If there are plastic pipes left after renovation or construction of a house or dacha, do not throw them away. If you have the desire, ingenuity and ability to work with your hands, they will be used to make a variety of beds from scraps and remnants of PVC pipes. Such original systems will not only help to increase the planting area in small areas, but will also become their unusual and stylish decorations.
Advantages and disadvantages of beds made of PVC pipes
Beds that can be created from unnecessary PVC pipes have both undeniable advantages and a number of disadvantages:
| pros | Minuses |
| beauty
Convenience of design Easy to care for and harvest Clean ripe berries, if pipes are used to grow them Saves space, allows you to grow more useful and ornamental plants Best lighting conditions Rapid soil warming Stylish and modern appearance Can be used for growing cultural and ornamental plants |
Minimum soil volume
High frequency of watering and fertilizing Risk of rapid depletion of nutrients and microelements Threat of freezing even with minor frosts The need to think through the design and create strong fastenings |
Despite the existing shortcomings, beds made of PVC pipes are very popular among summer residents and floriculture lovers on the plots of private households. Also, landscape architects and designers pay a lot of attention to this area, since such PVC beds allow you to transform and complicate the space, giving it volume and complex outlines.
Varieties
Due to the fact that PVC pipes with different profiles and diameters can be used to create beds, users have the opportunity to create various design options. By design, all types of PVC beds are divided into the following:
- Horizontal, in which the pipes are located parallel to the ground.
- Vertical, in which plastic pipes are mounted vertically.
The choice of the appropriate option depends on the wishes of the owner, the area of the site, the design idea and the type of plants used.
Horizontal
When the pipe is positioned horizontally, the planted plants receive the same amount of light and nutrients. This is especially useful when growing berries - strawberries and wild strawberries.They turn out clean, not rotten, and are practically not damaged by pests. Such berries are easy to pick, which is highly appreciated by people of age and with disabilities.
Vertical
When PVC pipes are arranged vertically, the beds allow you to place plants one above the other. This option is most suitable for hanging flowers and berries that produce “mustaches”, like strawberries and wild strawberries. Such designs look unusual and allow you to use the available space as economically and profitably as possible.
Tools and materials
To create vertical and horizontal beds, remnants or cuttings of large diameter PVC sewer pipes - 110-200 millimeters - are most often used. For water supply and drip irrigation, the remains of narrow plastic tubes with a diameter of 15-20 millimeters are suitable.
Tools you will need:
- Hacksaw or electric jigsaw.
- Drill with a crown attachment.
- Drill with a diameter of 3-4 millimeters.
- Plugs.
- Copper wire.
- Synthetic (non-rotting) fabric that easily permeates and absorbs water.
- Fine gravel or coarse sand, expanded clay for drainage.
If you know how to work with your hands and simple power tools, you can easily make beds from PVC pipes yourself.
DIY making
Making horizontal beds from PVC pipes requires the least amount of effort. It is easier to make devices from wide pipes cut lengthwise.The main difficulty here will be the manufacture of supports for installation. They must be durable, so welded structures or strong wooden trestles are better suited.
If you plan to use pipes as holders for individual pots, you will need to drill out “sockets” according to their diameter. This is labor-intensive and time-consuming, so it is more suitable for growing ornamental plants with different requirements for soil, watering and fertilizing.
For garden plants, it is better to completely fill the cavities with nutritious soil, into which the plants are then planted. The principle of forming vertical and horizontal beds is almost the same:
- Numerous holes are drilled into thin plastic tubes. Water will flow through them during drip irrigation.
- A hose is attached to one end of the tube, which will supply water, and the other is closed (it is better to make the cap removable to drain the water before frost).
- A drainage layer is poured into a prepared large-diameter PVC pipe.
- Half a layer of nutrient soil is placed on the drainage.
- Then the irrigation system is installed. The perforated part is placed on the ground, the end with a hose is connected to the water supply system.
- Add the remaining soil.
- Plants are planted.
Examples
The most expressive options are obtained by combining imagination and ingenuity. For example, a vertical structure for strawberries can be made from a wide collector, into the holes of which sewer “elbows” are inserted.It is convenient for the plants themselves and looks stylish and elegant.
Ornamental vines grow beautifully and remain healthy when planted in segments connected in chains one above the other. Against the background of the wall, they form unique patterns, and the issue of attaching the vines disappears by itself.
Ordinary construction waste can simplify the care of plantings and turn the site into the garden of your dreams.
