10 DIY Garden Improvements You Can Do for Under $100
As the weather gets warmer, it’s time to get your garden ready for planting and think about what you can do to make the most of your space. However, new features and garden upgrades can quickly add up in price. If you’re not looking for a complete landscaping overhaul, there are plenty of DIY garden upgrades you can complete for under $100.
Guide your climbing plants with an expandable trellis.
To train climbing plants along a fence line, the edge of a porch, or along the side of a pergola, you can use an expandable trellis ($36.98/13-by-78-inch section) to fit the trellis to your desired space. An expandable trellis can also be hung vertically along a post to direct the vines upward. The lattice will shrink to a narrower section, three or four feet long if you have a shorter length without the need for cutting.
Making an arched lattice
To build a fabulous arched trellis for climbing plants, you can use welded galvanized fencing ($50.52 for a 3-by-50-foot section) attached to T-posts ($6.98 each). Drive T-posts into the ground three feet apart on either side of the proposed arch, then unfold galvanized fencing over the posts, creating an arch connecting the two sides. Use built-in metal clips or wire ($5.93/250 feet) to attach the fencing to the posts.
Make a lattice for the hoop
You can also make a climbing frame using hoops ($21.99/$10), garden stake ($26.99/$25) and twine ($4.99/400ft). By tying the hoops to garden stakes with twine, you can hang them in the air. The hoops are adjustable, so you can create a graduated trellis for climbing plants by arranging them with the smallest hoops at the top and the largest at the bottom. You can also arrange the hoops vertically by hanging them from a stake, post or fence to create a circular trellis for climbing flowers.
Use pavers to build raised beds.
One of the cheapest and most popular ways to make raised beds is to use concrete patio pavers ($0.48 each for seven by three and a half inches by one and a half inches of pavers). . You can stack the pavers in rows, like bricks, around the bed to create an edge, then fill them with your own compost. The advantage of a paver border bed over a traditional box is that you can shape it into any shape you want or accommodate the existing slope of your garden.
Make a raised platform for a storage tank
Raised Beds with Tank ($49.99 for one bed measuring five by three feet by one foot) are a popular choice for DIY raised beds because they are durable and easy to install. Using a metal raised bed is a lighter, more compact alternative to wood-framed beds, but they can be sensitive to heat, so keep that in mind when choosing what to plant in them.
Make raised beds from cedar planks.
A raised bed is easy to build using cedar planks ($9.25 for each three-quarter-inch by eight-foot-by-four-inch boards), L-brackets ($3.48 each), ¾-inch screws (6.87 US$ per box) and 1 ⅝ inch Screws ($10.97 per box). Cut the boards to the desired length for each side of the bed, then screw the ends to the sides of the bed using 1 ⅝-inch screws. Use ¾-inch screws to add L-brackets inside each corner to strengthen the connections. If you need a taller bed, use a piece of board cut to the desired height at each corner to join the boards vertically.
Make a mobile seeder using a cart
You can use a metal cart ($37.02) and some flower pots ($13.99 for three) to make a movable flower or plant stand for your porch or patio. You can also use a used piece of furniture and add your own casters ($11.99 for four) to create a cart. Pots on wheels will make it easier to water and care for plants, and also provide them with the necessary amount of sunlight.
Use a mold to make a path
If you want a cheaper concrete walkway, you can use a paver mold ($25.29 for two) and some concrete mix ($21.88 for ten pounds) to pour the pavers yourself. Using a mold allows you to create the path you want and save some money along the way. For this project, you’ll need Basic Concrete Tools ($14.99) if you don’t already have them.
Make a path out of mulch
To lay a mulched path, first define your path by laying landscaping fabric over the intended area using landscaping staples ($9.99/50). Once you’ve laid out a path, you can either lay down store-bought mulch ($4.97 for two cubic feet) or use free mulch from Chip Drop . (Just keep in mind that Chip Drop will leave your mulch in your parking space or driveway and you’ll have to move it to the correct location.)
Plant a container garden
To create several different layers, you can try a container garden. You can use almost any type of container, but something like this stainless steel tub ($54.99), terra cotta pot ($21.44), or concrete planter ($38.41) will last a long time. outdoors. Some gardeners have success recycling old pots, tool boxes and paint cans into garden plant containers. Really, anything that will hold dirt and withstand the elements is a good candidate for an inexpensive planter.