If you build a raised bed yourself, you should - if the bed box is made of wood or another moisture-sensitive material - protect it from moisture. This increases the lifespan of the raised bed. There are various methods to protect a raised bed from moisture and thus rot.
What is a raised bed fleece used for?
A raised bed fleece protects against moisture if it is made of waterproof material such as polypropylene or PET. It is placed as a layer around the raised bed box. Weed fleece, on the other hand, is usually permeable to water and is therefore only suitable as a base against root weeds in raised beds.
Fleece is water permeable
Raised beds made of wood in particular need good moisture protection, otherwise they will rot after just a few years and have to be replaced. The main thing is to protect the material from moisture from the ground and from the filling material. For this purpose, pond or bubble wrap is usually used, which is impermeable to water and therefore offers reliable protection. However, using various nonwovens instead, such as those used in the garden, usually does not make sense. Fleece is often permeable to water and therefore cannot fulfill the intended purpose - this is especially true for weed fleece. An exception, however, is special raised bed fleece (€31.00 at Amazon), which is made from polypropylene or PET and is usually sold as individually cut material on rolls.
Protecting raised beds from moisture – what options are there?
In addition to waterproof fleece or foil, there are other ways to protect the sensitive material of a wooden raised bed from moisture. For example, you can build a raised bed made of natural or concrete stones and cover it with wood on the outside. Such a raised bed is particularly stable and durable, but also quite complex to produce and expensive.
Painting a raised bed does not protect against moisture
Special paints, varnishes or glazes that are used to treat the wood are not particularly suitable as protection against moisture. Such a protective color alone is not sufficient; further measures such as a fleece or film would have to be added. In addition, non-toxic paints should be chosen, especially if the finished raised bed will later be used to grow vegetables or fruit.
Weed protection fleece as a base for raised beds - makes sense?
However, a fleece can not only be used to ward off moisture - as long as it is impermeable to water - it can also be positioned on the open floor of the raised bed in the form of a weed protection fleece in difficult locations and thus prevent stubborn root weeds from penetrating. In contrast to the moisture protection fleece, such a weed fleece must be permeable to water so that excess rain and irrigation water can drain away from the raised bed.
Tip
Plant bags made of fleece are particularly suitable for the balcony or terrace. They are easy to fill and plant and can then be folded up over the winter and easily stowed away.
