Garden Box Ideas to Get You Started

Raised garden beds are a great option for those with limited space who want to grow vegetables, herbs or flowers. They also allow the gardener to tend to plants without bending over and are often sturdier than traditional gardens. They are easy to build yourself and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials. Here are a few garden box ideas to help you get started:

Repurpose a wooden wagon into a unique raised vegetable garden by adding a few metal stakes for support. Line it with landscaping fabric and fill with dirt to create a beautiful space where you can easily reach the plants for harvesting. If you prefer to go for a more rustic look, skip the lining and plant directly in the wood. Milk crates also make excellent gardening containers. They’re sturdy, lightweight and stackable, so you can arrange multiple crates next to each other for a beautiful, sprawling raised garden. Plant in each one a different crop family so you can keep an eye out for weeds and pests.

These simple wood boxes are an ideal size for growing a few veggies or herbs on a deck, porch or balcony. They feature a beautiful grain in the wood and exposed metal braces for a chic, rustic style. The design also incorporates a built-in trellis to help you grow vining crops like clematis or scarlet runner beans. This garden bed is so simple to build that you can do it in a single afternoon with minimal tools, making it a great weekend project.

If you don’t have a backyard, you can still enjoy the fruits of your labor with a window box. These simple DIY projects are perfect for growing herbs or small veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. They’re also an attractive way to dress up a bare wall or fence in your yard.

Cinder blocks are a durable and inexpensive choice for raised vegetable gardens. They absorb heat from the sun and slowly release it at night, helping to regulate soil temperature. Use a mixture of shallow-rooted plants in the lower block and deep-rooted edibles in the upper tier. Cinder block garden beds aren’t the most visually appealing, but they can be dressed up with a few wood boards for a more polished appearance.

If your yard isn’t conducive to gardening, try a patio or balcony garden box. These simple projects are ideal for those who live in apartments or condos and still want to enjoy the taste of fresh-picked produce. You can also build these containers from reclaimed or salvaged materials, such as old wood pallets.

A simple wooden frame can be topped with a lid to protect the soil from rain and snow, so you can enjoy your garden all year round. You can also install a door and hinges to turn your box into a convenient storage solution for your gardening supplies, such as gloves, pruners and fertilizer.