I found the wood in a free scraps bin for a lumber supply store. They get rid of pieces with cracks or that aren't uniform. You can't tell the way we put it together, but three of the four pieces have breaks or parts of the wood missing, and one piece is a little longer than the other side. (We're still adding to our tool collection, so DH didn't have a good saw to cut it for me) The potting soil was free too - using a free after rebate promo another store was having last month. Fertilizer? free from my composting in an empty kitty litter tote all winter. Alright, I did pay a little (sort of, even if it wasn't out of pocket) for the plants - four pepper seedlings for 88 cents, a HUGE bag of onion bulbs for $1.50, and the strawberry plant I bought using a gift card I had won from an instant win game online last fall.
My dirt in the yard isn't really fertile, so the only way I could plant (besides my container gardening) was by making the raised bed. It was so EASY I could do it myself - I just used a hammer and put each board together with two nails each side. If you are worried about weeds, you can put a plastic trash bag down before putting the wood frame down (make sure they are a few perforated holes in it so the excess water can go down), but I didn't do that. Pile in about 1" of fertilizer (you can even use old leaves from last fall, coffee grinds really rock, not that you'd have 1" worth, but they are great to save!), and top with your potting soil - add your plants and you are good to go! It took me about a half an hour to have it ready to go, so it's not a time consuming project especially if you have little helpers to help you spread the dirt and make the holes. ;)
If it looks like there is a lot of wasted space - I have a bunch of those onions planted in there too. I realized earlier this week after buying another small tray of tomato plants a few weeks ago, that they are doing the same thing as last year - the leaves are turning a funny color and they aren't growing. I thought it was just ME, because I know I am the world's worst gardener! But I bought the plants at the same place last year, and the big ones I bought a few weeks earlier than that somewhere else are doing GREAT - I've got flowers on them so hopefully I will have some good tomatoes before I know it.
So while my garden won't be featured in any fancy gardening magazines, I think for the total cost wise, it's been worth it! Don't be afraid to look for free wood by simply asking lumber places in your area, and if you strike out, ask on Freecycle or Craigslist. I've seen lots of extra seedlings already available on ours, so ask, and you may receive. (and don't forget to share, if you've been blessed with extra!)
6 comments:
kitty litter tote compost? can you tell me more about how you did it? I want to compost but don't want to be out the expense of one of those pricey ones plus I want a small one, thanks!
And think of the rewards from your garden! Very creative, pally.
I don't know what the temp is where you live but in PA where I live the advice is not to put tomatoes or peppers out till mid May at the earliest, early June is better (I put mine out anyway, covered). These two plants are tropical and really hate being cold. Just a thought. Also, tomatoes love eggshells. Maybe should caution readers not to use treated wood for raised veg bed. BTW, onions can be set out early in the spring; they like the cold.
Just make sure the wood you get is untreated wood, so no chemicals letch into the soil.
I don't think I'll be having as big a garden as last year, but I'm hoping a smaller one will be easier for me to keep up with. I have 24 strawberry plants, 4 rhubarb plants, numerous garlic plants, about 20 onion plants (I had over 100 onion plants last year and was able to freeze enough onions for all my soups and stew and gravy needs for the whole winter last year). Tomorrow I'll be transplanting the 4 tomato plants I have growing in the house, as well as the cucumber, bell pepper, and yellow summer squash I have growing inside too. I'll plant seeds for my green beans. I have some other seeds I'll plant, but I don't know if I'll have any luck with cantaloupe or watermelon because I haven't had any luck in the past. I just we had a longer growing season where I live.
That's great. I've seen raised garden beds/planters ranging from $40-$400.
This is such a steal =)
What a great idea! My soil in the yard isn't good for planting things either.. and It never even occurred to me that lumber supply store might have free bins, I will check that out!
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