DIY galvanized beds: varieties, pros and cons, how to make

To make a summer cottage beautiful, well-groomed and functional is the dream of every gardener. The construction of galvanized beds with your own hands allows you to get convenient and efficient structures for growing vegetables and herbs at no extra cost. They will look great with any landscape design and give the area an original, well-groomed look.

Why do we need galvanized beds

Metal structures can be purchased ready-made or made by yourself. Galvanized boxes are functional, able to last more than 15 years, because the walls of the structure are made of steel coated on both sides with a thin layer of zinc. This protects them from corrosion.

There are much fewer weeds in the bed, the soil does not spread, with the help of legs they are firmly fixed in the soil. The sides retain heat, allowing plants to develop faster. The crate is installed on a flat hard surface and filled with soil.

Designs are used for growing vegetables, herbs, arranging flowerbeds, landscaping, they differ in size and height of the sides. Tiered options available.

Pros and cons

Installation of beds on the site allows you to solve several problems. Of the pluses note:

great design solution: the design can be made round, polygonal, multi-tiered;
order on the site, cleanliness between the beds and on the paths;
Easy weeding - small bed width makes it easy to get rid of weeds;
saving water and fertilizer - the sides retain moisture and minerals, they are required much less;
installing arcs over the box allows you to quickly turn it into a greenhouse.

The designs have few disadvantages:

high price in case of buying a finished product;
slugs can start in the beds;
in the heat, the sides get very hot, the plants suffer from overheating.

The box is easy to move, changing the design of the site, clean in the barn for the winter.

Varieties

You can make various designs with your own hands. It depends on the material available, the desire of the gardener and the purpose of the galvanized box.

Collapsible

The outline of the structure is assembled from wood or welded from metal. Bars or reinforcement are used. Strips of galvanized steel of the same width are attached to it. The structure is tightened at the corners with the help of corners and bolts. The beds are made in length from 1.2 to 6 meters, width - from 50 centimeters to 1.2 meters. The height of the sides is from 20 to 40 centimeters.

High

For such options, more material is required, but vegetables and herbs grow faster on them, structures warm up better, so seedlings can be planted earlier than in ordinary beds. The structure is assembled in the same way, self-tapping screws are used instead of bolts, the height of the side is 35-40 centimeters.

Required tools and materials

For the manufacture of the box, you need strips of galvanized metal, wooden blocks, a drill, self-tapping screws, metal corners, a tape measure, a level. If the crate is made of metal, you will need a welding machine, pieces of reinforcement, pipes or channels, corners.

Handmade

First, a frame is made of metal or wood. Bars or metal tubes run along the top and bottom edges of the galvanization. If the box is longer than 2 meters, cross bars or tubes are needed for structural rigidity.

The finished contour is sheathed with strips of metal. If the frame is made of wood, it should be coated with a protective compound (water-based varnish, acrylic paint). The top edge of the galvanized metal is carefully folded over so as not to injure your hands while tending the plants.

After manufacturing, the bed is installed on a flat area and filled with soil. You can divide the container across into several compartments and plant different crops in the garden.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Multi-tiered galvanized bed is convenient for growing strawberries, it is suitable for creating landscape compositions. Tall structures are convenient for serving the elderly, you can take care of plants while sitting on a small bench.

Surrounding with galvanized strips of raspberry bushes will prevent the bush from spreading around the site. If you place the beds on the south side, it will be possible to plant plants on them much earlier, because the soil warms up faster on them. On uncoated galvanized beds, scratches and dust are less noticeable. It is necessary to regulate watering, it is better to choose moisture-loving plants for structures.

Of course, you can buy ready-made beds made of galvanized metal, but a thrifty person will always find improvised material on the site that will come in handy on the farm. It is not difficult to build structures with your own hands, while they serve for a long time, while maintaining efficiency and a neat appearance.