A raised bed made of stone has many advantages over one made of wood. Stone raised beds have an almost unlimited lifespan and fit visually very harmoniously into a naturally designed garden. However, once they have been installed, they are no longer easy to implement, and the acquisition and construction costs are quite high. However, these can be lowered if you use field stones.
How can I build a raised bed out of field stones myself?
A raised bed made of field stones offers a long-lasting and visually appealing alternative to wood. Field stones can be collected free of charge from fields and used for dry or mortared walls. Consider the heavy weight of the stones and choose a suitable foundation.
Collect yourself instead of buying expensively
In some regions of Germany, field stones were often used in the past centuries to build residential buildings or churches - these buildings still stand unshakable today and offer a fascinatingly rustic sight. Fieldstones come in many sizes, shapes and colors in every field - you just have to make the effort and collect them. It is best to ask the farmer in question beforehand whether you are allowed on his land to collect stones. However, he will probably be happy that you relieve him of the laborious work of collecting stones - the large chunks hinder field work.
Fieldstones are also very heavy
In this way you can get beautiful natural stones for free, but they also have to be brought home somehow. Large quantities of field stones are very heavy, so you will have to drive off with an appropriate transporter - the vehicle must be designed for larger loads, but your own family carriage will not be sufficient. Also make sure you have help - carrying stones alone can be tiring after a while.
Drywall vs. mortared wall
Field stones can be used in the same way as purchased natural stones: they can be installed in both dry and mortared walls. Dry stone walls should be a maximum of 60 to 80 centimeters high and, for reasons of stability, should be secured with filling material in the spaces between the individual stones. You can also fill the joints with soil and plant plants, then the result will look particularly natural. Mortared walls should have a solid, preferably concrete foundation and possibly even concrete cladding with reinforcing iron on the inside - otherwise the weight of the stones will push them outwards. For a dry stone wall, however, a bed of gravel or gravel is usually sufficient as a foundation.
Tip
Straight raised bed walls made of field stones are ideal for building a raised bed directly on a slope. But field stones are also very suitable for filling gabions.
