DIY – Raised Garden Bed for $4

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The past two weeks have felt like spring here in Nashville. The sun is out and temperatures reach into high 60s to low 70s. It’s a dream being outside working in the yard. To me getting the yard ready for the warmer months is a relaxing activity that allows me to connect with nature, spend time in the sun, and enjoy watching plants grow and mature.

Last weekend, I walked around my entire property and inspected several trees, bushes, grass, and the patio. I made a note of things I’d like to get done before it gets too warm.

Here are my spring gardening goals.

– Prune away dead and damaged branches. This will improve the health of bushes and trees, prevent disease, and encourage better flowering.

– Pressure wash the patio and walkway. Spring is a perfect time to get my backyard ready for some outdoor entertaining. After the long winter months, my deck has algae build-up that needs to be removed.

– Mow the lawn. After spending the freezing winter months in dormancy, grass awakens in the spring in need of some tender loving care. My neighbor told me to wait until the grass is at least two inches tall before cutting it.  Doing so protects the roots of grass.

– Prevent weeds & feed the lawn. It’s good to prevent weeds in the spring so they don’t become a problem in the summer. Scotts Turf Builder Weed & Feed helps clear out the weeds you see and thicken your grass to crowd out the ones you don’t.

Since we enjoy a lush lawn, I picked up my yellow bag, which covers up to 5,000 square feet.

– Build a raised garden bed. I have dreamed of raised garden beds since we moved to our current home two years ago. The girls and I love fresh vegetables (my son prefers fruit) and have always dreamed of growing our own produce. Since I am no expert when it comes to gardening, I decided to start with a small garden. I didn’t want anything elaborate – just something simple and inexpensive.

While perusing Pinterest, I came across a  4ft. x 4ft. garden bed kit ($45). The kit contains four pieces of wood and four screws that you slide together to create a solid garden frame. I figured I could make a similar frame but for a fraction of their cost. Let me show you how I built this super easy and inexpensive 3×3 garden bed.

DIY RAISED GARDEN BED

I started with (2) 2x8x10 untreated pine boards which I purchased at a hardware store from their 70% reduced lumber pile. I had them cut the boards to four 3x3s. Their reduced pile was perfect for this project.My total cost: $3.68 plus tax. I also used 2.5 ” deck screws which I already had at home.Wood supply: Four 3x3s plus four small pieces from my scrap pile which I cut at home. This is the basic design for the raised bed. The corner pieces help stabilize the frame.

I pre-drilled the holes and secured the boards with screws.

Next, I added 3 cu. ft. of garden soil.

I made these simple garden labels from vinyl siding samples.

I can’t wait to reap the rewards. If all goes well with this one, I’ll  make each child their own raised bed filled with their favorite fruits and vegetables.

I’d love to hear how you make raised garden beds. Any tips, ideas?