DIY - Build a Raised Bed Garden, using Reclaimed Barnwood Materials

When you build a raised bed garden using left over or recycled materials, you are going to be saving money. The project described in this Hub cost about $150.00 for the entire project by using materials from a reclaimed barn. And stepping stones left over from other jobs.

Get creative and see what you can use to make your own raised bed garden. Share your suggestions, opinions and comments below.

If you have been following my hubs, you may have read other articles I have written about the many uses of reclaimed barnwood.

These DIY articles are focused on the benefits of using and repurposing barnwood. With barnwood being a rare commodity nowadays, it is worth saving and using in beneficial ways. This project is a good choice for recycled barnwood.

Now I am going to share another idea with you, this idea is going to give back to you and your family, for many years.

Build a raised bed garden,out of recycled materials, which could be any left over building materials you have from another project or from reclaimed barnwood.

Garden beds can be built out of wall pavers, or natural stone too. I would not recommend using pressure treated lumber, because of the chemicals used in treated the wood.

This is a project that is a good DIY project that can be expanded as needed. So, plan a weekend or evenings for building a raised bed garden of your own. It is also a great way for families to spend time in the garden.

Children can benefit from learning gardening skills at a young age, and developing an interest in growing healthy foods instead of eating fast food.

Imagine growing your own produce, such as everything needed to create a delicious garden salad. When you want a fresh salad for lunch or dinner, just walk outside to your own garden and collect what you want.

Grill some vegetables outdoors on the gas grill. The possibilities are endless. Home grown vegetables taste better than those grown in green houses. A fresh tomato cannot even compare to a store bought tomato. I love tomotoes and grow them each year.

And since 2010 I am growing them in my raised bed garden and loving it when I harvest them.

If you need to build a fence around your raised bed garden, recycled materials work out great for the fencing too.

Make sure that you build your garden to last. Concrete the fence posts in the ground for strength and longevity. Use class I sand under the stepping stones for secure footage.

Stretch you project costs by using as many recycled materials as you can find.You will love how much money you can save on a DIY project like this.

Design your raised bed garden to get maximum useage out of your garden area. You don't have to take up a huge area to make a garden. My original garden space was only 12ft x 14 ft. It was designed using a center bed that measured 4ft wide by 6 ft long. The beds on the outer edges are 2 feet wide by various lengths. They surround the entire garden.

There are 3 smaller round beds used in the space too. They are made from drain pipe, cut to length. They measure 18 inches inside and are approx 8 inches deep. The outer beds are near the garden fence, so I wanted to keep then narrow in order to be able to reach every part of the bed from one side.

In the small space there are 9 raised beds. 3 round and 6 rectangular. The beds that are rectangular are made out of 2x6 reclaimed barnwood.

The raised bed garden was designed for expansion. Recently the other end was added onto to adjoin a shed that was relocated and the new space makes the entire garden area 20 long by 14 feet deep. It feels huge compare to the original size.

In the new area of the garden, an old folding ladder was used as a trellis for climbing plants. A triangular shaped bed and a retangular bed made from barnwood 2x 6's . A square bed made from an old galvanized tub is one of the the latest additions to the space. More beds made be added as needed.

The garden shed is on end of the garden. So the fence surrounds 3 sides of the area. The poles and all wood for the fence are made from tobacco poles from a recalimed barn. They are very rustic and look great used as fencing.

This is a country garden. And I hang one of my handmade Scrappy Signs on the side that reads "Country Garden". Displaying garden décor in the garden makes it all the more fun to be there. There are several items on display in this part of the yard. Watch for an upcoming article on Garden Décor

The main part of the walls of the fence are mesh wire. This is so that the walls can be used as a trellis for climbing plants that need support. Walkways inside the garden are made from stepping stones in the original area that were left over for other projects. They are surrounded by low growing ground cover.

The new area has mulch in the walkways, but it will be upgraded to stepping stone later. The fence was expanded to meet the shed. The original garden space had one temporay wall to allow for expansion. But now the area is permanent.

Build a garden to stretch your grocery dollars farther and make healthty choices about what you feed your family.

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