Do I Need to Cover Wood on a Deck Before Making a Flower Bed?

Flower Boxes

• If you are thinking about adding vegetation to your deck, consider your goals and the pros and cons of different options. One option is to build a flower bed into the railing. This can be a box that you build into the railing, or a box that hangs from the railing. In either case, you should use a plastic, glass or ceramic container that fits inside of the box you build to hold the soil and plants. You should also have a container that sits under the container holding the plants to catch drainage from the plant container.

Containers

• If your goal is to use vegetation to add color to your deck, a container garden may be an option to consider. Half-barrels are popular for gardens on decks. Large flower pots may also work well. A benefit of using flower pots is that you can rearrange them as the light changes or move them out of the way for more room on the deck. You can also move them inside when nights start to freeze, allowing you more time to enjoy the plants.

Flower Beds Near the Deck

• If you are planning to build a flower bed adjoining the deck, you should cover any wood that will be next to the dirt with plastic or wood sealer. If you are planning a wood project that has contact with the ground, use treated lumber. Sealing it or covering it can further extend the life of the lumber.

  No matter what method you use to add vegetation to your deck, be sure that no moisture or dirt and debris has extended contact with the wood. Containers should be moved frequently to make sure they dry out underneath. It isn't a problem for wood to get wet, but when it stays wet, you start to have problems.