Raised bed gardening has surged in popularity over the last few years, as folks recognise the enormous benefits. Now people are turning to making their own DIY raised bed to reap the following benefits:
- Soil in raised beds warms up faster in spring for a longer growing season each year
- No stooping when tending to your produce, so it’s ideal for those who might otherwise find the rigours of gardening a bit taxing
- It doesn’t matter how unsympathetic your local soil makeup might be to fruit and vegetables, as you can choose your own super nutritious compost to grow in.
A potential issue with raised beds can be the initial investment cost. Pre-fabricated raised beds from garden centres and building materials supply centres are often eye-wateringly expensive. Luckily, if you’re feeling resourceful, it’s possible to knock up a raised bed or two for less than the cost of a fish and chip supper by reusing waste materials. Take a look at these tutorials…
DIY raised bed made from recycled wooden pallet and shutters
This DIY raised bed gets its great looks from the clever reuse of an old window shutter! Who’d imagine that underneath this elegant louvred façade sits nothing more than a reconstituted shipping pallet? Check out these 42 free DIY raised garden bed plans & ideas that you can build in a day.
DIY raised bed from recycled tree stumps
This herb garden is making a serious style statement – and completely biodegradable! The crafty maker of these stump planters got the idea when a tree in their garden had to come down and the trunk was too beautiful to burn. Find out how to hollow out a tree stump in this tutorial.
DIY raised bed from recycled tyres
An interesting way to deal with the big waste problem caused by old tyres. The plants in the above picture certainly look happy, however not everyone’s a fan of growing fruit or veg in old tyres, due to worries about how the tyre material could potentially break down into the soil. Whilst we know folks who’ve had entire tyre gardens, we’d recommend steering clear if you’re at all concerned – or perhaps you could try out some of the other uses for old tyres listed here?
Recycled bath tub
A jolly flower display indeed, yet this raised bath tub flower bed could just as easily be a useful home for fruit, herbs or vegetables. As you can create a decent soil depth within the bath, you could grow all kinds of delicacies!
Recycled buckets
Chop the base out of an old bucket and fill with soil for a close to instant raised bed. These chaps didand look at the luxuriant display of tomatoes and sunflowers in their veg patch. Having smaller DIY raised beds such as these gives much more room to manoeuvre when picking, watering or having a post-dinner stroll!
Recycled steel
Not for those faint of DIY heart, but if you’re up for a challenge then making your own raised beds from used sheet metals is both an eco-friendly and long-lasting solution to creating growing space in your garden. Interested in having a bash? Check out the tutorial. Alternatively, scroll down for a ‘ready-made’ option…
Recycled filing cabinet
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you – that is indeed a boring, obsolete filing cabinet transformed into a bright and beautiful planter. As easy as 1-2-3, so long as you’re comfortable drilling drainage holes and having a go with some spray paint.
Recycled wooden crate
Very shabby chic! If you happen across a vintage wooden crate in a charity shop or at a car boot, snap it up as they’re ideal for growing a few fresh salad leaves outside the back door. A simple packet mix and a sunny, sheltered spot could save you a fortune on bought salad this summer!
Do you have a space for growing fruit and veggies? What are you planning to grow this year? Share your thoughts and tips with us here or on Twitter and Facebook!
