Pallet Raised Beds

Zuchini is growing in this pallet raised bed at a friend’s garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pallet Raised Beds

I have to confess, I am fascinated with what people make out of pallets. So fascinated that one weekend I dragged several pallets home and have them leaning up against a tree halfway down my hillside waiting for me to be inspired, and brave enough, to transform them. There are truly so many choices!

The bravery comes from having to use tools I am not familiar with so I wait for a time when there is a handyman around to supervise.

The first pallet idea that caught my attention was the pallet bench one of our beekeeping students has in her apiary. What I particularly love about the pallet bench is that it is lightweight, which means it is easy to move around. I do have several garden benches that weigh a ton so once I have them in place, they are not going anywhere. I would love to have one or two I can easily drag around to catch the best vantage point watching my honey bees.

Now I have a second idea. My gardening friend Tom mentioned recently that he now has raised beds out of pallets. Since I have to work extra hard to make flower beds on my limestone hill garden, I was intrigued and took a peek the next time I was invited to his garden.

Cut the pallets in half, then attach at the corners. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Very easy to make, he said. The pallet is cut in half and attached at the corners.

What about keeping soil in?

He used used straw from his horse stable, filling the pallet raised beds before adding vegetables. I found zuchinis growing in one; squash in another, and then there was the tomato pallet raised bed.

Tomatoes taller than I am are growing in this raised bed full of used straw. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The once pallet-high used straw is now about half way down the inside of the pallet raised bed but the tomatoes don’t seem to notice.

What about critters? Can he keep rabbits out of his garden?

No problem, he said, his dogs are on constant rabbit patrol. \

Well, so that answer doesn’t really count, does it.

For the record, these were tomatoes purchased around Valentine’s Day and kept in a greenhouse until May, after the last danger of hard frost. Our last frost in mid-Missouri in USDA Hardiness zone 5b/6a is May 10, around Mother’s Day.

Looking at these pallet raised beds now has me thinking these would also make a nice short fence that would be handy for blackberries and other brambles. That’s assuming one has a straight and level place to put it.

Oh, don’t look at me, I garden on a Missouri limestone hill, the only thing straight is my house foundation and that’s because they worked at it before building it!

Charlotte