar wood, if your budget allows, since the species has increased rot and pest resistance. 

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Alex Helms
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