We all know about using gutters as planters for short rooted plants. Last year, we had to replace some of the gutters on our house. That means we have several to dispose of. Instead of sending them to the landfill, I intend to use them as raised beds with a twist. I'll invert them, fill them with soil and use them to border garden areas. That way, I can plant inside the border itself and in the garden bed. That idea got me thinking.
What other items can I use as dual use raised beds?
Cement blocks come immediately to mind. A lot of people use them to build raised bed gardens. Why not expose the holes on the top layer? One idea is to plant herbs around your vegetables. Use whatever compatible combination you like.
Clay pots form a colorful garden bed border when filled with flowers. Might I suggest marigolds? The marigold is well known for it's pest control qualities. It's especially useful as a pest control companion for tomatoes.
How about a double border? If you have a garden bed built from stacked railroad ties, make a step border. Just place a shorter bed border around it using a single layer of ties. Use the short border bed for small plants such as leaf lettuce so you can still reach the tall bed. For better access, border only the short sides of the bed.
Use hanging window boxes to border your raised garden beds. If you don't have any, try making some from those used gutters. Coat hanger wire can support the gutters and form a hook for hanging. Simple, but effective.
Make recycled garden borders with plastic pop bottles or milk jugs. Just cut off the tops. Poke holes in the bottoms for drainage. Now nail them to the sides of your raised beds. This is a great way to start plants too.
PVC pipe sections of various lengths make artistic garden borders. Simply line them up, pound them into the ground, fill them with potting soil and you're ready to plant. They're open ended, so no drainage worries.
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