Garden Spaces On A Budget

So you want to start a garden but don’t know where to start? That’s ok, you’re not alone!!! It’s hard to know where to start when picking up a new hobby-- from figuring out what materials you need, to sticking within your budget, to actually pulling everything together--it can feel overwhelming!

But, it doesn’t have to be scary!  I had the same problem when I was starting my garden but was able to get everything I needed at my local hardware store.  I’m going to show you how I made a simple  8ftx4ft garden bed and only spent $60! 

Here’s the supplies I needed:

• Three 2" x 6" x 8' pieces of wood - these were about $9 each. 2 planks for the length and I had them cut the 3rd piece in half to make the 4' ends. Redwood is best as it lasts the longest. Don't use treated wood (the wood that looks as it it's been painted and has rectangular imprints on its surface)  as those chemicals can leach into the ground--you don't want your plants to be near that!
• Four planter wall retaining blocks - You can also look up “garden bed corner blocks” and they should come up. I bought stone ones because they’re less expensive and I think they look great! They have vinyl options as well.
• Finally, I got (8) bags of raised bed soil that were about $7 each. An 8' x 4' bed needs a lot of soil, which is probably what is the most expensive part of your new garden bed. If you have access to some good local soil, you can mix that in to reduce your costs.  

I love this garden bed hack because it’s 1. Inexpensive 2. Requires no tools! 3. Is versatile

If you don’t have the space for the 8ftx4ft garden bed option you can adjust the dimensions to fit the size of your space and have the lumber department cut the planks as needed. The corner blocks will work with whatever variation you choose! 

If you don’t have much space for a garden bed, you're not out of luck. You can still produce homegrown deliciousness in planting pots! Hop on Amazon or head to your favorite store to find 5-10 gallon gardening pots. These are compact, reusable and easy to store just about anywhere (as long as that place gets some sun for your plant babies). The larger the better, and we’ll explain why!

Think of it like a first class flight vs economy. Just like a first class seat gives you ample space to stretch your arms and legs out, a large gardening pot gives your plant the space it needs to spread its leaves and roots comfortably. Less room in the pot doesn’t mean the plant won’t grow, but it might not be able to stretch its roots and leaves as far. In short, big pot = more space for delicious, beautiful veggies!

Each kit we send is marked with easy to find and understand spacing instructions. This works as a size guide. There’s small, medium, large and extra large. Your small plants will need  4-12” between each plant, medium will need  12-24”, large will need  24”+and extra large will need  4’+! If you have larger pots available, you can put multiple plants in the same pot for some really beautiful and delicious creations!

Our recommended spacing is designed to give your plant babies their first class experience. But if you don’t have quite enough room, don’t stress! This is a recommendation, not a requirement. If you don’t have the exact space available but you have something close to it, that’ll work too! It’s not about having the perfect space, but making the most of the space that you have!

You have two options when it comes to growing in pots: 1 pot for every plant (putting them on a first class flight) or pairing them up in a pots (an economy seat). The size we recommend coincides with the size pot you would need, so the small varieties can go in a 4-12” pot, medium varieties in 12-24” pot and so on. If you would rather put two plants in one pot I would definitely recommend sizing up on the pot so they get enough space. For example, if you’re going to put two small varieties, like lettuce, that would each need about 4-12” put them into a 6-8” pot rather than putting them both in a 4” pot. Same goes for the medium and large varieties. 

The great thing about planting in pots is they can easily be moved, they are cost effective, easy to come by, and a gorgeous decoration for your outdoor space! 

I hope this helps as a guide to how to set up your next beautiful garden space! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions. Happy Gardening!