January 07, 2022

Raised Bed Gardening with Aluzinc Steel

Why Aluzinc Steel is best for raised bed gardening?

Here at Sproutbox Garden, we are one of the few manufacturers of Aluzinc steel raised garden beds. While raised beds are often made from wood, metal raised beds have become increasingly popular, namely for their impressive durability that lasts much longer than wood.

However, not all metals used for raised bed gardening are equal. Some are prone to rusting, while others lack the strength of wood, making them a less suitable option for long-term garden use.

Conversely, Aluzinc steel offers many advantages, making it arguably the best material for a raised garden bed. 

What is Aluzinc Steel?

Before we delve into the benefits of Aluzinc steel for raised bed gardening, it helps to know a bit about the material.

As the name suggests, Aluzinc steel consists of various metals. This includes a steel substrate that forms the bulk of the material, which is then galvanized with a special alloy made from a combination of zinc, aluminium, and silicon.

What are the Benefits of Aluzinc Steel?

Here’s a few reasons why Aluzinc steel is the best material for raised bed gardening:

Corrosion Resistance

Aluzinc steel is incredibly resistant to corrosion – more so than any other material used in raised bed gardens.

When considering material breakdown, Aluzinc steel outperforms wood every time, and by a long shot. Cedar is a popular wooden option available to build raised beds because it has natural oils that help protect the wood. However, it will lose its luster after one season, and soon will structurally fail to hold in the soil.  

Furthermore, Aluzinc steel is significantly more durable than other metals, including standard galvanized steel. It is anywhere between three to seven times more resistant to corrosion than galvanized steel.

This means that so little of the material deteriorates each year that you can expect Aluzinc steel to last for decades when left outside!

Given the extreme weather we experience here in Canada, having the most durable material possible for an outdoor raised bed is a huge advantage.

Unrivalled Strength

Not only is Aluzinc steel highly resistant to corrosion, but the material also offers exceptional strength, further improving durability.

For instance, Aluzinc steel has double the strength of regular galvanized steel and is up to five times stronger than most woods and plastics. This means that the material built to hold huge volumes of soil without ever losing its strength.

Expect it to hold up to the toughest of Canadian conditions without signs of stress to the metal.

Advanced Heat Reflectivity

A common concern that is discussed among gardeners who are considering switching to metal raised beds is that the soil will heat up to a harmful temperature for their plants.

Plant health is an important consideration, so let’s explore the facts.

When choosing between different brands of metal beds, be sure to take note of the thickness of the material. Make sure the thickness provides durability. The advantage to Aluzinc steel is that it does not take a copious amount of material to provide a surprisingly durable product. 0.6mm of material can be plenty to provide a long life and strength to hold the structure of the raised bed garden. This is all important when considering heat absorption. The ratio to Aluzinc steel to soil provides a substantial heat absorption rate to maintain proper soil temperature within the raised garden bed.

Aluzinc steel also boasts of a high albedo capacity. Albedo is the measurement that indicates how well a material reflects solar energy. This is yet another reason why Aluzinc steel is a superior material to use for raised bed gardening.

Contamination Free Growing

Wood, plastic, and less durable metals all break down over time. When used as material for raised bed gardens, the breakdown of material causes contaminants to seep into the soil, roots, and plants growing there.

Aluzinc steel has no such issue, never seeping any sort of chemical into the soil even under the most extreme conditions.

Consider the mineral make up of Aluzinc steel and how it interacts with the soil. Garden soils are neutral and it requires acidity to break down the zinc coating, therefore there is minimal influence on your plants. Plus, zinc is an essential plant nutrient and a typical part of the soil.

This guarantees organic soil free from harmful contaminants, something any gardener wants for their raised beds. 

If you want the best material for raised bed gardening be sure to check out Sproutbox Garden’s Aluzinc steel raised garden beds!

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