I was interested creating some hanging, raised, or tiered beds. I was thinking of staggering cinderblocks in a strawberry pot-type formation, or something similar.

The vegetables I usually grow are tomatoes, carrots, peas, cucumbers, cucuzza, peppers, and assorted herbs.

Any other ideas or photos to share?
Please help -I'm stumped!

If you're interested, you may want to visit your local nurseries and see if they can sell you black plastic containers. Those ones that you normally see plants/trees potted in. My local nursery would sell them to me for a few dollars each. I just bought a couple of 15-gals. pot for $5 each.

Another reason I wanted to "build up" is to add visual interest at eye-level. Maybe staggerring the big 15 gal. buckets will look cool, too. We'll see. I've still got a lot of work to do back there.

Every year I have grander and more intricate ideas for garden plans, but I always end up with the same makeshift garden. LOL

Hi all,

This past year I started my first garden(tiny apartment 'yard') in what seemed like forever...In looking for novel AND INEXPENSIVE ideas, I bought some aluminum duct work pipes at the Habitat Thrift store for fifty cnts each, in addition to some white "hanging baskets" with their metal wire hangers,. I spray painted the duct pipes with shades of green and yellow kinda swirly and fun.

THe white baskets were the perfect size to fit right down into teh standing duct pipes. You can swivel the pipes into the ground a bit for stabilizing. And folks just loved the idea. THEY were perfect height and when watered, they drained welll. You could stack these next to each other and tie them togehter for extra stability.
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I also have used Cinder Blocks for planters. Last year, they were stacked 'three high' horizontally,, which made two planting holes per stack. THeyr drain really well.The block holds in moisture and keeps out heat. I wrapped them with cream colored burlap for something to do.

THis year I have placed Cinder Blocks around teh perimeter of my patio fence. Some are stcked two or trhee high. Others are one high.It makes for a fun plant height adventure. and I'll plant three-foot ziiinias and coleus in them with some lobelia for trailing down. They are a good height this way for easy to grow plants.

For fun I paint them. Spray paints seem to work lots better than painting by hand. I've tried both ways. With the spray paint, you can just blow over them while they are stacked on top of or next to each other. and then I place them. The paint wears okay on the block. It naturally seasons in the wearther.
(Keeping your finger pressed on Spray paint can nozzles can make your finger tingle or even go numb after holding down teh nozzle for a while. There are little 'spray nozzle triggerss' you can find in paint departments. This trigger fits over the top of the can and presses teh nozzle down when you press teh finger trigger. I lost feeling in a fingertip for over two months one time. so take care of your fingers!**)

CInder blocks can also be used to make "brick and board" shelves by positioning at least two of them verticlly, then place a board on top across them. I once made an entire book case and entertainment center with two dozen of the decorative sqaire blocs withvarious lengths of board.(YYes, that was 'way back when I did weighty things by myself. I don't get into stacking these kinds of things more than the three high planters now...)

hope this fuels your ideas for some areas.

YES, THE cinder blocks ARE HEAVY!! THEY ARE ALSO very inexpenzive comparee to planters. For $1.33 each, yuo have 'two'planting spaces. And you can make designs by stagerring them like you said, 'strawberry pot' style or other shapes.

Many blessings,
Devi
(like davy and gravy)