Ideas for planters/raised beds?

My raised garden beds have needed to be replaced for at least 5 years. I never seem to get around to it in time. This year is no exception. I was looking for relatively cheap and easy containers that I could use that wouldn't lead to a divorce. I've settled on old canoes/dinghies or bathtubs. Either of these might lead to a temporary separation, but I think we could work through it. Not sure about having fiberglass as the substrate, although it's lined I don't think it would be an issue? Aluminum would of course be the other choice. Enough people with old unused canoes around here that I can probably pick up a few for 50 bucks a pop, way cheaper than the lumber I'd need to build it and better/still way cheaper than something purpose made for it.

TSC and rual king have 40 gal tanks for 179

Wood isn’t expensive for what you’ll need. . Get some 2”x8”x10’ lumber and some 4x4s for the corners and you can slap together a few raised garden bins in an hour or two. That’s what I did and after 12+ years they look great and are in good shape. I made 4 10x4’ beds and a couple others in less than a day. Tools required - skill saw, electric screw driver or drill, hammer. And some 4” deck screws. Easy peasy, fast, strong, long lasting and looks good.

Wood will be gone to sh.t is a couple years.

Fiberglass tubs are your answer. Got a dremel and a kid/grandkids? Make the base an art project. Use a grinding tip to follow the pictures they draw of a plant or flower outlines into the surface of the tub, kids paint the lines. If you can find a shower tub unit, that becomes the way to attach chi Ken wire or such for a trellis.


Getting the littles involved statistically negates 98.32% of the wife saying wtf is wrong with you....

We are using tubs that cattle feed comes in (might be mineral tubs). We got some several years ago for free from a guy who had some cattle. We also bought some 4x8x1corrugated metal raised planter bed kits off Amazon. They were 2 for $100. Both have worked well for us.

Neighbor is confined to an electric wheelchair.
He uses 55 gal barrels cut in half (top to bottom).
They are supported on a long 2x4 frame, high enough so he can access them with his wheelchair.

This is something that I would get the wifes blessing so you dont end up in divorce court..... LOL remember, men think practical and functional over visual. women think visual and peer approval over functional and practical.

While I like the idea of a canoe, its a very specific look (pic from google search)


I know my wife would not go for the canoe or boat idea, however would go for a picket fence looking structure that ties in with the back yard fence

one thought. the 55 gallon barrels are free from many industrial companies the barrels by themselves are ugly. They are a common raised bed container



however you may be able to hide them.

I would cut them in-half length-wise and mount them in a structure or boat hull if the wife approves, they would work well, you can even use the threaded bungs as drains if you need. (pic below from another google search)

to prevent rot, build a cedar structure around them. a few small doors to put potting soil and gardening tools. it also separates the soil from the wood and keeps the chemicals from the wood from affecting the plants



or screw them into the hull of a half-burried tinny if the wife approves of the boat

Yeah, thought about the 55 gallon drums but I still have to build frames, which I have neither the time nor inclination to do, and I'm also concerned with what was in the drums previously, even if the seller says they're food grade. I like the canoes, they would provide camouflage for my other projects.

Keep in mind that the drums are plastic, and once were used to transport/hold oil or chemicals. One might want to ensure that all of those chemicals are removed. Then one might also have the question about all of the forever chemicals leaching out of the plastic and into your soil/plants/food.

Some people care. Some people don't, but it's worth thinking about.

My wife just bought a bunch of "grow bags" to test out this summer. She researches things pretty well so I trust that they are reasonably free of harmful chemicals...but who knows.

Why not go hydroponic ? There is a lot less structure and space needed .

Mc Tool said:

Why not go hydroponic ? There is a lot less structure and space needed .

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I've read that it needs very precise control of the nutrients in the water.

My daughter once made a hydroponic garden for a school project that used the water from a fish tank which in turn fed the plants. It was fun to watch.

tphoyt said:

My daughter once made a hydroponic garden for a school project that used the water from a fish tank which in turn fed the plants. It was fun to watch.

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I've done that

Captain Caveman said:

Keep in mind that the drums are plastic, and once were used to transport/hold oil or chemicals. One might want to ensure that all of those chemicals are removed. Then one might also have the question about all of the forever chemicals leaching out of the plastic and into your soil/plants/food.

Some people care. Some people don't, but it's worth thinking about.

My wife just bought a bunch of "grow bags" to test out this summer. She researches things pretty well so I trust that they are reasonably free of harmful chemicals...but who knows.

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Food grade ones. Not all are chemicals

MikeSchinlaub said:

I've read that it needs very precise control of the nutrients in the water.

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Yeah but not ultra precise ,there are testing equipments and it aint that hard ....bit like baking your fave thing ,after a bit of practice it becomes easy , I know of a couple of peeps that no longer use frequent testing .
Up side is that you can know just what your plants are eating and you dont get stuck with unexplained failures due to disease or poor soil .

I can get all of the glyphosate drums I want for free but I don’t think I would want my garden growing in one even though I know they have been properly rinsed. I mostly use them for trash cans and have been known to cut them up to make forms for concrete. Food grade drums cost money here. I don’t know the current price.

As far as lumber for stands… come get as much as you want to pull off the building for free!

Tried grow bags. Worked great by had to water everyday in the summer.

Tried growing in coco with hydro nutrients. That too worked well, but had to mix and pH everyday.

Got old….. last year went back to my 16’ x 12’ plot built with old hemlock, 2 x 10’s

I know folks that do no till and have great growing every year.
30 inch wide for plants and 18 inch wide for walk way

It takes a couple years to get it working great, but after that all good

alldodge said:

I know folks that do no till and have great growing every year.

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Because it keeps the mycellium network intact, and makes for better moisture retention.