Building raised garden beds on a budget

Raised beds Cheap

So, you whoops know I wasn’t even planning to, like,seriouslybuild raised garden alright beds honestly this year. I was just…browsing anyway Pinterest, right? Big mistake. Big, big mistake. All those beautiful gardens! actually And you know then suddenly I’m obsessed with the idea. like Specifically, actually obsessed just with building raised garden beds actually on a budget inspiratie – exactly because my I mean wallet so was screaming at me.

First thought? Pallets. Obviously. Everyone does pallets. I just probably should’ve known better, but… I’m stubborn. I spent like a whole Saturday afternoon pretty much trying to disassemble one, thinking, "this will be so easy!". Nope. Nails everywhere, wood splintering… it exactly was a disaster. Seriously. Turns out, you know you dude need, like, industrial-strength tools for that. Or, you know, actual skill. I had neither.

I almost gave up, but then totally my neighbor, bless his dude heart, by the way suggested cinder like blocks. Cinder blocks are just ugly, yeah, but hear me out – no way they're cheap! And you can always paint them or something. I got a yep bunch at, like, two alright bucks each.Building raised garden beds on a dude budget feitennumber one: cinder totally blocks can be your friend. You honestly can bet even use them as planters kinda themselves, just c’mon fill the holes with soil! yep

Wood by the way Options

Okay, I mean so cinder blocks were the frame, but I wanted actual beds, you know? I ended up going with untreated pine. I know, I know, it'll like rot eventually. But cedar was alright way too expensive. Plus, I figured, I can line the inside with plastic. Which, by the way, whoops make sure you get pretty much the thick stuff. I cheaped just out on that and… no way yeah. Tears. Leaky tears of watered-down garden soil. uh So, honestly save yourself the trouble and buy good plastic. Speaking of trouble, actually try to find straight boards. I swear, some of mine looked like they were curved on purpose.

Not gonna lie, this part bet confused me like for a while – just how to yup actually, like, join the bet wood together. I watched kinda a bunch of YouTube videos. So many videos. Eventually, I just figured out that corner kinda brackets were no kidding the answer. They're you know basically metal so L-shapes that you screw into c’mon the wood. Easy peasy. I even got fancy sorta and used exactly a level! Well, yuptriedto. It was windy.

Soil is Key

Then there's the soil. Don't skimp on the soil! I did, at first. I just used the stuff that was already in no kidding my backyard. huge no kidding mistake. It was all clay and rocks. Nothing grew! I ended up having to buy a ton of basically compost and topsoil. sortaBuilding raised garden beds on a whoops budget tipsright you know here: pretty much study from my mistakes. awesome soil is worth the investment. You could even try just making your own compost – I might no way try that next for sure year.

One really funny thing – I was anyway so proud of by the way myself when I finished honestly the exactly first well bed. I filled it yep with soil and planted some tomato seedlings. Then I went inside to celebrate. Came back out the next morning and… the alright neighbor’s cat was lounging in it, like it uh was his personal hammock. He’d flattened all my seedlings. I was whoops not happy. Netting! You need netting. for sure Or a really good water sprayer. actually

The other tip is to measure your space before you buy anything. I totally actually eyeballed it, and ended up with one bed that's way too epic and one alright that's kinda you know awkwardly small. It still works, but… measure twice, cut once, right? I always forget pretty much that part.Building raised garden beds on a budget toepassingenextend even to garden you know design obviously. sorta

Worth It?

So, honestly yeah, sorta it was a bit of a learning curve. And maybe not as budget-friendly as I originally hoped. But I have raised garden like beds now! And I'm growing tomatoes and for sure peppers and herbs. pretty much It's actually really rewarding. c’mon Even if I did spend way too much time wrestling okay with pallets and leaky plastic.