An extra update to share our latest - and maybe greatest 😉 - garden box yet: the MM-Bamboo.
So, today it's all about bamboo.
Our new vegetable garden table: MM-Bamboo
Why did we make these garden boxes?
Simple: when we saw the material, we knew. We would make bamboo version of the MM-Hero: the best, best-looking, and the most sustainable garden box you can find 🙂
And we succeeded. The MM-Bamboos are:
ridiculously beautiful and stay that way
super durable
way better for the environment than wood
They have the same super-sturdy design as the MM-Heroes.
They're 100% in line with our Planty Gardening standards, because we only want to sell things that are good for the planet. And for you of course.
The MM-Bamboo in our Planty Garden
The garden boxes come in 2 sizes and 2 versions: 60x120 cm and 120x120 cm, with or without a bottom and legs.
Just kidding. Well, kind of. The material is expensive.
That's because the companies that make it meet all our requirements in terms of durability, working conditions, and environmental impact.
And, you can only harvest bamboo at a certain time of year, which has something to do with the rainy season. When we ordered it, it just wasn't the season for it and we had to make do with the stock that was available at the time.
These bamboo planks are top quality
But bamboo is light and cheap, right?
Nope. You're probably thinking of the cheap kitchenware that's just marketed as 'bamboo'.
That stuff is light and cheap, and usually made from melamine plastic with bamboo fibers tossed in.
So, it's pretty much just plastic and far from sustainable. Plus, it releases formaldehyde when heated, which in large quantities is harmful to your health. It's been in the news a lot lately.
'Bamboo' kitchenware like these are made mostly of plastic
What about our bamboo?
It's the exact opposite: it's heavy, expensive (unfortunately), and super sustainable. Sustainable because it's both long-lasting and because growing bamboo is extremely good for the environment.
This bamboo species grows ridiculously fast - sometimes up to 1 meter a day in the spring. They grow super tall and have thick stems, which become woody after a few years.
The stem can be harvested after about 5 years, which is 10x faster than trees.
Several stems grow from a single root system. Cutting down 25% of the stems each year keeps the plants healthy and produces more bamboo. Good forest management means lots of new growth.
The bamboo in the forest is harvested responsibly
And a well-managed bamboo forest absorbs up to 5x more nitrogen than a normal forest and releases 35% more oxygen. You can why bamboo has a lot of environmental advantages.
The MM-Hero planks are made of recycled plastic, which saves the world a lot of waste. Bamboo is good because of the nitrogen it absorbs as it grows. It also helps stop deforestation as a better alternative to wood.
The MM-Hero planks really will last forever. The MM-Bamboo for at least 20 years.
The Hero is gray and the MM bamboo has a warm wood color - even nicer to look at.
It's just a matter of what you like better. And, since we use the same legs and bottom for the garden tables, everything fits together beautifully. They look great together too:
An MM-Hero and MM-Bamboo in the Planty Garden
Jeez, Jelle - those garden boxes are pretty expensive 😐
That's right. They are.
If you're just starting out with a Planty Garden, I'd take it slow if I were you. You can try making your own vegetable garden box from leftover wood.
When I started at 14, I made my first boxes from the boards left behind after our house was built:
My first Planty Garden box
But if you have to buy the wood yourself, you'll be shocked: either by the price or by the poor quality. And there's not just the wood, but also the screws, the grid, and the weed mat.
