Raised Garden Bed Brick Corners – Adding a small raised bed to our backyard has been ever growing on my to-do list since moving. Although most of our yard is well-landscaped, there is a large, awkward bare area in the lateral mulch bed that is perfect for a garden:
I decided to choose an in-ground garden versus a raised garden for a variety of reasons. For example, I live in a coastal area where the soil quality for gardening is very poor. I also like that raised beds provide better drainage, easier weed control, and less strain on the back and knees than traditional gardens. Another advantage of raised gardens is that they make it possible to extend the growing season due to the raised design of the beds, which allows the soil to warm and sow earlier.
Raised Garden Bed Brick Corners
I wanted to start small by creating an inexpensive bed, with the option to expand if my first few seasons of gardening went well ??. Today I’m going to share 6 cheap bedding ideas I’ve been looking at, starting with the simplest solution I chose.
Raising Garden Beds Using Concrete Roof Tiles
Creating a raised garden using wall planter blocks couldn’t be easier. After leveling the ground, you place in the four corners of the garden (set up with an open hole in the middle):
To create the first layer of your bed, slide 2 x 6 wooden boards (cut lengthwise) into the block spaces:
I bought four boards from Lowes and cut each 8′ board into two pieces – one 3.5′ long (for the ends of the bed) and one 4.5′ long (for the sides of the bed). And they’ll do it for free!
Cedar and redwood are good choices for a raised garden because they are naturally rot-resistant and long-lasting, but they are more expensive. Pine is the best cheap option, but untreated pine doesn’t last nearly as long (probably 3-5 years). You can extend its life by treating it with an eco-friendly waterproofing agent like the one you use from a spray bottle.
Stylish Garden Bed Edging Ideas
Now that you have your corner blocks and boards, adjust the blocks as needed to make sure your bed is square (a good way to check this is to see if the two diagonals of the bed are the same size). Then, leave 4-5 inches of rebar above the block and lock the corner blocks in place by driving the rebar (the one I used) through the center hole:
Now you are ready for the second layer! Place another layer of blocks in the corners (this time with the open hole in the middle of the blocks facing down):
That’s it! Lowe’s cut the boards for me so it took me less than an hour to put together and required no power tools. 8 blocks, 4 eight-foot pine boards and 4 pieces of rebar cost under $75. ??
I decided to take my project a step further (totally optional!) and added four boards to the top to make the hat. Although you can make a wooden cap from straight-cut boards, I used our miter saw to cut the corners on mine:
Retaining Wall Block Uses Get Creative
I attached the wooden cap to the boards underneath, and put screws in each corner to hold it tightly together:
After filling in my new garden, I planted squash, string beans, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, spinach, and some herbs. I’m excited to see it all grow!
One of the reasons I chose this option for an inexpensive garden bed is that I was able to make the size of the bed to fit my space. I also love that I can very easily increase the size of my bed in the future by adding another pair of blocks + wood planks at one or both ends.
If you have a large garden, you can even create a more complex layered bed, created from blocks of different heights, such as:
Easy Diy Raised Garden Bed
When it comes to building an inexpensive raised bed, galvanized steel containers are another great option. Not only are they affordable, but they can be found in a variety of sizes from simple oval galvanized cans.
Oversized galvanized garden beds like these come in many color options and can be customized in a variety of ways:
One of the advantages of galvanized planters is that they won’t rot or break, so they can last more than 20 years with minimal maintenance. If your galvanized planter has a bottom (some large planters don’t), be sure to drill a few holes in the bottom before filling to allow drainage.
When the day comes to build our forever home, I love the idea of incorporating some of the planters we raised into the design of our yard. They allow you to garden without bending over, which is especially good for the elderly or those with limited mobility. An example is under $100:
How To Build A Raised Garden Bed For Easier Veggie Or Flower Planting
A few weeks ago I shared a plant wall I added to our back porch:
The same or similar hanging planters can be used for herbs and vegetables that can be grown in shallow containers, such as lettuce, radishes, basil and chives. This is the easiest of my inexpensive bedding ideas! Get more details on my plant wall and the rest of my outdoor space in my post on Back Porch Ideas on a Budget.
Other options for vertical gardening include multi-tiered vertical beds with smaller beds:
I have seen many beautiful garden beds that are made cheaply using recycled materials. If a construction project has piles of bricks, blocks, or pavers, use them to create a raised bed! Do you have an old freestanding bathtub? It can also be creatively turned into a plant. There are also many options for DIY pallet mills (make sure the wood for the pallets is heat treated, not chemically treated).
How To Build A Brick Raised Bed
I hope this gives you the inspiration you’re looking for to start your own garden too! Have a nice weekend! I have heard that pressure treated wood is toxic. I hear no. To be safe, I recommend going the safe route and using regular wood.
It’s a simple backyard garden that only requires wood-cutting skills. I didn’t come up with this idea myself, but I made it up.
Note: The original design uses 2 x 4 boards, 5 x 3 long, with a block at each corner. But I needed a raised bed, so I used a second set of 2 x 8’s for a raised edge, and three blocks for each corner. I used three layers of blocks because the 2nd layer of wood with two blocks was wobbly.
Measure the length, width and space of the desired size bed. Accurate measurement in legs is recommended, making it easier to cut boards to the correct size.
Corner Garden Ideas That Will Save You Space
Place a planter wall unit in each corner of the planned bed. Wall-mounted plant units are available for three dollars each at places like Home Depot and Lowe’s in the garden.
Cut the boards to the size of the bed. For example, if you want your bed to be 5 feet by 3 feet, cut a board that is the same length, five feet by three feet.
Insert the boards into the slots in the blocks as shown. You may need to move the boards and blocks around a bit to get them level and straight (or at least look). I still do.
Since I like a raised bed, I used three blocks of extra boards in each corner instead of one. I used three blocks on each corner because the top board was only two wobbly.
Raised Bed Gardens
When your bed is level and square to your liking, remove the top block from each corner and hammer the rebar into the center hole of each corner block. This will prevent the blocks and trees from moving under the pressure of the soil moving into the bed.
Make sure the top end of the armature is below the top side of the 3rd block. The photo shown to the right is with the top unit removed.
Sun-Brella Greenhouse Cooker: A Working Solar Cooktop for Vulnerable People, Refugees, Environmentalists and Creative Cooks from Do-Or-DIY in Survival Some of the most fascinating flavors of my childhood came from my grandmother’s garden on Tyneside. The vaguely spicy scent of aromatic sweet peas, fruity marigolds and tomato leaves mingles with paraffin in the greenhouse. Every summer we stayed there and it was my job to pick sweet peas – mostly bunches and bunches.