Raised beds on top of wooden decking

Hi everyone!

I am a gardening newbie and have just purchased my first house. The back garden is (unfortunately) completely decked over, lacking a lawn and any type of greenery whatsoever.

I cannot afford to rip up the decking so like the idea of buying raised beds and potted plants. I need some advice for when it comes to putting raised wooden beds on top of wooden decking. I want to make sure I have drainage and no rotting wood!

Also, does bamboo do well in narrow raised beds? I'm thinking of buying bamboo to grow along the fence for increased privacy.

Many thanks!
Sophie

 

I wouldn't recommend putting raised beds on your decking, has the deck underneath will rot, has the decking needs be able to have a air flow over it, to stop it rotting quicker.
On our decking we have pots raised on pot feet.
Depends on which bamboo your thinking of grow some are clump forming others are runners, I grow bamboo in large plastic boxes buried in the ground

 

Hello Ian,

Thank you for your response.

Do you think it would be ok if I had raised beds on feet so that air can flow underneath, or might that not be enough?

In terms of bamboo, I'd like it to grow to about 6ft and be fairly bushy so that it provides a good privacy barrier (and ideally not be 'too' expensive). The raised beds I'll be getting will be about a metre long, 1.5ft wide and just over 1ft deep. Do you know of one to recommend?

Many thanks,
Sophie

 

A neighbour had raised beds on wheels custom built for use on her decking.