Every summer resident will appreciate the neat appearance of the beds and the ease of processing them. Therefore, the construction of beds from pallets is becoming increasingly popular among gardeners. They are suitable for greens, strawberries, flowers. If you place the pallets vertically, they can significantly save space on the site, making it original and simplifying the care of planted plants.
Advantages and disadvantages
Pallets are wooden structures used for transporting large cargo. For many, they remain after purchasing building materials and do not find use on the farm. But they can be used in the country.
A bed made of pallets is easily installed on the site. It is convenient to plant greens, lettuce, and strawberries in it. It has many advantages:
- absence of weeds - the walls of the pallet do not allow them to grow;
- accuracy and originality of design;
- the ability to conveniently arrange plantings, ease of care;
- When the pallets are arranged vertically, the design allows you to save space; sometimes they are used as a decorative fence.
Pallets can be coated with water-based varnish or acrylic paints, this will make the area picturesque.
Among the disadvantages of such beds are noted:
- costs for purchasing pallets;
- small garden bed area;
- inconvenience of transportation;
- the appearance of insects and slugs.
When purchasing, you should choose wooden pallets that have not been treated with chemicals so that the hazardous chemicals used in their manufacture do not get into the ground.
Tools and materials
When making a structure for growing plants from a pallet, you will need: a pallet, agrofabric or other waterproof material, a stapler or nails and a hammer, soil for planting. If you stretch a polyethylene canopy over the bed on plastic arches, you will get a convenient greenhouse.
How to make beds from pallets with your own hands
There are several options for such beds. They can be regular, tall or vertical. The service life of a pallet on site is 2-3 years, then the pallet should be replaced.
Horizontal
The pallet is placed on the selected excavated area, and fertilizers are applied to the soil in advance. Soil is poured into the gaps between the boards of the pallet and thoroughly compacted. Then the seeds are planted in the resulting rows. No design modification is required.Strawberries planted in such a bed will not touch the ground, spoil or become dirty. Additional support will appear for the bushes.
If a deep bed is being built, it will require several pallets. They are installed vertically, fastened together with screws or self-tapping screws to form a deep box. The inside is lined with waterproof fabric. A drainage layer of gravel, expanded clay or brick fragments is laid at the bottom of the finished structure. Then a layer of sand is poured, and on top - a layer of fertile soil in which the seeds are planted.
Another way to install horizontal garden beds: weeds are mowed in a selected area, cardboard is laid on the resulting “cushion”, and pallet structures are installed on top. The space between the boards is filled with available organic matter: grass, vegetable peelings, hay. It is compacted, watered and 7-10 centimeters of soil are added on top. Plant seeds are planted in the ground.
Wooden structures can be disassembled, and formwork for the bed can be put together from boards and filled with soil. In this case, the length of the structure depends only on the amount of available material.
Vertical
For vertical installation, the structure is upholstered with waterproof fabric from the inside, then drainage is laid and covered with earth mixed with peat. The soil is compacted. Lay the pallet horizontally and plant the seeds. As the plants grow, the roots will intertwine, forming a dense layer with the soil.
Important: if you lift the pallet immediately after planting the seeds, the soil from the structure will spill out and the plants will die.
The pallet is lifted and placed vertically, the compacted soil remains in place, and the bed is easy to care for and harvest.
Common mistakes
The structure should not be treated with anti-rotting chemicals - all harmful substances will end up in the soil after numerous waterings. It is necessary to ensure that there are no traces of gasoline or technical oils on the material. Traces of rot or mold are unacceptable.
The bed, lined with agrofibre on the inside, requires moderate watering. We should not forget about the drainage layer, which relieves plants from excess moisture. Weeds do not grow around the pallet, but weeding between the bushes is necessary for the plants.
The structure attracts slugs - do not place the structure next to cabbage or potatoes. For the winter, it is better to disassemble and dry the structure. Next season it can be installed in a new location.
Pallets are convenient for small beds. They are convenient to place on a large area, creating your own landscape design at the dacha. Such a bed can be equipped not only in the garden, but also on the balcony of a city apartment by vertically installing the pallet.
