Recycled raised garden

HunkieDorie23

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Apr 29, 2009
Messages
1,066
Reaction score
36
Points
177
Location
Georgia Bound
OK, I am thinking about putting in a raised bed garden next year and maybe starting this fall with my garlic. I have been seriously down sized at work and next year will only be working 15 hours a week so extra money is non-existant. I was trying to think how I could do it without $100's invested. I am a cook at our local school district and I have access to lots of cans (ie from fruit, sauces, veggies...) which we throw away everyday. I was thinking about saving them, staking out my beds, set the cans for the perimeter, then wire the cans attaching the wires to the corner stakes. I thought that the cans would last (no rotting wood to replace) and would also heat the soil so I could plant earily also.

Can anyone see flaws in this concept or suggestions to maybe make it better. I spent hours trying to think of something I could use but I don't want to get invested (just time) with this project to find that it is not going to work.
 

berry_Bob

Leafing Out
Joined
May 20, 2011
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Points
22
The cans will rust , you could use old tires and just cut the sidewall out with a sawsall , you can also paint them to make them look nicer , another idea is get some plastic 55 gal drums , cut the ends off then cut in half , or just cut in half and drill holes around the sides at the bottoms http://bluebarrelgarden.weebly.com/ good luck and keep us updated
 

HunkieDorie23

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Apr 29, 2009
Messages
1,066
Reaction score
36
Points
177
Location
Georgia Bound
I thought about rust but aren't they stainless steel? I also thought about tires but I would need a ton of them. My garden site is a traditional style and is about 3500 sq ft. To turn that size garden area into raised gardens beds is a really big expense.
 

berry_Bob

Leafing Out
Joined
May 20, 2011
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Points
22
I just looked it up , they are made of steel or tin which is basically the same thing so yes they will rust
 

lesa

Garden Master
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
6,645
Reaction score
566
Points
337
Location
ZONE 4 UPSTATE NY
There is absolutely no need to surround your garden. I know it is fashionable- but a mound of dirt will work perfectly... I have several raised beds like this- and I prefer them to the boxed ones, I have. If you are determined to box around it- keep your eye on craigslist ( and the side of the road)- you can use scrap wood. Good luck!
 

HunkieDorie23

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Apr 29, 2009
Messages
1,066
Reaction score
36
Points
177
Location
Georgia Bound
lesa said:
There is absolutely no need to surround your garden. I know it is fashionable- but a mound of dirt will work perfectly... I have several raised beds like this- and I prefer them to the boxed ones, I have. If you are determined to box around it- keep your eye on craigslist ( and the side of the road)- you can use scrap wood. Good luck!
Really? That would be awesome, do you have a problem with soil erosion when it rains? What are you growing in your mounded beds?
 

HunkieDorie23

Deeply Rooted
Joined
Apr 29, 2009
Messages
1,066
Reaction score
36
Points
177
Location
Georgia Bound
berry_Bob said:
I just looked it up , they are made of steel or tin which is basically the same thing so yes they will rust
Well thanks for your input. It has saved me a lot of work. I may try Lesa suggestion of unbound raised beds. I can afford that easily.
 

lesa

Garden Master
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
6,645
Reaction score
566
Points
337
Location
ZONE 4 UPSTATE NY
A bit of erosion does occur- but after that, the dirt kind of settles in and doesn't move much. I have peas, almost all my flowers, basil, etc. in mounded beds. The thing I like best about them, is they don't have to be square...you can choose any design you want. If you saw my pics of the tiny tea garden- you will see that is just a mound of dirt, with herbs planted in it...
 

ninnymary

Garden Master
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Messages
12,559
Reaction score
12,351
Points
437
Location
San Francisco East Bay
Even if the cans rust, won't they at least last a season? If you fill them with dirt, they may be heavy enough where you won't have to tie them. Just ideas.

Mary
 

Latest posts

Top