All about beds made of plastic panels

People who permanently live in country houses, in contrast to summer residents who temporarily live on the plot, aiming to get a good harvest, strive not only to grow something, but also to give the personal plot a modern well-groomed look. In this regard, plastic has replaced the wooden and metal fencing for the beds.

A plastic structure for these purposes can be bought ready-made in specialized stores, or it can be made from improvised means (bottles, old window sills, PVC panels, etc.). In each case, the design will have its own characteristics.

Beds of plastic panels have a number of their advantages and disadvantages, which, according to gardeners, are much less. Most of the users of plastic in the garden have noted its advantages.

1. It keeps the shape of the garden well, which looks neat and aesthetically pleasing. This moment is especially relevant in places where sand prevails in the soil.
2. It can be used both outdoors and in a greenhouse.
3. Ease of installation and variability, allowing you to easily break any kind of flower bed, which, if necessary, can be moved to another place. The structure will look aesthetically pleasing for a long time. The panels can be washed and painted.
4. Material resistance to environmental influences: wet soil, mold and others. There are varieties of plastic that do not fade in the sun, as they are treated with a special protective solution.
5. Reasonable prices for ready-made configurations. If desired, you can make a fence yourself from the plastic at hand (bottles, used PVC panels).

As for the shortcomings, there are few of them.

1. With excessive watering or rainy summers, a certain type of plastic becomes moldy and swells in places.
2. If you buy a cheaper model, untreated with UV protection, the structure will quickly fade in the sun and become faded.
3. In regions where severe frosts are characteristic, it is recommended to remove plastic fences from the garden after harvesting, otherwise they will crack from frost and will become unusable by spring.

Purchased models of plastic fences for the garden are quite diverse and multifunctional. When used correctly, they are characterized by durability and ease of assembly (no special male effort is required). Each kit includes:

1. the panels themselves;
2. fasteners;
3. pegs for fastening (if necessary);
4. instruction.

There are mainly tall buildings made of plastic and a low decorative border. Each type has its own characteristics, which you need to familiarize yourself with before buying, so as not to be disappointed in the future in the practicality of the erected structure. If you plan the appearance of a flower bed or garden bed, and also correctly, taking into account the peculiarities, choose a plastic fence, then the resulting stationary structure will serve in the country, without losing its shape and appearance, for more than one year.

This is a fairly easy-to-use model that, without unnecessary effort, will allow you to fix the earthen embankment in the garden. For installation, it is enough to simply dig the edge of the tape into the ground, and secure the connected edges with special pegs, similar to a clothespin. In order for the bed to have the correct, not distorted shape, the entire perimeter is fixed with the same pegs with a certain gap, especially if the soil is loose, prone to crumbling. The width of the tape can be different: from 10 to 50 cm, which is quite enough to form a raised bed. In addition, the color range can be different: blue, green, red.

An indisputable attraction is the fact that with the help of the tape you can create a fence of any shape (round, square). As a rule, such variability is used only to create flower beds, since the beds are predominantly made rectangular, which greatly simplifies harvesting.

If the curb tape is somewhat reminiscent of durable rubber wrapping around the bed mainly to maintain its shape, then the Labyrinth fence will not only support the shape of the structure, but also give it a varied look. This is achieved through a variety of models. There is a line of products that imitate stone, brick, metal and wood. The appearance of any type of product has protrusions, which, given the strong texture, make the model almost completely invulnerable, even if the structure is touched by the lawn mower.

And this resistance to influences is not accidental. The fact is that the exploitation of the labyrinth is not limited to making a curb from it. The elements are quite suitable for laying out a garden path from them. Such a border is sold in boxes of 8 pieces, the length of each element is 3 m, and the height is 8 cm. There is another feature in such parameters: you cannot make a tall structure out of it. As for the assembly, there will be no hassle with it, since the elements are connected with the plastic nails available in the kit. The holes have already been drilled.

A garden board is a plastic analogue of a wooden board. Its width does not exceed 15 cm, and its length is 3 meters. But if necessary, with the help of special fasteners (clamps), the height of the structure from the garden board can be "increased". The end sides of such boards have grooves and attachments to them, which, as in previous cases, simplifies assembly. For aesthetics, the places of such connections are closed with a decorative plug. Connection using corners is allowed, which does not require the use of decorative plugs. The configuration of a garden board can only be rectangular and is one of the most durable structures that can withstand any pressure of wet earth and gusts of strong wind, since it is made from a combination of wood sawdust and plastic.

Plastic mesh is not intended to hold any kind of load, therefore it is used mainly to delimit the beds (flower beds) into zones or as a decorative fencing element. Besides gazebos or verandas look spectacular, where climbing plants are spread out on a plastic mesh. It is attached to pegs in the same way as a metal chain-link (mesh). But, unlike metal mesh, plastic mesh does not rust, keeping its aesthetic appearance.

The flexible or, as it is also called, the garden constructor got its name from the assembly features. The design allows the construction of various configurations: from 4-gons to multi-tiered polygons. The details of the flexible constructor are small various decorative elements of small width, their height ranges from 15 to 20 cm. Such elements are attached to each other from the end, which allows you to create not only polygonal, but also multi-tiered beds. Due to the fact that the installation is not connected to the soil (it is not necessary to dig the structure into the ground), it is allowed to use a flexible constructor even on loose ground.

Nowadays, the active use of plastic (bottles, PVC panels), you can easily make your own flower bed or fence for the garden. This is done not only for the decoration of the terraced plantings, but also in order to put things in order in the garden. As for the plantations, for example, strawberry plantations, then, by choosing the right plastic structure, you can not only facilitate harvesting, but also increase the yield itself. If the space on the backyard allows, then experienced gardeners recommend making small areas of plastic for strawberry bushes in order to exclude their accretion. Such zoning allows you to achieve better yields, since the bushes do not drown out each other.

When the site is small, then you cannot do without a multi-tiered bed, where it is quite possible to combine the cultivation of greens (dill, parsley, lettuce). On multi-tiered flower beds, you can also combine the crops grown. For example, take the lower tier for strawberries, the upper one for lettuce leaves, and so on.

The most common way of making a fence for a garden bed from improvised means is to use 1.5- or 2-liter plastic bottles as sides. For better fixation, it is recommended to fill them with sand or earth before digging into the ground. Then, based on our imagination, we form a flower bed or garden bed, which can be painted.

In addition to bottles, PVC wall panels, which do not have to be new, have also found their application in the garden. Unlike wood, this material is not subject to rapid decay, does not need annual painting, it can be easily washed if necessary. As for the shape of a structure made of this material, they cannot be compared with the flexibility of using a curb tape or a designer. PVC panels can only be used as a square or rectangular box to enclose beds to prevent soil shedding or erosion. Do not forget that, due to their abilities, they will not withstand the great pressure of the earth. You can fasten the panels using the corners available in stores, which are hidden on the inside of the structure being erected.

Such boxes can also be made from old plastic window sills, which, in comparison with PVC panels, are more durable and resistant to sunlight. Since the window sills are quite wide, the box itself can be just as wide, if necessary. This is important for use as a greenhouse or mini greenhouse. If necessary, old window sills can be cut with a saw. The strips prepared to the required dimensions are screwed from the inside with bolts to the metal corners. This will give the structure a non-separable look. If you try to disassemble and assemble it, then it will quickly become unusable. To extend the functionality of the manufactured box, it is recommended that you limit yourself, if necessary, to transfer it to another place. Such a need arises in regions where severe frosts are observed in winter, due to which plastic cracks. And also the cause of deformation, if the necessary proportions are not maintained, can be the pressure inside the earth, since the structure does not require deep digging. To prevent this, it is necessary, if the box is too long, to organize side ties inside at a distance of 1 meter. They can be made from any metal, wooden rods.The main thing is that they connect opposite sides.

When making a plastic box, it is recommended to take care of installing the legs in the corners, which will allow you not to dig the box into the ground, while maintaining the height. For the manufacture of legs, columns are used, which should be 20 centimeters higher than the prepared box (this is the part that will go away when installed in the ground).

Often, plastic boxes are also used for the beds, which has a number of features. This can be a portable flower bed or garden bed. If you put the box one on top of the other, then the bed will turn out to be quite high, which is important for the elderly and obese people, as it simplifies weeding. In addition, the culture in this case does not come into contact with open ground. Hence, the almost complete absence of weeds, and also excludes the contact of the root or root crop with insects living underground. In order not to be disappointed in this structure, it is necessary to cover the bottom with agrofibre, burlap or spunbond (non-woven material) to avoid soil spilling out of the box. Some gardeners even use polyethylene for these purposes, but in this case, the likelihood of rotting of the root crop or root increases, since polyethylene retains moisture. To avoid this, you must always keep the watering under control, or make several holes in the film. Due to stagnant soil for growing perennial crops, the box construction is not suitable.

Thus, decorating a personal plot with plastic has a number of advantages than using wood and metal. This is not only about the practicality of the material (rotting, rusting is unusual for it), but also about its availability, as well as ease of installation. For aesthetic design, it is not at all necessary to run to the store and spend money, for example, on garden boards.

Here are some helpful tips from experienced gardeners.

1. The main thing is to plan the appearance of the fence, study the features of plastic models and the requirements for growing a particular crop.
2. To avoid deformation for large flower beds, it is better to use durable plastic.
3. It is better to choose a fence for the garden bed higher. This becomes an obstacle to the entry of weed seeds from the outside.
4. For the winter, plastic fences are best stored in a warm storage area. If the winters in the region are not severe, then you can leave it, only the fence needs to be filled with earth and covered with dry tops.

You can learn how to make beds from plastic panels with your own hands from the video below.