I never had a garden of my own before we moved to our current home.
With my first home, I was too busy thinning out trees and rehabilitating the lawn. Before I knew it, the house was for sale and there was no garden! Our last yard just lacked the overall space for a garden. What could have worked was instead turned into an area to gather around a fire with friends. When we moved to the house we’re currently in, there was already a raised garden planted in front of the deck. It was roughly 16′ long, 2′ wide and 3’6″ tall. It was perfect!
It was originally built with 2×8 untreated boards and was only half as deep as it was tall. It served us well for the first couple of years, but eventually started to rot and fall apart a whole lot! We knew a rebuild was inevitable, we just weren’t sure whether we wanted to do it in wood again.
Last spring we looked into building a new one, using rock that you would use to edge a garden or build an outdoor fireplace with. You know, the expensive stuff (insert eyeroll). To build what we had would’ve cost $1500+. Jaw drop. I could only imagine how conversations with friends would go.
“Hey! Do you want to come to the back and check out my $1500 raised garden?! It’s AH-MA-ZING!” Yeah, no. Not happening. I could think of at least 30 other things I’d rather put that money towards to around the house. So we pushed the garden through another summer and it barely held on.
A few weeks ago, we knew it was time to tackle the project or we’d be hooped. We wrangled Carter into helping shovel all the dirt out of the existing garden and then Eric took the rest apart. The wood had rotted so much that it just lifted right off the nails and all but collapsed on itself.
I left the house for the evening to bring kids to baseball and football, and when I returned the raised garden had been rebuilt and filled with soil. In true non-blogger fashion, Eric did not take any during pics, so all you get are the after photo’s!
We didn’t build it as high as the other one was because we just didn’t need the height. He used 7, 16′ 1″x6″ treated boards & 1, 16′ treated 2″x4″ for the posts and supports on the inside. I think it c ost around $130 total in lumber – don’t quote me on that though! Then in true welder fashion, he made a grate style backing to sit on the back edge and cover the gap that went under the deck. Once the plants have grown you won’t be able to see it at all and it also keeps the peas from growing back and under the deck!
This year, we’re growing some cucumbers, carrots, peas and 3 varieties of tomatoes. I also have some basil growing in amongst it all and some dill & chives. Nothing beats peas off the vine and carrots fresh from the garden!
I’d have to say our replacement definitely beats what was there!
Before:
And After!
Like what you see? Don’t forget to check out these other great garden projects!
Hanging Mason Jar Solar Lights
DIY Herb Markers