:idea: In the raised beds that have loose blocks {uncemented} I go out early in the morning, flip a block over on its side and nuke them with a hand held propane torch. Sounds cruel but its either them or my veggies and I intend to eat. I won't use pesticides either, or any other chemicals . The insects eventually build up a tolerance to chemicals and I figure I don't need any carcinogens in my food supply. I have tried buying insects like praying mantis but they will only hang around for a couple days before dissapearing and don't put a dent in the sow bug population.

This is not good news. I just looked up "Sow Bugs" and it seems they cannot be controlled?

http://www.pestcontrolcanada.com/sow_bugs.htm

If you have any techniques for control - short of pesticides, because I do not use them in the garden.

:D Most definately :!: Being in the masonry, plastering and concrete business for 40 years, I would occasionaly have a few 8x8x16 inch concrete blocks leftover after building a foundation. I have made several raised beds and they have outlasted every other material for this application. The only drawback is that they supply "SOW BUGS" with habitat to live in during the daytime and then munch on your veggies at night. My garden is on a hillside and a terraced effect can be made by using 2 or 3 blocks high on the deep side of the slope. On these walls I used 8x8x16 inch "FAST BLOCK" with open ends, placed a piece of 1/2" rebar in the blocks and topped them off with cement to hold everything together. That was done half a lifetime ago and they are still in use today.

I'm 99.99% sure I'm going to invest the $300+ for 144 concrete blocks to build eight 4x8 garden beds. I have been reading up on it for ages, it seems. Reasons:

+They don't pollute.
+They will not rot.
+They will stay in place.
+When you have watered the beds they seem to act as "clay pots" and retain the moisture, releasing it back into the bed slowly. Makes good sense in this drought country of Ol Wyoming.
+Easy as heck to amend the soil and it will stay there!

Anybody have any experience with raised beds made of cinder block?