Building raised beds-cheap!

My plan of building raised garden beds has been put into motion.  For 2 months I have been researching this method of gardening and trying to figure out how to do it for (significantly) less than $100 per bed.   We have found our answer in cinder block.  My husband suggested it and at first I was underwhelmed at the idea, but the more I thought about it the more possibility I saw.  First of all, I am incorporating more flowers into my veggie garden this year to create a true kitchen garden.  Some will be edible, but some are just for prettiness.  The structure of a cinder block really lends itself to this.  There are 2 spaces perfect for nastursiums or thyme to drape down the side and this way there is no square footage “lost” to flowers!  As you can see, I am lining the outer part of the bed with bricks. I like the warmth and color it adds and at the end of the growing season I may paint the top portion of blocks to match.

Now to construction.  I use that term loosely as there are no real tools required.  Well, gardening tools, but no hammers or even nails.  I found my cinder blocks at Home Depot and they actually call them building blocks.  Mine are 8X8X16 and were $1.47 each.   It’s a good idea to do some drawing out of the shapes you want to make, (they don’t have to be rectangles!) because these blocks are HEAVY.   Clearing the space you intend to use is the most labor intensive part of this job and if you are clearing sod you really have your work cut out for you!

Basically you want your ground to be flat so your blocks can line up evenly.  You can use a level or string to be sure, but I am using the “that looks good” method.  Once you have lined up your blocks in the design you like fill both the bed you have created and the spaces in the block with soil/compost/mulch. (more on this later).  You are ready to plant!

A couple of things to consider.  When you are designing your beds, make sure you can easily reach inside to weed.  Typically 4 feet is considered the most manageable.  Also be sure to leave paths around the beds.  This not only makes them easier to work, it be a design element.   When you are considering what to use for a path material think about whether or not you want to spend anytime weeding it, mowing it, or replacing it.

Here is a list of possible bed fillers:

Compost is of course the gold standard for plants, however not everyone has access to 8-12 inches per bed of this brown gold.  Our city has compost available free to residents, and yours might too, check with your city hall to find out.  ( it’s a good idea to screen it when you didn’t make it yourself.)

The yellow pages is a great source for soil.  Lots of landscaping companies and some farms sell soil by the truckload.  Beg borrow or steal someone’s pickup and dedicate a Saturday to dirt.

While you are getting your soil ask if you can have/buy some hay or straw, which is also a good filler for your bed and really helps with an area that may not drain as quickly as you’d like.

If you are in an area that has a seasonal dispersal of leaves (called Fall in these parts) you can spread any that are still not broken down in a layer in your bed too.  This is also a great way to get rid of that leaf pile.

So now the best part….plant away!  Make sure you include something close to the edge that will drape over the side.  Also, when you are planting in this close of an area keep in mind that companion planting is important.  Companion planting is the art and science of placing plants that like each other close by.  This can help detur disease as well as pests.  Some sources even claim it makes things taste better.  See www.ghorganics.com/page2.html  for more information.  Happy Gardening!

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