A Raised Bed made of Recycled Pallets- A Cautionary Tale

A raised bed made out of recycled pallets seemed like a wonderful idea.  I have wanted a raised garden bed for several years, but my husband hasn’t been very keen on making one.  Before you pass judgment, he had some valid reasons for being reluctant.  First of all, I have two relatives that give me tons of vegetables that they grow every year. 

Then there’s the fact that every year my flower gardens seem to get larger, and I haven’t found any more time in a day to tend them. My husband doesn’t help in the gardens- they’re all mine. 

From past experience he knows that all of my bright ideas cause him more work and maybe a headache or two, and neither one of us have any carpentry skills. We have no good tools either-but I always seem to forget that fact!

So anyway a new gardening year was beginning and I started my old campaign:

Me: I want a raised vegetable bed.

Him: Why?

Me: To grow herbs and vegetables.

Him: Where are you going to put it?  (Good question.  We’re running out of sunny locations.)

Me:  I don’t know.

Him: (Rolls eyes.)   End of conversation.

Two days later, as fate would have it, my neighbor throws away four perfectly beautiful wood pallets.  A raised bed of recycled pallets seemed like a wonderful idea!  I mean how hard could it be?  I could probably even do it myself!

(Finished raised bed will reside where old white current bushes are to left of pallets)

Have you ever seen the scads of wonderful things people have made out of pallets and then posted on Pinterest?  I was so inspired!

Him:  What are those for?

Me:  My raised bed!  (They were free and a raised bed out of pallets seemed like a wonderful idea.)

Him:  Where are you going to put it?

Me:  I’m not sure yet.

A week later, I still didn't have them completely disassembled.  It was much more difficult than I’d anticipated to tear them apart.

Husband breaks down and tries to help me.  Then the hammer breaks- don’t ask!  It was old!

Him:  You need to buy a new hammer, tomorrow.

Me: OK…

Us: Silence!

So work resumed and after three different ideas for how to reassemble them, I come up with a place to put them-except we have tear out a white current hedge that backs up to one side of our patio. Fortunately, my son volunteered to help dig them out (or we’d still be doing it!)

In the meantime a friend of ours (?) is laughing at us and sent us an ad for an easy to assemble (no tools) raised bed kit from one of the big box stores for a unbelievably cheap price.  (Cheaper than a new hammer, nails and metal corners- oh and bandaids.)

Now, I realized that the ground sloped down from the patio and the raised bed turns into a retaining wall.  Actually, it’s still a brilliant idea and work progresses.

A week later, two trips to the hardware store for nails-wrong size the first time, three trips for dirt-it seemed like a bottomless pit to fill it, we were ready to plant our new garden.

It’s fabulous.  I love it. It was worth all the tears, slivers, bent nails and one broken hammer!  

As Kermit said:  “It’s not easy being green!”

P.S. Two years later:  We need a few more nails to reinforce one side and more dirt because winter has caused the soil to compact (or disappear completely?), but it is still worth all the effort it took to build it!

Now as a new gardening season approaches I'm ready to plant some cool weather crops such as lettuce, peas, onions, and spinach. Later these crops will be replaced with tomatoes, several herbs and peppers.

Our raised bed is not large. Proving that you don't need a ton of space for a nice garden. Sometimes you just need an idea and some hard work.  (Willing partners useful, but not necessary!)

(plastic dinosaur optional!)

Maybe this is your year to build a raised vegetable bed or two?  Thanks for reading Julie's Garden Journal and happy gardening!