Old refrigerator for raised bed?

[Chicky2]

Lol, I know this probably sounds a bit tacky, but in the spirit of reusing items instead of buying here goes..

We have several old refrigerators waiting on my dh to tear them down and scrap out parts and I was wondering how one would work for a raised bed? Is there any worry about the type of material? I was thinking of putting it on it's back and drilling holes in the bottom, and raising the whole thing up on cinder blocks to prevent grass growing up thru the holes and to improve drainage. The height would be great for my awful back, but are there any health concerns w/using this?

[lmonter]

Have you already taken out all the motor and freon parts and such? If so and the door is taken off so no one can get trapped, game on. I kept trying to get hubby to help me bury an old and busted chest freezer in the yard to use as a root cellar, but alas.

[choli]

I suppose you could, though it seems like it would require a lot of soil to fill it because of the depth.

[kriket]

I agree with lmonter, door off - chemicals out - Game on!

I am thinking potatoes start with not too much dirt, then add as they grow?

It would be heavy as crap! I don't think I would mess with drilling holes and blocks, I would just add a layer of rocks.

[Chicky2]

Originally Posted by lmonter

Have you already taken out all the motor and freon parts and such? If so and the door is taken off so no one can get trapped, game on. I kept trying to get hubby to help me bury an old and busted chest freezer in the yard to use as a root cellar, but alas.

Not yet (doors, but not compressors and such), that's dh's job. We have several, and a couple of deep freezes. When I mentioned the idea to him, he said, "Hey, why don't we go ahead and do the whole root cellar thing while we're at it?" But I don't know where we'd do it. We are on LOTS of rock.

Originally Posted by choli

I suppose you could, though it seems like it would require a lot of soil to fill it because of the depth.

After I posted I found something online and the person used fill sand in the bottom, and then just used soil on the top 8".

Originally Posted by kriket

I agree with lmonter, door off - chemicals out - Game on!

I am thinking potatoes start with not too much dirt, then add as they grow?

It would be heavy as crap! I don't think I would mess with drilling holes and blocks, I would just add a layer of rocks.

Great idea about the potatoes!!! I, um, don't think my dh will do it w/out drilling holes. Except that he'll probably opt to shoot holes in it instead.

[kriket]

Originally Posted by Chicky2

Great idea about the potatoes!!! I, um, don't think my dh will do it w/out drilling holes. Except that he'll probably opt to shoot holes in it instead.

ah, yes. You can't prevent a man from shooting something he's already set his mind to shoot.

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by Chicky2

Great idea about the potatoes!!! I, um, don't think my dh will do it w/out drilling holes. Except that he'll probably opt to shoot holes in it instead.

Hah. Target practice. Yeah, I'd drill holes in the bottom. Last thing you need is a mini-swamp, you know? With your luck you'd end up with the wacky torrential rain that my area had two years ago. Insanity.

As for the root cellar thing. Got an uneven patch of ground or half a hillside or someplace you want a hill? Could potentially be easier to just dump a ton of dirt/rocks on top of the root cellar freezer(s)... If you don't already have a copy of _Root Cellaring _ by Mike and Nancy Bubel, get one. Well worth the $11 or whatever.

[philomom]

I was about to add the thing about drainage too. Most plants prefer well drained soil.

[Chicky2]

Originally Posted by lmonter

Hah. Target practice. Yeah, I'd drill holes in the bottom. Last thing you need is a mini-swamp, you know? With your luck you'd end up with the wacky torrential rain that my area had two years ago. Insanity.

As for the root cellar thing. Got an uneven patch of ground or half a hillside or someplace you want a hill? Could potentially be easier to just dump a ton of dirt/rocks on top of the root cellar freezer(s)... If you don't already have a copy of _Root Cellaring _ by Mike and Nancy Bubel, get one. Well worth the $11 or whatever.

Yeah, well, I expect this year to be a wetter one....

That's a good idea about making a hill. Otherwise we'd have to dig near the woods, but there's a creek there, and I don't want the root cellar to flood.

[Owen'nZoe]

Originally Posted by kriket

ah, yes. You can't prevent a man from shooting something he's already set his mind to shoot.