Thread: Planter boxes / besser blocks

Hi to all. I am wishing to use besser blocks for planter boxes, however I am not sure if I should box it up, or just do one wall and put some treated pine in front of the colourbond fence to protect from weight and rot. The garden bed structure going to be 80cm wide, 60cm high and I have about 15mtrs to do. In the middle of it, I am wishing to place a feature wall some 2.4m long by 1.8high to make it appealing. However I am unsure of a few issues that I have.

1. Is 80cm side internal measurement for a planter box adequate. Going to plant perhaps ficus, lilly pilly yukkas etc. I am wishing to render the wall like those display homes have.

2. Shall I box the garden bed area since the colourbond fence wont last too long otherwise. Also for extra time effort and money, it will be safe as houses.

3. For the garden bed boxes, is 200mm concrete foundation enough, with 100mm extra on the width of the blocks.

3. For the feature wall, i am divided between raising the back part of the garden box to 1.8 high then using render or attaching tiles etc. Or simply making a timber frame cut into 3 sections cemented onto posts into the ground, with blueboard or cement sheet then render or tiles etc. I dont want to have the besser block feature wall falling over since it is 1.8 high. But then again it might be easier to make the besser wall since i can do the wall together with the garden bed structure, in one go.

4. With the feature wall, is 100mm enough clearance from the colourbond fence. I dont really want to go anymore since it will reduce my grass area.

5. Also with the feature wall if made out of besser blocks 1.8mtr high, what foundation would I need possibly. Definitely would need to be deeper than 200mm, so is 400mm enough.

6. Shall I use the 200mm series besser blocks. I was inclined to use the thinner one since much more lightweight and for extra space. Is the 200mm much more stable and stronger. I do want the beds to be appealing to the eye, and not only for a grass/bed seperator.

I have done searches through the site for some answers, but nothing as specific as these. Any help would greatly appreciated.

Missed this one

Originally Posted by ozizu

hi to all. I am wishing to use besser blocks for planter boxes, however i am not sure if i should box it up, or just do one wall and put some treated pine in front of the colourbond fence to protect from weight and rot. The garden bed structure going to be 80cm wide, 60cm high and i have about 15mtrs to do. In the middle of it, i am wishing to place a feature wall some 2.4m long by 1.8high to make it appealing. However i am unsure of a few issues that i have.

1. Is 80cm side internal measurement for a planter box adequate. Going to plant perhaps ficus, lilly pilly yukkas etc. I am wishing to render the wall like those display homes have.

800 mm is fine for width, no ficus in planter box

2. Shall i box the garden bed area since the colourbond fence wont last too long otherwise. Also for extra time effort and money, it will be safe as houses.

Would be far better to use blocks all around the planter box

3. For the garden bed boxes, is 200mm concrete foundation enough, with 100mm extra on the width of the blocks.

Would go 300 mm deep min + layer trench mesh

3. For the feature wall, i am divided between raising the back part of the garden box to 1.8 high then using render or attaching tiles etc. Or simply making a timber frame cut into 3 sections cemented onto posts into the ground, with blueboard or cement sheet then render or tiles etc. I dont want to have the besser block feature wall falling over since it is 1.8 high. But then again it might be easier to make the besser wall since i can do the wall together with the garden bed structure, in one go.

Would use besser for wall while your at it.

4. With the feature wall, is 100mm enough clearance from the colourbond fence. I dont really want to go anymore since it will reduce my grass area.

Thats fine

5. Also with the feature wall if made out of besser blocks 1.8mtr high, what foundation would i need possibly. Definitely would need to be deeper than 200mm, so is 400mm enough.

Dependig on site conditions, soil etc. 400 mm should be alright would increase width to at least same

6. Shall i use the 200mm series besser blocks. I was inclined to use the thinner one since much more lightweight and for extra space. Is the 200mm much more stable and stronger. I do want the beds to be appealing to the eye, and not only for a grass/bed seperator.

Could use 150 mm for planters and 200 mm for the feature wall (use steel bars vertically and horizontally for 200 mm wall)

Forget the Lilly-Pilly too.Those need to go into pots.
How are you going to drain the garden bed??
Directly into the soil or weep holes in the sides??