Bricks and mortar raised bed ?

[wotters]

hi all , is it possible and safe to make a permanent raised vegetable bed from bricks and mortar , im an ex bricklayer so the work is no problem, just wandering if anyone can see any problems with that?

[Plot70]

I built a 5X2 foot bed and planted blueberries in it on an old concrete slab. I left some slots along one edge for drainage.
I later built a long narrow flower border also with bricks and mortar.
They have both been fine and in my back garden.
They are not allowed on our allotments though.

[greenishfing]

When I was a small child my grandad had a large greenhouse, big enough for a rocking chair and coal burning stove at one end. He had brick built raised beds with hot water pipes running through them. His paths were brick too, laid out in a herringbone pattern.

[Snoop Puss]

Hello and welcome to the Vine, wotters.

I don't have bricks in my garden but always assumed they were safe. Raised beds in greenhouses were often made with bricks, as GF says. But looking online, I see there is some doubt about some types of bricks and whether or not they might contain harmful chemicals. But as you're experienced in bricklaying, you'll know the materials you're proposing to use.

The only other potential drawback is that it'll be a lot of work if you decide you want to change the location of your beds. When I started growing veg, I must have changed my veg patch layout at least three times. Probably more in fact...

Have you been growing veg long and so know your patch very well? Is your patch at home or an allotment site?

[Plot70]

The bricks I used were all salvaged Victorian ones that were well weathered.