Hügelkultur Raised Beds

[Land of Lincoln]

I have had great results using pallets to make raised beds. I started using pallet wood back in the COVID-19 pandemic days when lumber prices went through the roof. Back then, building a small, raised garden bed using store bought lumber might have been as much as $200.00. I was able to find free pallets, tear them apart, and rebuild them as raised beds for about $2.00 in screws and nails. It became a hobby for me and I continue building new pallet wood raised beds every year.

There are lots of different pallet wood raised bed designs. I hope you find one that fits your needs. You can still save a lot of money using pallet wood to make your raised beds if you are willing to put a little work into finding those free pallets.



I don't start seeds until about the end of March. Like you, I have had success using the paper towel method to sprout seeds. I might try using some fine cloth instead of paper towels this year. I have watched a number of YouTube videos that claim if you use the right kind of cloth, the seeds will not grow into and stick to the material like they will with paper towels.

I start many of my seeds directly into 3-inch net pots....

View attachment 4049821

The advantage to those net pots is that the roots will air prune because of all the slits. The plant will then grow additional roots instead of spiraling around the pot. When you transplant it, the plant has a better developed root system and there is little chance of transplant shock. I have my net pots sitting in a container where I can bottom water all the pots. The water wicks up and feeds the plants as needed. Before, with regular starter pots, I would overwater my starts from the top and kill too many plants. I have never overwatered any of these net pots because the excess water goes out the slits.

I have had much better success with the net pots than other methods, but I know some other people have success with other methods. What plant starter method do you use after your seeds have sprouted in paper towels?

I should also mention that the first year I used the net pots I bought some high quality MiracleGro seed starting mix. Everything grew well, strong and tall plants, and I was very excited about using the net pot method.

Last year, I thought I would save some money and bought an off brand potting mix on sale for my seed starting. It was really disappointing. The seeds sprouted and started to grow, like the year before, but the plants never took off and had stunted growth. After about six weeks, I had to go the store, buy some MiraclGro seed starting mix, and start all over again.

I thought I was going to save some money with that inexpesive potting mix, but I ended up losing almost 8 weeks of work that I never got back!

This year, I'm going to buy the more expensive MiracleGro seed starting mix again from the start. You can't buy back lost time no matter how much money you have. Well, that was my lesson from last year.

I’ve seen the video you’re referring to about the tight woven cloth. I have used that method using some old denim from worn out jeans (worn out = I’ve expanded and can no longer wear) and it works really well. I still call it the paper towel method for whatever reason.

It’s easier for me to start plants that way knowing they’ve already germinated. It’s rewarding to me seeing that little white root sprouting out of the one end. It’s kind of a reward for the effort put in. They don’t all sprout but the ones that do make it feel worth the effort for me.

Amazing how such a small seed can grow and provide for ourselves and our families. It’s really fascinating to see the transformation from beginning to end.

 

[akroberts1085]

I’ve seen the video you’re referring to about the tight woven cloth. I have used that method using some old denim from worn out jeans (worn out = I’ve expanded and can no longer wear) and it works really well. I still call it the paper towel method for whatever reason.

It’s easier for me to start plants that way knowing they’ve already germinated. It’s rewarding to me seeing that little white root sprouting out of the one end. It’s kind of a reward for the effort put in. They don’t all sprout but the ones that do make it feel worth the effort for me.

Amazing how such a small seed can grow and provide for ourselves and our families. It’s really fascinating to see the transformation from beginning to end.

I sprouted a head of garlic in a jar of water. I planted 10 cloves with a green sprout coming up. The last one is about 3/ cloves but it's okay. I'm working on sprouting some more because I want to know that if I need garlic it's here or at least in the garden. It's a okay nice day so I am going to start some raised bed projects.

 

[akroberts1085]

My husband and I built a pallet bed. It's not perfect and I didn't get a picture yet but I will try to get one tomorrow

 

[gtaus]

I have used that method using some old denim from worn out jeans (worn out = I’ve expanded and can no longer wear) and it works really well.

I blew out the seat of a pair of old blue jeans a week ago. Dear Wife wanted me to toss it into the trash. I kept it, thinking that I would find a use for the denim, although I had no idea what I could use it for. Sounds like it would make good material for the paper towel method? I think I'll give it a try. Glad I saved those old jeans.

It’s easier for me to start plants that way knowing they’ve already germinated. It’s rewarding to me seeing that little white root sprouting out of the one end. It’s kind of a reward for the effort put in. They don’t all sprout but the ones that do make it feel worth the effort for me.

Amazing how such a small seed can grow and provide for ourselves and our families. It’s really fascinating to see the transformation from beginning to end.

Well said. I'll just add that it is so very rewarding for me to make chicken run compost that feeds the soil, which feeds the plants, that feed my family. Our kitchen scraps and unwanted leftovers go back to the chickens. Chickens, compost, and gardening. It's a wonderful cycle.

My husband and I built a pallet bed. It's not perfect and I didn't get a picture yet but I will try to get one tomorrow

Plants don't need perfect. They do just fine in good beds that hold the soil. Looking forward to your picture(s).

 

[akroberts1085]

Didn't get back home in time to get pictures of the bed but I will tomorrow because husband and I are going to be making more tomorrow.

 

[Sally PB]

Those who sprout the seeds in paper towel or fabric... how far long do you let them get before you put them in some kind of potting soil? And do you pick them up -- gently! -- with tweezers? I'm thinking of trying this with my saved onion seeds.

 

[akroberts1085]

This is the first one. We moved it and turned it upside down so the uneven side is on the ground. The small one is the first one

 

[gtaus]

This is the first one. We moved it and turned it upside down so the uneven side is on the ground. The small one is the first one

Well done. Looks great to me. It should last you a number of years.

I just want to highlight one thing that I do which I think adds more strength and years to my pallet wood raised bed builds. In my builds, I use two 2X4's in each corner to tie the outer frames together...

My first raised bed builds, years ago, did not have those corners reinforced with 2X4's on the inside. I had a few of my raised beds blow out at the corners because they were only held together with a few screws in the outer frame. Since I add those 2X4's in each corner, I have not had any blow outs.

Well, my older beds were 4X8 feet, so maybe the smaller 4X4 beds do not the extra support. But I tend to overbuild my stuff. In any case, you can think about those added supports in the corner on future builds, or not, depending on how well your raised bed holds up.

I would love to hear what you thought of the design and if you had any problems with the build. I have made so many of them, that it takes me very little time to put one together. And, of course, if you come up with any improvements, I would love to hear about it. I would love to someday upgrade my pallet wood raised bed v2.0 to v3.0!

 

[gtaus]

Those who sprout the seeds in paper towel or fabric... how far long do you let them get before you put them in some kind of potting soil? And do you pick them up -- gently! -- with tweezers? I'm thinking of trying this with my saved onion seeds.

I would say a lot depends on the size of the seed. I tend to sprout larger squash seeds, and maybe let the sprout get about 1/4 inch long. I use my fingers for the larger squash seeds, but if I had really small seeds to move, I'd use a tweezers.

The reason I was asking about using paper towels in the paper towel method was that because sometimes you get roots growing into the paper towel and when you try to remove the seed, you might break or damage the sprout. I have heard some people use fabric which works like a paper towel, but the roots don't go into and take hold to the fabric, making it easier and less damaging to remove the sprouted seeds.

I have never used fabric, but I have an old pair of denim blue jeans that I am going to cut up this year for sprouting.

As I said, I directly plant many of my new seeds into a 3-inch net pot. But I have lots of older seeds that I will sprout first to see how many are good before transplanting into my net pots. Sprouting seeds first is a good strategy with old seeds because you might only get 20% spouted, but you still get 100% success when you transplant those sprouts into a starter pot.

Well, I keep all my 3, 4, and even 5-year-old seeds for sprouting rather than buying new seeds. If the seeds sprout, then they will grow in the pots. If the old seeds don't sprout, I still have time to buy new seeds.

 

[gtaus]

I don't know if I mentioned it here that last year, I had a fantastic garden going with all kinds of food growing in my hügelkultur raised beds. Unfortunately, the deer found my garden and practically wiped me out in a few nights. I spent the later part of the summer building cages to put on top of my raised beds...

I made some cages 2-feet high and others 3-feet high. Since all my raised beds are 4X4 feet, I should be able to use the cages on any of the beds. I have a couple cages with no tops in case I have plants growing taller than 3 feet.

I also made some wire frames to put in my trellis beds to keep the deer out...

It was too late to save my garden food last year, but this year I think I am ready. I guess it was only a matter of time before the deer found my garden. I still see deer prints in the snow around my raised beds. So, I might be on their regular patrol schedule now.