Raised beds/borders on the cheap?

DD265

We want to put a raised border in along the fence line. It's 4.8m long, then looking for roughly 45cm x 45cm but that's flexible. Simply putting the plants in the ground doesn't seem feasible as the soil is naff and full of rubble. I think sticking a few pots on the lawn against the fence would look odd. We're not far off running out of space for pots on the patio but I want more plants.

We have some pallets but breaking them apart is proving to be a nightmare, and we're likely going to have to acquire a reciprocating saw. They're about £35, I don't think anybody we know has one that we can borrow. We could cut them so we don't have to worry about the nails, but they'd be very short pieces of wood then. We're probably going to need more pallets but there are countless being given away for free so that's not a problem.

Have looked into buying wood as an alternative but so far I've come in about £55 - been looking on the likes of Wickes. Haven't had the opportunity to contact a local timber merchant. I don't think it's a good idea to cut costs by using the fence rather than putting a back on the bed but maybe I'm wrong.

Is continuing with the pallets worthwhile, or is there a more cost effective way of doing this?

unrecordings

Used scaffolding boards. Scaffolding companies sell them off cheap when they're no longer safe to use. If you find a crew working nearby you might get delivery & cutting thrown in

silverwhistle

When I had my solar panels installed the scaffolders left their gear up quite a number of days longer than I thought necessary :-). I'd mentioned I was looking for scaffold boards for raised beds so when they went I discovered they'd left quite a few on the back lawn - sort of rent, I suppose. :-)


The new allotment I got last month will have some raised beds made from 3m by 200mm gravel boards. I've made one already and hope to do another one tomorrow. I've also made a diddy one, possibly for a few herbs, from pallet stringers. The long pallet deckboards (and blocks) I use for burning and making kindling and they're all easily demolished with a crowbar once you get the knack.


PS If you want fixing spikes, the cheapest place I've found is B&M: 79p for 450 mm in length.

shykins

hubby used old decking boards to make a large box area with 2 shelves above stacked . lined the bottom with a couple of old bags that sand etc is delivered in (from a neighbour) and troughs from poundland, 3 to a shelf

bit like one below but larger planting area at bottom and troughs instead of box shelves

https://www.laveronline.co.uk/forest-garden-compact-cascade-planter-p3474

clvrlad

a good way to open up the pallets is to basically cut them in half

just past the central block
its a lot less hassle than breaking the pallets apart and wont split the wood

you could even leave a pallet uncut and use it as a trellis at one end

silverwhistle

They make great composters too, even for someone with my limited skills: I've built one in the form of an E with some removable slats in front.

Alfrescodave

We want to put a raised border in along the fence line. It's 4.8m long, then looking for roughly 45cm x 45cm but that's flexible.

Don't forget the cost of filling such a large raised bed. Hopefully you'll have some composted garden material but additional soil/ compost doesn't come cheap.

silverwhistle

PS: if you need pallets try your local trading estate: I tend to get mine from a local plumbers merchant - 'please take them luv, they're a PITN'..