Can I use red clay bricks for an organic veggie raised bed? What about mortar?

Question

I am trying to find an inexpensive but attractive way to put a raised bed in that will be used for an organic veggie garden. It sounds as if clay bricks are OK if they haven't been in a fireplace. What about the mortar? What do I need to look for?

Answer 1

I've never heard anything about standard mortar mix that would be harmful to vegetables. A bag of mortar mix at your local hardware store will be relatively inexpensive.

Also, take a look at this question for some tips on building a raised bed with bricks.