FAQ

Both the bitumen lining and the lanolin oil treatments are non-toxic termite deterrents that don’t compromise organic certifications unlike CCA and other chemical treatments that leach into soils over time. The bitumen is a one-off internal treatment for the life of the bed that creates a water-resistant membrane to preserve the hardwood timber. The non-toxic lanolin oil is an exterior treatment to preserve (lock-in) the natural tannins in the timber. It can be applied once to prevent the natural tannins in the timber from leaching (washing) out if you prefer the timber to turn its silvery grey colour. Or, it can be applied once by us and reapplied annually by you once installed, if you want to preserve the original colours of the timber, and prevent greying.

The environmental conditions will determine the lifespan of your hardwood timber garden beds. Wet and dry conditions and termites all eventually impact the longevity of the wood although we have sold thousands of units over ten years and have had no complaints about longevity as yet. We have taken every precaution to extend the life of the bedurveg planter boxes.

Firstly, we only use class 1 and 2 grade Australian grown hardwood. As a chemical free option for organic growing, you won’t find anything more durable. Additionally, we cap all of our beds with a top-plate.  Not only does this look beautiful, and add function as you can sit on this or place your seedlings on it etc., it also prevents water from entering the end grain on the vertical posts to improve longevity.

Additionally, we recommend the premium treatments to maximise the longevity of the beds as this will provide a 30-50% increase in life expectancy. And finally, we recommend a well-designed soil mix with good drainage is one of the best ways to increase the longevity of your hardwood timber garden beds with or without treatments. Keeping the soil damp but not wet is key, so we recommend amending your soil with a good amount (30-40%) of mineral rich course river sand for good drainage.

Once you place your order, we immediately set aside the select grade seasoned timber for your order ready for production. In turn, we proceed in making your order up on receipt of payment. Manufacturing can take anywhere from 14 – 21 days depending on the size of your order and the options that you specify. Once your order is complete the carrier will email you when they receive the order with your consignment number for online tracking. If your order is being delivered fully assembled, we will contact you with a specified delivery date. At this point you may specify any special delivery requirements.

Our business is located close to where the timber is harvested, in one of Australia’s most renowned areas for world class durable hardwood timbers – tough growing conditions make for tough durable timber. We use only select grade structural timber rather than lesser quality landscape grade. That is why our garden beds are proven to last longer and be more durable than other landscape grade materials on the market. All our timber is class 1 and 2 durable hardwood – Tallowood, Ironbark, Yellow-Stringybark and occasionally some Bloodwood or Spotted Gum.  As these are all selected for structural grade timber there is no sapwood, very little defects, and what is used is of very high quality tight grain heartwood – the most durable part of the tree.

Primarily the timber that we use is hardwood harvested from private property strictly managed, controlled, and supervised by the Department of Environment & Climate Change NSW, and under the guidelines of the Private Native Forestry Code of Practice for Northern NSW.

Australian hardwoods vary in colour from the shimmering golds of tallowood and yellow stringy bark, to the sunset reds of ironbark and bloodwoods. At BEDurVEG we never order a tree to be cut but rather utilize hardwood that is excess to cuts supplied for other purposes. This means we use a mixed selection of hardwood timbers and our products most often have some variation of colour unless one species is in excess.

It is important to note that all timber, over time, will silver off without a fairly constant maintenance (every 6-12 months) that would include a thorough clean (high pressure wash) and reapplication of oil such as the natural product we recommend. If having a specific shade of timber is required, send us a query and we’ll let you know whether it can be supplied.

Soil mixes are ultimately determined by what you intend to grow. It is important to note plants have different soil requirements. This is one of the reasons raised hardwood timber garden beds are great for growing a variety of vegies, herbs, flowers, and even small fruit trees, as they allow you to vary and separate your soil for each purpose.

Root vegies like a sandier mix and less composted material. For these we would recommend a 40/60 mix of course river sand to compost (this is your base mix). Most landscape supplies will kindly mix this through for you. For growing most garden greens, we recommend 30/70 mix of course river sand to rich composted material (this is your base mix). For best results with leafy greens and bracciaes, add an extra 50mm or so layer of rich composted matter to the top of the base mix without mixing through. Then cover with 70-100mm of mulch (straw is best). Always put seedlings in last bedding them down into this compost and mulch top layer for a great start. The compost will fertilise and keep the seedlings moist until they establish and the mulch will protect the seedlings from frost in winter and provide further moisture retention in the hotter months.

Yes, this is possible. Keep in mind that our standard sizes supplied are the most economical option as we have sized these to maximise growing capacity while minimizing timber wastage. However, if you would like a non-standard size or shape, please send us your request with quantities and address and we will get back to you with a custom quote. Also note that anything over 600mm high becomes difficult and usually cost prohibitive to freight.