Read our affiliate disclosure here.

16 Cost-Saving Tips for Do It Yourself Raised Garden Beds

Since 2010, Tomato Dirt has garnered 4.8+ million views, making it the web’s leading online source for growing tomatoes in the home garden. Award-winning writer and Tomato Dirt owner Kathy Widenhouse has helped thousands of home gardeners grow healthier tomatoes. Be one of them when you get Tomato Dirt’s Growing Guide here.

Posted 1.18.25

Raised beds have a well-deserved reputation for saving space and growing more veggies. And plenty of gardeners build successful raised gardens with a kit – all the pieces are there, tried and true, and are aesthetically pleasing

But there’s a fun little secret about do it yourself raised garden beds. You can build a raised garden bed with materials already on hand (or readily available) and save a lot of money. Plus, do it yourself raised garden beds help you have better soil, reduce waste, conserve water, and increase yields.

Use these tips for do it yourself raised garden beds and save plenty.

×

Before you leave ...

Get your free copy of "10 Must-Know Tomato Growing Tips." This 20-page guide is filled with  tips you need to know to have a successful tomato crop, whether you’re a beginning or experienced gardener. 

Email

I am at least 16 years of age.

I have read and accept the privacy policy.

I understand that you will use my information to send me a newsletter.

Subscribe

16 tips for successful (and inexpensive) do it yourself garden beds

Here are some less well-known tips and tricks to make your DIY raised garden bed even more affordable and efficient.

1. Use Hugelkultur (buried wood) for filling

• How it works: The Hugelkultur technique, popular in Europe, involves burying logs, branches, or other organic debris at the bottom of the raised bed before adding soil. The buried mound creates a natural decomposing layer that retains moisture, adds nutrients over time, and reduces the amount of soil needed.
• The benefit: Buried mounds of organic debris save money on soil, improves long-term fertility, and conserves water.

2. Suppress weeds with layered cardboard or newspaper

• How it works: Instead of using expensive landscape fabric, line the bottom of your raised bed with cardboard or thick layers of newspaper. This natural barrier blocks weeds while allowing water to pass through.
• The benefit: Free and biodegradable are hard to beat. Plus, layers of cardboard and newspaper prevent weeds from creeping up through the bed.

3. Scavenge or swap for materials

• How it works: Check out your local collection center or social sites for free or discounted supplies like reclaimed wood (old pallets, scrap lumber, or fence panels), cinder blocks, bricks or even stone to use for your raised beds. They’re much cheaper than buying new, pre-made kits.
• The benefit: You’ll reduce your costs – and waste – by using salvaged or swapped materials.

4. Build beds using natural contours

• How it works: If your yard has a slope, build raised beds following the natural contour of the land. Contour beds work particularly well for reducing soil erosion. Plus, your beds will have better drainage and retain moisture that otherwise would simply run off.
• The benefits: Contour beds use less material, since you will need less materials on uphill border. Plus, beds built into a slope are more water efficient.

5. Use leaf mold and grass clippings

• How it works: Leaf mold (decomposed leaves) and grass clippings are packed with nutrients. Add them to your raised bed soil to improve structure and fertility. Gather clippings and leaves from your own yard or from neighbors – or post your request on local community social media sites. Plenty of homeowners will happily share their yard debris with you and save a trip to the community collection center. Tip: avoid adding organic matter to your raised bed that has been treated by chemicals.
• The benefit: Save on costly soil amendments while boosting organic matter and moisture retention.

6. Collect grocery store produce boxes

• How it works: Your local store managers welcome any customer who makes their life easier – which includes people like you who can cart away boxes that must be broken down to be recycled. Repurpose large, sturdy produce boxes made from wood or heavy cardboard to create instant raised beds. Line the bottom with plastic, an extra layer of paper or cardboard, or a weed barrier for durability (see Tip #2).
• The benefit: Beginner gardener? Or do you live an apartment? You can get started with raised bed gardening immediately with free, upcycled materials that are ready-made for smaller raised beds.

7. Repurpose old furniture

• How it works: Find old, unused furniture like dresser drawers, bookshelves, or bed frames at yard sales, re-stores, or thrift stores. Repurpose them into unique raised garden beds. Drill drainage holes to allow adequate drainage and fill them with soil.
• The benefit: Your creativity gives new life to old furniture, plus you save money – and add personality to your garden space.

8. Gather free mulch

• How it works: All those bags of leaves that you see dotting the streets in your neighborhood? Offer to collect them from your neighbors. Shred them and use them as mulch to cover your raised bed surfaces. You’ll save money on mulch. Plus, the soil will retain moisture. And the leaves add nutrients to the soil as they decompose.
• The benefit: Leaves are a free source of mulch. Collect them and use them to reduce the need for expensive wood chips or straw. And an added bonus: your neighbors will appreciate you!

9. Create a vertical raised bed

• How it works: Repurpose old or damaged rain gutters and mount them on a wall, ladder, or fence to create a vertical garden. Shallow-rooted plants like lettuce, herbs, and strawberries can thrive in containers lacking depth. Tip: drill holes in the gutters to ensure that vertical beds have good drainage. Fill them with a well-proportioned soil mix with plenty of organic matter so plants don’t struggle to get nutrients.
• The benefit: Your do it yourself raised garden bed offers a backdrop for your horizontal one. Plus, it’s an inexpensive way to add vertical gardening space, especially for small areas or patios.

10. Choose untreated lumber

• How it works: While pressure-treated wood can last longer than its natural alternatives, it contains harmful chemicals that leach into the soil … and then into your plants. Opt for cedar or untreated wood as borders for your raised garden bed. Apply a natural, non-toxic wood sealer like linseed oil – and your raised bed materials will last longer.
• The benefit: Untreated wood is safer for edible gardening and prevents plants from chemical exposure. You can save money if you use local or reclaimed wood.

11. Use fencing for raised bed frames

• How it works: Metal or wire fencing (often used for livestock or construction projects) can be cut to size and bent to form the sides of raised beds. You can increase the bed’s stability when you reinforce its corners with scrap wood or metal stakes.
• The benefit: Fencing and wiring is durable and inexpensive, especially when it’s repurposed from other projects.

12. Build modular beds

• How it works: Design your raised bed system in modules so that you can expand it when you’re ready for more room or when you can afford more materials. It’s easy to do with materials that come in standard sizes, like bricks, cinder blocks, or wooden frames with corner brackets. Add on an additional module at any time.
• The benefit: Planning modular raised beds from the start gives you flexibility to expand the garden over time without needing to rebuild the whole structure.

13. DIY your soil mix

• How it works: Instead of purchasing pre-mixed, expensive garden soil, you can make your own soil blends. Source compost, garden soil, and other organic matter locally or even creating your own compost pile.
• The benefit: Create your own compost pile or use a compost bin to recycle kitchen and yard waste – and save even more money.

14. Collect rainwater

• How it works: Install a simple rain barrel to collect rainwater from your gutters. Use this free water source to irrigate your raised beds. You’ll conserve water and cut down on your utility bill at the same time.
• The benefit: Tap into a free water source that’s environmentally friendly and you’ll save money on irrigation, too.

15. Use a self-watering system

• How it works: Bury large plastic bottles or containers with small holes poked in the sides (think empty plastic gallon milk jugs or 2-liter soda bottles) near the roots of your plants. Fill these with water, and they will slowly release moisture to the roots over time.
• The benefit: Self-watering conserves water because it prevents evaporation. Plus, the system keeps plants hydrated, especially during dry periods.

16. Incorporate perennials

• How it works: Mix perennials like herbs (rosemary, thyme, chives) or perennial vegetables like asparagus into your raised beds. These come back year after year, which saves you on replanting costs. Several perennials and bulbs, like chives, garlic, and mint, are good companion plants for tomatoes, too.
• The benefit: Perennials offer long-term cost savings and less maintenance.

Do it yourself raised garden beds grow more than tomatoes and other crops

Raised beds are known to lead to higher crop yields because the soil is more fertile, well-drained, and easy to work with. Plus, raised beds warm up faster in spring and drain more efficiently, leading to earlier planting and longer growing seasons. That means you can practice succession planting – that is, once early crops like spinach and radishes go to seed, then you can plant tomatoes, beans, and peppers.

But raised beds grow more than crops. Even if you lack construction skills, you can build your own do it yourself raised garden beds from free, low-cost-or reusable materials.

One simple project can lead to many fruitful harvests, plenty of cost savings, and the satisfaction that comes with self-sufficiency.

More on Raised Beds for Tomatoes

Raised Beds for Tomatoes: the basics you need to know ...

8 Low Cost Raised Garden Beds You Can DIY ...

7 Benefits of Raised Beds for Gardening ...

What to Put on Bottom of Raised Garden Bed ...

6 Tips for Growing Tomatoes In Raised Garden Beds ...

Starting a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden FAQs ...

Materials for Your Raised Garden Bed: a primer ...

Raised Bed Gardening ideas on our Pinterest board ...

Return from Do-It-Yourself Raised Garden Beds to Tomato Dirt home

As an Amazon Associate and Rakuten Advertising affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

SHARE THIS PAGE:

FREE! 10 Must-Know Tomato Growing Tips: 20-page guide
Get yours here: