How to Build a Renter's Garden for Nearly Free

If you are a "Renter" instead of a "Homeowner", you know the limitations of remodeling or landscaping. You don't want to spend money to put in a permanent garden or other landscaping project that may cost. Yet you do want to have a nice yard or house. If you are a long term renter, now is a great time to put a garden in place for next spring. That makes it available for adding nutrients and early planting.

Being an avid gardener and living in an area where deer or rabbits frequent my fenced yard, I decided to install a small, fenced, raised garden. I found out that the railroad lines,(most cities have some sort of station, that houses the maintenance employees and stockpiles of supplies)have a stockpile of broken railroad ties. You only need 4, approximately 8 ft. long. They are usually below their standard to use again. With some damage, you can usually get them for free. Check your yellow pages for more information for your local area.

Landscaping companies or nurseries, sometimes discard of their used landscaping materials in large containers. Call around and see what they will let you have. If it saves you money and produces results, a few phone calls are worth the effort.

To get your fencing materials, you will have to spend a little gas. Not much, but come on, what's a little gas to get free materials. Industrial Parks, Manufacturing, and other big businesses have incoming pallets. Alot of them are overrun with the things.

A quick check with the shipping and recieving people, will usually get all you need. For an 8 x 8 area, you will need approx. 15. You may be able to haul 3 or 4 at a time in a trunk. 7 or 8 in a SUV, and all at once in a standard pickup. Make sure you "ASK"!

Wood Pallets are square, wood crate type things. The good size to use is, 48 wide X 40 long. These are the No. 1 produced size pallet in the U.S. They are used in almost any business that obtains large goods, or receives, finished boxes of things, or groceries.
They are generally made from pine or oak. Some are basic pine wood with no added treatment for sustained life. Most are treated with a preservative that extends the life of the wood, for added support.