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Many hobby gardeners opt for a raised bed made of wood. There are numerous types of wood. Larch wood is one possibility. But is it recommended? The answer is below.

Recommendation: Raised bed made of larch

Larch wood is particularly recommended and should even be considered the first choice. This is due to the properties that the wood brings with it. This makes larch an excellent wood for raised beds.

Material comparison at a glance

Larch: Extremely hard, very moisture-resistant, exceptionally long service life, resistant to insects, fungi and acids, does not require treatment with protective agents, expensive purchase price

Jaw: Much lighter, slightly yellowish wood tone, softer, contains resin, usually the cheapest type of wood, requires treatment with a preservative

Fir: softer, lighter in weight, light wood color, quickly becomes unsightly

Birch: more fine-grained, relatively heavy, less breaking strength, not ideal for gluing

Beech: very hard, but also very sensitive to moisture

Oak: just as hard, just as durable, very dry wood, tolerates moisture very well, usually even more expensive than larch wood, but not significantly more suitable

humidity

The Larix originally comes from northern regions, where it has learned to deal well with moisture. For this reason, it is very popular as a material for the construction of outdoor facilities. As a raised bed material, therefore, no damage is to be expected from moisture caused by rotting processes and watering in raised beds.

weather resistant

Larch trees from their homeland are also used to hot summers, icy winds, frosty temperatures and UV radiation of varying intensity. They are extremely robust and resilient in this respect, like hardly any other type of wood. Raised beds are often in full or shaded sun. Especially in summer, UV radiation and heat cause other types of wood to dry out quickly and become porous. Larch wood is therefore ideal for locations with particularly high weather influences.

hardness

Raised wooden beds made of Larix show themselves with a special wood hardness and density. In this way, optimal conditions must be created in which a firm enclosure of the individual layers is guaranteed and rotting can then take place in the best possible way.

Resistant to fungi and insect damage

Above all, experts mention the advantage of raised beds made of larix wood in terms of their resistance to fungal attack and insects. When things get really humid and warm in the raised beds, there is an ideal environment for fungal infestation. Due to the very robust surface and moisture-repellent properties, the risk of fungal attack on Larix wood is very low. Even insects are not very interested in the wood. In particular, the dreaded woodworm (Anobium punctatum), which can turn a raised bed into “wood shavings”, rarely takes a liking to the hardwood.

Notice: Thanks to its resistance to fungi and insects, you even save money on special wood preservatives to prevent pest and fungal infestation.

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acid-resistant

In some situations, microorganisms can produce sulphurous substances and acids in raised beds and release them into the environment. Although these are organic acids, they can also attack the raised bed wood. With larch wood, the acid does not get into the wood and usually decomposes on the wood surface without having a noticeable negative effect on the larch wood.

longevity

The properties of larch wood mentioned above result in a long durability in their entirety. In terms of hardness, resilience and suitability for moisture, in particular, it is comparable to German oak, which is said to have a lifespan of many decades.

optics

Larix wood is one of the types that stand out due to their extremely natural look. Larches are therefore an ideal source of wood, especially for raised beds in natural gardens. In addition, it looks very noble, stylish and high-quality, so that it is the right choice for high demands.

price comparison

Garden owners have to dig deeper into their pockets for raised beds made of larch than for spruce or pine. Serious price differences can quickly amount to several hundred euros. In the long term, however, the investment pays off, as the lifespan of larch wood is significantly longer than that of other woods. For example, while a pine raised bed often has to be replaced after four or five years and there are regularly corresponding costs for the new purchase, it will end up being much more expensive for you. In addition, there is more work involved in rebuilding.

Tip: You can save real money if you build your larch raised bed yourself instead of buying it as a finished product.

Disadvantages of larch wood

The expensive price could be seen as a disadvantage if the long-term view of the service life were not taken into account. Otherwise, larch wood has no significant disadvantages as a material for raised beds.

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