Unconventional Raised Bed Building Material

[Anne Welsh]

I love to recycle anything I can, especially if I would have to pay to throw it out. Last year we replaced our cheap box spring and when I took the fabric off, it had a lovely wooden framework! I reworked it by cutting it in half, taking the middle boards out and adding them to the side to create a lattice box. It was about a foot deep, and perfect for growing my lettuce in last year. Added bonus, it looked great, no one could tell it was a box spring in its former life.

 

[toradrake]

Interesting, I never thought of that. I sometimes mix cardboard and newspaper in with the soil when I go to plant, but they only worked when I was in Georgia because the soil was so wet. I've seen people even use old truck tires to make planters. It is amazing how creative recycling products can be.

 

[IcyBC]

Sounds fantastic and what a great way to recycle! I wouldn't have thought of that idea at all

 

[Daren]

love the box spring idea Anna. I made a great Table out of a old Fire Door, I also have a few butler sinks In the garden & a fancy bidet planted up with flowers every summer

I may just do a box spring planter my own one day the more I think about it the more I like it

 

[steve bossie]

I've used wood pallets for everything from compost bins to raised beds. they're great to pile firewood on to keep it dry. I'm always scavenging them. when i need a board i pull one off a pallet!. i use the broken hardwood ones to grow oyster mushrooms on. old tractor tires make great raised beds!

 

[Nancy]

I have used all kinds of crazy stuff for raised beds in the past. My husband is a bit more picky and uses cinder blocks Old wooden bed frames with a headboard and foot board make really cute raised 'beds'. Drawers with the bottoms out make small beds. Small tree trunks, especially cedar, work well. Of course, large rocks are always a good choice to line beds. Once I found some blue plastic house siding with a scalloped edge that worked great. Each piece was 4 ft long and about 12" high and worked perfectly for square beds. I am always eyeballing junk I see and trying to figure out what I can use it for!!

 

[Kavatika]

I'm currently deconstructing heat-treated pallets to build my garden beds out of. My wonderful hubby spoiled me terribly and got me a reciprocating saw to cut through the nails with, so now I can completely deconstruct a pallet in about 30 minutes. Nice heat-treated pine, great for garden beds!