Five Reasons Why You Should Use Cedar Lumber for Your Garden Beds (2024)

admin | March 1, 2021

Wondering how you can inject some interest into your home’s landscaping? Whether you have a green thumb or not, adding cedar garden beds is an easy landscaping update that instantly boosts the appearance of your whole yard. If you’re looking to enhance your landscaping in Seattle, WA, read on to see why cedar is the smart choice for your garden beds.

Cedar is durable

Since your planter boxes are exposed to the elements of nature, the wood you choose to make these boxes needs to be durable. Even though cedar is lightweight compared to other woods, it’s also very durable. It’s naturally bacterial and fungal resistant, and it contains natural oils that preserve the wood even in a humid climate like that of Seattle, WA. If you want to extend the life of your planter boxes even further, apply a coat of sealant or stain to protect the wood for years to come.

Cedar has a pleasant scent

Wood from the cedar tree has been prized for millennia not only for its durability, but also for its pleasant, earthy scent. It’s why many homeowners use cedar mulch to spruce up flowerbeds or cedar lumber to create attractive retaining walls. Use cedar for your garden boxes so you and your visitors can enjoy the lovely aroma as you walk about your garden.

Cedar keeps bugs away

Love having a garden, but hate the bugs that sometimes come to visit? Use cedar for your garden beds to keep pesky insects away. They don’t share the fondness for the smell of cedar that humans have. Since insects generally stay away from cedar, your prized plants in your garden beds won’t become their next snack.

Cedar boosts your home’s overall curb appeal

The wood of the cedar tree is unmistakably beautiful. Western red cedar, in particular, has a striking red color that really stands out against lush, green plant life. There are also plenty of other color options to choose from, including white, brown, pink and more. When you’re constructing your cedar garden beds, you always have the option to stain it in the shade of your choice. Don’t worry if you want to leave the wood raw—it weathers to an attractive silvery color that looks great in any garden.

Cedar helps your plants grow

Cedar planter boxes actually improve the health of the plants you put in them. Since this wood is thermal coefficient, it stays cool even on the hottest of days. It insulates the roots of your plants, allowing them to keep absorbing water to feed the rest of the plant. The result is healthier, happier plants.

You can have your home in tip-top shape, but if you’ve neglected your landscaping, your curb appeal inevitably suffers. If you’re a homeowner in Seattle, WA, cedar garden beds can instantly help your landscaping, and your property as a whole, to stand out from the rest of the neighborhood. Contact Stewart Lumber & Hardware Co. to find the best wood for your gardening project.

Five Reasons Why You Should Use Cedar Lumber for Your Garden Beds (2024)

FAQs

Five Reasons Why You Should Use Cedar Lumber for Your Garden Beds? ›

Cedar lumber is often used in constructing raised beds. It offers a natural resistance to rot and insects. Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is very rot resistant and will last for years even when in contact with soil. However, the wood is very dense and can be hard to work with.

Why is cedar good for garden beds? ›

Cedar lumber is often used in constructing raised beds. It offers a natural resistance to rot and insects. Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is very rot resistant and will last for years even when in contact with soil. However, the wood is very dense and can be hard to work with.

What are the benefits of cedar lumber? ›

Pros of Cedar

Cedar has a long history of use in decking and housing. It's a durable wood that is naturally resistant to rot, decay and insect attacks, and resists moisture absorption, so it tends to last longer, needs less maintenance, and doesn't warp or split as easily.

What is the best wood to use for garden beds? ›

The Short Answer

Some types of wood that work well include cedar, redwood, cypress, black locust, and osage orange. These materials last for multiple years without leaching harmful chemicals into the soil.

How long will a cedar raised bed last? ›

Most raised beds are constructed from lumber. Pine and other framing lumber will last about 4 to 5 years, while more expensive cedar will hang together for 8 to 10 years.

Is cedar good for soil? ›

Cedar mulch is a popular option that is widely available and fairly affordable. It can help regulate the soil temperature, improve moisture retention, suppress weeds, repel pests, and improve the aesthetic of your garden.

What are the pros and cons of cedar? ›

While cedar wood is naturally resistant to rot and insect damage, it has some disadvantages. Cedar can be relatively expensive compared to other softwoods. It may also have a strong aroma that some people find unpleasant.

Why cedar wood is the best? ›

Cedar thrives in damp climates, enabling it to withstand many conditions. Cedar doesn't shrink, swell, warp, or decay even when there are severe changes in weather, which makes it such an ideal choice for exterior siding. Cedar is sound resistant. Cedar is a porous wood, which gives it the ability to absorb noise.

What does cedar help with? ›

People take Eastern red cedar for cough, bronchitis, joint pain (rheumatism), water retention, and flatulence. They also take it to improve appetite and digestion, and as a treatment for fungal infections and worms.

Why is cedar good for outdoors? ›

Yes, Cedar is an excellent choice for outdoor applications. It naturally resists rot, decay, and pests while withstanding weather changes. Its durability and rustic charm make it a preferred option for decks, furniture, and fences. You can extend a Cedar wood's lifespan and preserve its color with routine maintenance.

What is cedar best used for? ›

It is naturally rot and insect resistant, so it is frequently used for outdoor applications, such as outdoor furniture, decking, and siding. However, cedar is also frequently used to create indoor furniture like chests and tables, as it has a unique reddish hue and gives off a welcomed scent.

Why is cedar good for the environment? ›

Western Red Cedar is commonly known for its excellence in decreasing greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide. Moreover, cedar is largely found in managed forests, which means it is ethically sourced. These forests have protected wildlife habitats that allow biodiversity to flourish.

Is cedar good for raised beds? ›

Cedar is often considered the golden standard for building raised beds, and it's my favorite option to use. The downside is that the cost of cedar has, unfortunately, risen a lot over the last few years.

What wood should not be used in a raised garden bed? ›

Avoid using older types of wood treatments such as CCA, creosote, and Penta-treated lumber. Research from Oregon State University showed that pressure-treated lumber does increase soil copper concentrations by a minor amount, but only within 1 inch of the raised-bed edge.

What is the longest lasting raised garden bed? ›

While untreated wood has a limited lifetime, using cedar, redwood, cypress, or hemlock can prolong the garden's life expectancy by five or ten years, meaning you can enjoy decades with your wooden raised beds. Steel is next in durability, and stone and brick can quite literally last a lifetime.

What are the disadvantages of cedar mulch? ›

5 Reasons to Not Use Cedar Mulch
  • Negatively Affects Your Yard's Ecosystem. It's true that cedar mulch is excellent at repelling problematic pests from your garden beds. ...
  • Increased Risk of Allergies. ...
  • Contributes to Overly Acidic Soil. ...
  • Toxic to Seedlings. ...
  • Dangerous to Dogs.
Jan 26, 2024

Does cedar affect bed bugs? ›

Cedar expels phenols along with acids and together they perform as a natural pesticide. When phenols and acids in cedar enter the respiratory tract and blood system of invading pests, they cause damage. And it's not just bed bugs that cedar repels, but moths, roaches, ticks and other bugs too.

Is cedar or pine better for vegetable garden? ›

Cedar is often considered the golden standard for building raised beds, and it's my favorite option. It's naturally resistant to rot and pests thanks to its natural tannins. (Pine, by the way, has a lower level of these tannins, so it's not naturally protected from rot and pests.)

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