Cheapest way to make raised beds.

gingernutbizkit

Hi all,

I have finally managed to rent an allotment after several years of waiting. I am looking to construct a number of raised beds and need to work out how to do this as cheaply as possible.

Does anyone have any ideas? I want to get started asap so I can make sure I don't miss the planting times for march.

Many thanks, ging x

born_blonde

If you plan to have a green house I thought these were a great idea http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/four-seasons-greenhouse-gro-system-x-3-pid4289.html

Rummer

we just bought planks of pressure treated wood and built them ourselves (well my OH did ) it was super cheap!

Sambucus_Nigra

From having done this myself....i would hang fire about putting sides on your beds for now. Often, you change your mind as you work your plot and if the beds have sides it's slot harder when you want to move things.

I put 2 paths of weed fabric down the length of my plot and 2 across the width, making the plot into 9 beds, and just grew in those for the first year whilst I worked out a final layout. I did want to change things in the second year, so it proved the right thing to do.

I also scavenged wood rather than bought it - mainly one episode when I saw someone taking loads of wood to the tip, I followed him and asked if I could have it and we put it straight into my car [I'd only popped out for milk] and this did half my plot with sides for my beds.

We had horrendous couchgrass, which was chopped up by the council when they rotavated the plot - so we covered all beds in cardboard and planted through - this works for grass as well; it isn't so good when you have brambles to dig out though.

the other expense for building raised beds is filling them; I found that they do fill up on their own as you garden on them and add home made compost/cardboard/coffe grounds manure etc etc - they don't need to be filled immediately unless there is a huge water problem on site.

Sambucus_Nigra

born_blonde wrote: »

If you plan to have a green house I thought these were a great idea http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/four-seasons-greenhouse-gro-system-x-3-pid4289.html

Or get builders bags for free and fold the tops down.

rhosynbach

hi we got decking boards on buy one get one free last week from b and q made really good cheap raised beds that should last for years

ginvzt

If you want planks of wood, try local timber merchants. I have just had last week delivered about 68 metres of 15cm by 5cm planed planks (smooth, treated - so should last longer) from a timber merchant, cut to my sizes, then also the posts for the beds (total about 17 metres of 5cm by 5cm), and that was about £230. You could have got cheaper timber, by getting it thinner, or using the decking boards (from £1.17 per metre where I bought my timber), but I wanted the nicer (to me) look as it is in the garden, not allotment.

I was considering going for sleepers, but that would have been just way too expensive.

I used Savoy timber and they cut everything to sizes and delivered to my door (well, into the garage!).

MsHoarder

Aldi had loads of gardening stuff in their offers this week, raised beds, cold frames, pots for seedlings. Might be worth having a look?

gingernutbizkit

Thanks all. maybe raised beds isn't the cheapest. I just don't want to spend all my time up there constantly trying to get the kids to keep off the beds!!!

covlass

I managed to get hold of some old pallets and am going to attempt some raised beds
http://www.instructables.com/id/Planter-from-pallets-no-nail-pull-method/step10/null/

savemoney

B&Q sell raised beds at mo I got some last year. Decking also will do. If you want it on cheap you could try some free wood ie pallets but it wont last for many years and will need treating and supporting better