15 Inexpensive Raised Garden Bed Ideas Easy Enough to DIY (2024)

15 Inexpensive Raised Garden Bed Ideas Easy Enough to DIY (1)

Digging a garden can be an intimidating process, but what if we told you you could create a flower or veggie garden with hardly any digging at all? Thanks to raised gardens, all you'll need is some creativity, time, and patience. Not only can you do it yourself, but it's a fun project that's totally customizable to your needs.

Don't have a ton of space? Add a raised garden to your porch or patio—or go all out and turn your backyard into a mini-farm as you've always wanted to.

12 Raised Garden Bed Ideas to Try in Your Own Backyard

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Grab a Steel Bin

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Perhaps the easiest way to create a raised garden is to use a steel bin. These are normally used as stock tubs, but blogger Liz Marie Galvan used them to create a polished, rustic look in her backyard. Plus, they're easy to weed and care for since all of the plants are well-contained.

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Make a Basic Frame

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The most popular raised garden is made of wood, and creating a simple box will do the trick. Create a wood frame in the shape of a rectangle or square, place it on the ground, and begin to fill it with soil. If you want to get fancy, you can add a mesh perimeter to keep critters out like DinexDesign did here.

To keep from using all your good soil to fill the box, use compostable items like twigs and cardboard to fill up the bulk of your raised bed.

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Repurpose Discarded Materials

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If you live somewhere where there used to be a railroad, chances are there are some old ties lying around that you could use. Railroad ties are durable and heavy, so they won't move around or degrade on you quickly. Ask a friend with a heavy-duty saw to help you cut them to the dimensions you'd like, and then you've got a frame for your raised bed ready to go.

Add Some Hinges

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If you created a barrier to keep some critters from eating your valuable veggies, consider adding a hinge to them so you can swing them down while you tend to the garden. It'll keep you from having to reach over them each time, plus it'll make getting down into the soil much easier if they aren't there.

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Use Local Lumber

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You don't have to go out and buy super fancy materials to create a beautiful raised bed. This one is made of 2x4s stacked four high and secured at the corners. You can find these at your local hardware store for a pretty low price tag.

If you don't have a saw, most hardware stores will cut the wood down to size for you. Just ask.

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Opt for a Planter

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Not planning to have a huge garden? There are planters you can buy that work perfectly for small veggies and herbs. Plus, you can move these indoors in the winter if need be, extending your growing season by weeks.

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Use Stumps Instead of New Lumber

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Know someone who had to cut down a tree recently? Ask them if you can use pieces of the trunk. If you have the trunk cut into disks, you can stack them similar to how they did in the picture above to create a garden barrier. Or, if you have the manpower (i.e. a bunch of friends to help!), you could even use full tree trunks turned horizontally as your barrier.

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Make it Micro

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Sometimes a patio or balcony is the only space you have, but those make the perfect space for raised gardens. This tiny box could be made from wood scraps, and you could either drill in some makeshift legs made from tiny offcuts, or you can attach furniture legs for some extra flair.

To keep the bottom of your wood container from rotting out, line it with a trash bag or waterproof liner.

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Create Your Own Shapes

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It's your garden, shape it how you want to! By using wide wood boards, you can create nearly any shape you'd like to as long as you can properly cut the boards. Make sure your angles line up, and you can use old door hinges to connect the joints if you don't have something like a pocket hole jig. You can also use safety brackets to keep the boards from separating.

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Repurpose Large Planters

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Tall planters don't have to be for ornamental plants only. Some plants like tomatoes benefit from a deep root system, so putting them in a large planter gives them space to grow big and strong—plus it's so much easier to pick a ripe tomato when you aren't on your hands and knees.

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Grab a Bench

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There's nothing wrong with using pots in a raised garden. Sometimes, you don't have the space to plant in-ground, and a bench is a perfect solution to keep plants up off the concrete and closer to you while you tend to them. It's also a rather inexpensive option.

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Repurpose Shelves

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If you have a set of shelves that no longer serves you, turn it into a multi-tier raised garden. By using a jigsaw or large cutting bit on your drill, you can create holes that are similar to the circumference of your pots. Slip the pots into the holes and they'll be snug in the shelf. Plus, if your pots have drainage holes when you water the top plants, excess water will drip down and water the next level of plants.

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Try a Bathtub

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Chances are your local restore store or maybe even a junk yard has an old bathtub. These are nearly indestructible, so they make for a great raised garden. You can fill the base with gravel for some drainage, then sticks and cardboard, and top it off with some rich soil for your plants.

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Repurpose Pallets

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You might even be able to find one of these on the side of the road. Wood pallets are pretty easy to come by, and they make great planters. You can mount them on a wall or fence for a narrow raised garden for herbs, or you can place them on the ground and use the space between slats as dividers for rows of plants. The options are endless.

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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or beliefs, but I have been trained on a wide range of topics and have access to a vast amount of information. I can provide you with information related to the concepts used in this article.

The article discusses various ideas for creating raised gardens, which offer an alternative to traditional in-ground gardening. Raised gardens provide several benefits, including easier access, better soil control, and customization options. Let's explore the concepts used in the article in more detail:

1. Raised Gardens: Raised gardens are elevated beds that allow you to grow plants above ground level. They can be created using different materials, such as steel bins, wood frames, discarded materials, and repurposed items like stumps, planters, benches, shelves, bathtubs, and pallets. Raised gardens are versatile and can be adapted to fit various spaces, from small balconies to large backyard areas.

2. Steel Bins: Steel bins, typically used as stock tubs, can be repurposed as raised garden beds. They provide a polished, rustic look and are easy to weed and care for since the plants are contained within the bin.

3. Wood Frames: The most popular type of raised garden bed is made of wood. A basic frame in the shape of a rectangle or square is created and filled with soil. To conserve good soil, compostable items like twigs and cardboard can be used to fill the bulk of the raised bed. Mesh perimeters can be added to keep critters out.

4. Repurposed Materials: Various discarded materials, such as railroad ties, can be repurposed to create durable raised garden beds. Railroad ties are heavy and provide stability to the raised bed.

5. Hinges: Adding hinges to barriers can make it easier to tend to the garden by swinging them down. This eliminates the need to reach over the barriers and allows for easier access to the soil.

6. Local Lumber: Raised beds can be made using locally sourced lumber, such as 2x4s, stacked and secured at the corners. Local hardware stores often offer wood cutting services to help you get the right dimensions.

7. Planters: For smaller gardens, planters can be used instead of traditional raised beds. They can be purchased and are suitable for growing small veggies and herbs. Planters can be moved indoors during the winter, extending the growing season.

8. Stumps: Repurposed tree stumps can be used to create garden barriers. Trunks can be cut into disks and stacked or used horizontally as barriers.

9. Micro Gardens: Patios or balconies can be transformed into micro gardens using small raised beds made from wood scraps. Waterproof liners can be used to prevent the wood from rotting.

10. Custom Shapes: Raised beds can be created in various shapes by using wide wood boards. Old door hinges or safety brackets can be used to connect the joints and keep the boards from separating.

11. Tall Planters: Tall planters can be used to grow plants with deep root systems, such as tomatoes. They provide ample space for the plants to grow and make harvesting easier.

12. Benches: Pots can be placed on benches to create a raised garden. This solution is suitable for areas where in-ground planting is not possible. It also keeps the plants off the concrete and at a convenient height for tending.

13. Repurposed Shelves: Unused shelves can be repurposed to create multi-tier raised gardens. Holes can be drilled in the shelves to accommodate pots, allowing for efficient use of space and water drainage between levels.

14. Bathtubs: Old bathtubs can be repurposed as raised garden beds. The base can be filled with gravel for drainage, followed by sticks and cardboard, and topped with rich soil for planting.

15. Repurposed Pallets: Wood pallets can be repurposed as planters. They can be mounted on walls or fences for vertical gardening or placed on the ground with slats used as dividers for rows of plants.

These are just a few ideas mentioned in the article. Raised gardens offer a wide range of creative possibilities and can be tailored to suit your needs and available space. Remember to consider factors such as sunlight, water access, and plant compatibility when planning your raised garden.