Joel Greene

Here is a different perspective on methyl bromide fumigation of pallets:

http://www.rootsimple.com/2011/06/are-pallets-safe-to-reuse/

Ok, this thread may be drifting away from permaculture concepts, so I won't make more comments about this matter, and will leave it up to individuals to read up on the subject.

Thank you for this information! Now I'll have to check those pallets and remove any that are chemically treated. Ugh. So many ways to trip up.

Thanks for the input. I don't think I've ever seen a pallet constructed with treated wood. There were a few pallets I passed on because they had some paint on them. The boards are mostly pine and a few hardwoods. I'm in a somewhat suburban setting and don't have easy access to a quantity of logs and branches. Pallets can be pretty easy to get ahold of and are a little easier for one person to move around than large logs and stumps. So ease of handling and construction was a consideration too. Lastly, I figured my neighbors would be less weirded out by a big box as opposed to a big hugel pile.

Hello Everyone!
Here are some photos illustrating the construction of a hugelkultur inspired raised bed I built this autumn, which I call a Pallet Garden. I have access to free shipping pallets, which would otherwise be thrown away.

My location is Flagstaff Arizona - a high altitude (7000 ft) arid forest with poor soil comprised of clay and rocks. Flagstaff has a 61 day growing season and the first frost free day here is in the middle of June! Flagstaff is a challenging place for growing food, especially for a novice gardener like myself.

I stacked wood pallets, filling in the voids between the pallets with soil, horse manure, partially rotting logs, rotting straw, and mulch. Because the walls are vertical, the pallets are wrapped with 10oz burlap fabric. The burlap is 40" tall and is stapled directly to the wood pallets. Sticks were placed around the perimeter of the pallets to support the burlap that comes up above the level of the pallets. Soil and mulch was piled up to nearly to the top of the burlap. The bed is currently mellowing under a pile of snow. Now I have a few months to decide what to plant and where. Slits will be made in the burlap as needed to insert seeds and or plants into the vertical walls.
Forward!
Joel