Using Old Wooden Pallets For Making Raised Garden Bed

If nothing else, COVID-19 has shown us the importance of taking a breath and living in the moment. With Perth’s lockdown reasonably limited compared to the rest of the world, we still saw a significant shift in people’s attitudes towards work and leisure and a growing interest in backyard gardening.

The excellent news is that ABC’s wooden pallets can be easily transformed into raised garden beds, supplying you with fresh food grown in your backyard.

The cost of manufactured garden boxes can be prohibitive, so why not build your own? Using a wood pallet as a raised garden bed design will keep the costs down and are easy to create.

Which pallets are safe to use?

Most pallets undergo preservation and pest control treatment through heat treatment, pesticides, or antifungal treatments. Before using any pallets for your garden bed, you need to inspect the wooden structure for an IPPC stamp.

If you can’t see any marking on the pallet, be cautious and don’t use it for planting your vegetables. The stamp should be visible on the side of the pallet. Ideally, choose pallets marked with an HT stamp, which signifies that the wood on the pallet is heat-treated rather than chemically treated.

Avoid chemically treated pallets to keep you, your family, and your vegetables safe from toxic contaminants.

Do not use pallets stamped with MB

An MB stamp stands for Methyl Bromide, which is a toxic agent that will contaminate your garden soil and the plants you’re growing.

What do I need to build my raised wooden pallet garden bed?

The best bit about this project is pallets are almost ready to use! A wooden pallet bed is an eco-friendly, time-saving approach to growing flowers and vegetables. The pallet slats create instant rows, which are a great place to write plant names.

These raised pallet beds require no assembly, are readily available, and are also usually free. Although sizes vary somewhat, the standard pallet is 48×40×6 inches. Raise them by stacking one pallet on another or add a leg to each corner.

You need:

• A wooden pallet
• A length of weed tarp
• Composted / potting soil
• Seeds/seedlings

Line your bed with a weed tarp and secure it in place with a staple gun. Place a thin layer of loose stones along the garden bed base to help with drainage; then, you can begin filling it up with well-composted soil. Once the raised wooden pallet garden is full of dirt, it’s time to start planting!

Plants that will do well in a raised pallet garden bed

We recommend avoiding plants requiring deep root systems (potatoes, carrots, beetroot). Good candidates for a pallet garden bed include:

• Lettuce
• Capsicum
• Strawberries
• Herbs
• Garlic
• Tomatoes

Why choose Australian Boxes and Crates for your wooden pallets in Perth?

Here at ABC, we are proud of our reliable, cost-efficient, and durable products that guarantee long-term benefits. Our pallets are recyclable, perfect for transforming into garden beds and stunning household furniture.

For more information on our range of wooden pallets in Perth or to discuss custom wooden pallet crates options, get in touch today.