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Are metal raised garden beds safe?

What are metal raised garden beds made of?  

It is generally made of galvanized steel or aluminum-zinc steel materials.  

Our Olle garden beds is made of aluminized magnesium zinc steel.  

1.What is galvanized steel?  

Galvanizing is the process of bonding a layer of zinc to a surface of steel or other ferrous metal, such as iron.  This process prevents steel or iron from rusting when it comes into contact with water.  Most galvanized steel is made by a hot dip process.  Steel plates, whether corrugated or smooth, will be completely immersed in molten zinc.  This will form a uniform coating on the surface of the steel.  Sometimes the metal is cooled to make the material fully bonded and then reimmersed in the secondary coating.  

2.What is aluminized magnesium zinc steel?  

Aluminum plated magnesium zinc steel plate is a new type of high corrosion resistance coating steel plate, its galvanized layer composition is mainly zinc, composed of zinc plus 11% aluminum, 3% magnesium and trace silicon, steel plate can produce thickness range of 0.27mm- 9.00mm, can produce width range of 580mm- 1524mm.  

Due to the compound effect of these added elements, the corrosion inhibition effect is further improved.  In addition, it has excellent machining performance under severe conditions (tensile stamping, bending, paint welding, etc.), high hardness of coating, and excellent damage resistance.  Compared with ordinary galvanized and aluminized zinc products, less adhesion can achieve better corrosion resistance, because of this super corrosion resistance, in some fields can replace stainless steel or aluminum into use.  The anti-corrosion self-healing effect of cutting end face part is a major feature of the product.  

3.Are metal raised garden beds safe?  

Yes, galvanized metal raised garden beds are becoming one of the most popular garden beds.  They are durable, strong, resistant to damage, don't decay like wood, and can last for decades;  Zinc coatings are safe enough for livestock feeding and watering. Zinc is an essential micronutrient for plants and a normal part of soil, and it's unlikely to leach into your food, so they're perfectly safe for plants as well.  

 

 

4.How do You secure your metal garden bed?  

Galvanized steel is a strong material that can withstand most garden uses.  But there are ways to make sure your metal garden bed is safe for decades to come!  That is, avoid using fresh chicken manure in your metal garden bed.  While it's amazing, its acidity will break down the zinc surface more quickly, putting the steel at risk of rusting.  Instead, use composted chicken manure or other organic fertilizers to select plants that will grow in neutral soil and keep the pH of the soil on the neutral side.  At neutral levels, zinc is less likely to break down into the soil.  If you're growing acidophilic plants, consider using plastic liners.  Plastic can prevent acid soil from coming into direct contact with metal, as long as it covers only the sides and does not interfere with the drainage of metal raised garden beds.  

The benefits of metal raised garden beds  

The metal garden bed does not expand or contract, does not require oil or paint to maintain it, and accepts whatever nature throws at it.  Shallower metal raised garden beds easily fill your preferred pH neutral, well drained soil, however, deeper metal raised garden beds may require more filling material.  Metal raised garden beds withstand cold and heat well, and most metals heat up in the sun, but wet soil is an amazing coolant for hot metals, so your garden or pot won't get too hot, especially if you've been watering.  Because metal can transfer some heat, soil on either side of a metal garden bed may be warmer than in the center.  This can actually be a good thing, especially in the spring when the soil on the metal garden bed heats up faster than the ground, allowing you to start planting your garden earlier.  And metal raised garden beds are easy to assemble and can be quickly installed.