Raised garden beds are a fantastic way to grow your own vegetables, herbs, and flowers. They can help you improve drainage, extend the growing season, and minimize bending over for maintenance over a typical garden.
Plus, you don’t have to spend much to start with them! Here are 15 cheap raised garden bed ideas that are fairly easy to implement and great for any gardener looking to add some elevation to their green space without emptying their wallet.
Table of Contents
Pallet Planters
Utilize old wooden pallets to create affordable raised beds. Secure the pallets together and add a layer of landscape fabric before filling them with soil. It’s eco-friendly and cost-effective.
Look for the heavier duty pallets made from oak if possible.
Cinder Block Garden
Construct a durable raised bed using cinder blocks. Not only are they inexpensive, but they also offer additional planting spaces within the block holes, ideal for herbs or flowers.
Just remember that cinder blocks can heat up the soil in them if they are in direct sunlight.
Galvanized Tubs
Repurpose galvanized steel tubs as raised garden beds for a rustic touch. Drill drainage holes in the bottom, fill with soil and start planting for an instant garden upgrade.
This is one of my favorite methods; I have several tubs in my garden. I save money by buying them at auctions instead of at local farm stores.
Log Framed Beds
For a natural woodland look, frame your raised beds with logs. This is especially cost-effective if you have access to fallen trees or branches. It’s a charming and organic approach to raised bed gardening.
This is what my previous garden beds were all made from. It’s free to make it you have logs on your land but remember you will have to replace them every few years.
Old Crate Garden
Old Crates and boxes can be transformed into sweet, small, raised garden beds, perfect for small spaces like balconies or patios. They’re portable, stylish, and often free from local stores or at garage sales.
Tire Planters
Recycle old tires by painting them and using them as raised beds. This not only saves the tires from the landfill but also adds a pop of color to your garden.
I prefer this method for growing flowers and not for edibles.
Brick Lined Beds
Use reclaimed bricks to line your raised garden beds for a classic and timeless look. Bricks can often be found for cheap or even free, making this an affordable and attractive option.
Woven Willow
Create a raised bed using woven willow branches for a charming cottage garden style. This natural material is often inexpensive and gives your garden space a whimsical, organic feel.
I would love this method if this type of branch was available to me!
Plastic Storage Bins
Convert plastic storage bins into raised garden beds by drilling drainage holes in the bottom. They’re lightweight, portable, and perfect for urban gardeners with limited space or those with only a balcony or deck to grow on.
This is a great method if you need a garden that you can move around.
Old Mineral Tub Beds
You could also use old mineral and salt lick bins for cattle. Most ranchers will give these away!
Fabric Grow Bags
Fabric grow bags are an affordable and flexible option for raised garden beds. They’re portable, promote healthy root growth, and can be placed on any surface, making them ideal for patios or balconies.
Look for these bags in bulk on Amazon or at a garden supply store for the best deal.
Salvaged Wood Beds
Construct your raised beds using salvaged wood from pallets, old furniture, or construction scraps. It’s an eco-friendly and cost-effective way to repurpose materials that might otherwise be discarded.
This is one method that I think I’ve utilized every year when I’ve built extra beds with extra wood that we’ve had lying around.
Rope-Wrapped Containers
Wrap large containers in rope for a raised garden bed. This can be done with inexpensive buckets or barrels, providing a unique and budget-friendly planting solution.
This can be a great idea if you have lots of old rope around and need to use containers to garden in that are less than attractive looking.
Old Bookshelf Planters
Turn an old bookshelf into a vertical raised garden bed by laying the shelves flat and filling the shelves with soil. You can remove the back of the bookshelf if you want to and/or add lips on the shelves to keep plants or dirt on.
It’s a creative and cost-effective way to recycle furniture and maximize planting space. You can also put planters on the shelves instead of dirt to help the bookshelf last longer, just keep in mind that you might need extra bracing on the shelves if they are heavy.
Hanging Gutter Garden
Install hanging gutter sections against a fence or wall to create a space-saving vertical garden. This inexpensive approach is great for herbs and strawberries, and it adds a modern touch to your garden space.
I’ve always wanted to try this method and have been intrigued by pictures of it.
These cheap raised garden bed ideas show that with some creativity and repurposed materials, you can create beautiful and productive garden spaces on a budget. Whether you have a large backyard or a tiny deck, there is a raised bed solution that will be perfect for your gardening needs. Happy gardening!
More Cheap Gardening Ideas
- Starting Garden Plants From Seed – Growing Your Own Plant Starts
- Homemade Greens Powder with Leftover Garden Greens
- How to Save Seeds for Next Year’s Garden
- Growing an Herb Garden
- 5 Ways to Save Money Gardening
What type of garden beds do you have in your garden?
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been blogging about andliving the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from theContact Page.
This article with Cheap Raise Garden Bed Ideas was originally posted on Little House Living in March 2024.
