What do you think I should do about this?
I would love love love love love love to hear from any of you!! :)
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Douglas Hunt on Jul 09, 2012Tyler, I think that would make a great raised vegetable bed, and I suspect dirt and a few packets of seed will cost much less than turning it into a water garden, for which you would have buy a liner, a pump and plants.Helpful Reply
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Sherrie S on Jul 09, 2012Tyler S, I must agree with Douglas for the reasons he mentioned and since money is a little problem I think the vegetable garden is a better choice. You can take some of the dirt from your yard then add a bag or two of better quality dirt on top If vegetable plants are too expensive find out what can be planted at this time of year and buy the seeds. You should also consider composting as compost is free and will improve the plantings. Later when money is not so tight I suggest going to Lowes or HD and look at preformed ponds. I would keep the wood project for the vegetables.Helpful Reply
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Liz C on Jul 09, 2012I agree, building a water garden would be far more expensive!!! As for money being tight, in this economy, I'm sure many of us can relate, I know I can. However, you can learn a lot of ways doing things for far less than you think, by learning tips like I've been from this site and especially the people. As for the dirt....Look into your town, as well as neighboring town, ask neighbors.......a lot of people are unaware of this, but 8o% of local towns, have a spot where they dump their spare dirt and mulch and if your a resident, you can take as much as you want. (FYI.....Don't ever take the mulch...you never know if it's treated and there's a great chance you can get termites from it). Ask around.....You'll be surprised.... I've lived here for almost 15 years, in my new home for 3 and i just recently found out about it and was able to fill both my front & back yard with fresh dirt, not once but twice and still have enough for my potters. Another thing you can try is post a WANTED ad, in the "ITEMS WANTED" category, on Craigs list in your local area asking or telling others that your in need of dirt. Again, you'll be surprised in the generosity of others! Good luck! Post a pic so we can all see what you ended up deciding to do with it!Helpful Reply
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Donna at Funky Junk Interiors on Jul 09, 2012I love the idea of a water feature, however the pump alone would cost more than the soil for your garden I'd think! If this were me, I'd flip that beautiful box against a wall, screw it in and you have one very cool shelf... for free. :D DonnaHelpful Reply
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Karleen A on Jul 10, 2012do the vegetable garden..the return on it will be worth it...plants, liner, pump, rocks will cost you!!!Helpful Reply
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Maria D. M on Jul 10, 2012ooo... I would still use it for an herb garden, looks like it would take at least 3 bags of good soil. down here there no more than 3 1/2 bucks each. I think u still need to put some kinds of pond plastic to protect it not much. I would not paint it. but, that's just my idea.Helpful Reply
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Tyler S on Jul 10, 2012Thank you for all of your advice. Well, I am not sure if it is too late to plant them? Is it? Well, I went shopping for fountain stuff, I went to Tractor Supply, and I asked a worker there, and said do you have any like little water fountain and stuff? He said, yes we do! He showed it to me. Then a lady came, and said oh my gosh, are you making a pond? I said, kind of so I showed her a picture. She said that would look so gorgeous and she also told me to go to home depot, they have fountain for like 10 dollars and pump for 20 dollars, I am like really? Thank you for those advice! She said, also if you go to Lowes, they have this little water fountain for 5 dollars as clearance, every time I went there, they have it for 5 bucks. I am like, really?! She said, yeah, thats how we replaced ours. So, I am totally going over there, but hey! If it is not too late to plant vegetable garden, my mom's friend has more wood for me, so I'd totally going to make more and use it vegetable garden. I am excited! :DHelpful Reply
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Karleen A on Jul 10, 2012it might be to late to plant a garden now...wondering if you could do it inside..Helpful Reply
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Tyler S on Jul 10, 2012I wonder about that too.. hmmm... I have a lot of space inside.Helpful Reply
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Sherrie S on Jul 10, 2012Ain't it amazing when you get help at Hometalk? I know it is. Now you can have a pond and veggies, too (with very little cost).Helpful Reply
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Tyler S on Jul 10, 2012Yes! It is so amazing because we all don't need a FANCY and EXPENSIVE pond or veggies garden, we just need a simply cheap pond and garden where we can keep it last longer and a good care of it! :DHelpful Reply
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Cathy S on Jul 10, 2012can always ask on freecycle, craig's list or on Facebook for dirt, plants, pump, etc. you'd be surprised once you ask for something! Good luck! How deep is it?Helpful Reply
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Lori J on Jul 10, 2012Depending on how you plant (need for root depth), you can crush milk cartons or soda bottles and place inside the planting box before adding soil. I think this is a much better option if you are planting annuals, but it reduces need for soil, helps out with drainage and makes big, big pots easier to move around.Helpful Reply
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Bar K on Jul 10, 2012Dirt poor, eh?Helpful Reply
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Douglas Hunt on Jul 11, 2012It's definitely not too late to plant some fall vegetable crops. In fact, you are probably coming on prime time for doing so.Helpful Reply
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Tyler S on Jul 11, 2012Cathy -- I will look it up soon as possible! Thank you for the advice. Well, I just pored the water into it, and see how it goes for couple of days. I think it is about between 10 - 20 gallon of dirt or water. I uses water. It is about 18 inches deep. Lori -- Really? I will totally do that, that is an wonder advice. I never knew or thought of that! WOW! I am impressed. Bar-- yeah! hahah! Douglas -- Really? What if it not ready yet? Think I can bring it inside?Helpful Reply
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Douglas Hunt on Jul 12, 2012Tyler, yes. Some crops-broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprout, carrots, parsnips and spinach-not only tolerate, but taste better, with a frost. You could easily cover a small box like that to provide protection from a light frost. That would be a lot easier than trying to bring it inside laden down with your fall harvest.Helpful Reply
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Sherrie S on Jul 12, 2012Tyler, another thing you might use in your planter are the packing peanuts that protect packages. Most of them are biodegradable - good for the environment.Helpful Reply
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Cynthia H on Aug 18, 2014You could also ask for free dirt that you could haul away. For example, where I work, there is a huge remodel project and addition going on. They pile up up the excavated dirt with those noodle type dams around them so there isn't run off, and then haul away what can't be reused.Helpful Reply
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Carole on Aug 19, 2014Make your own compost - takes a while but if you are not in a hurry you can turn you grass clippings, kitchen veg and fruit peelings and egg shells etc, old newspapers and all sorts into compost. A good growing medium for herbs, veg or flowers. No meat or dairy in it though as this will attract vermin and no dog or cat pooh - although manure from grass feeding animals such as cow and horse are good to add for great compost.Helpful Reply
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Deana Adkins on Sep 01, 2014If too late this year save for next year and you don't need tons of dirt. Paint it the color you want. Aqua wash would be most delightful. Then add plastic liner. As for the dirt. You can use what ever soil you have in the yard in the bottom. Put some straw or even leaves in the bottom with it. If its deep enough. You only need about three inches of purchased soil for the top. The straw and leaves or what ever will compost down and become part of the good stuff you bought. I live in Nevada and have been doing this for years because I cant afford to buy bunches of dirt all the time.Helpful Reply
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Polly Zieper on Nov 02, 2014I've never made one,but I doubt old, dry wood would hold up if it gets wet.Helpful Reply
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Jean Thompson on Apr 07, 2015keep watch at home centers/Garden centers for when they have dirt on sale like 5 bags for $10 etc... I agree with others above to use crushed cardboard milk cartons or other items to fill in the bottom 6 inches then add newspapers on top of that ( about 10 sheets over that then the Dirt... plant veggies... seeds are cheap and then you will be able to eat.. Nix the Garden pond idea,, sounds nice but is a breeding spot for Bugs... and will get slimy in the sunlight..... love the Wood..Helpful Reply
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Rachel on Jun 05, 2015how big is it? It looks very smallHelpful Reply
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Karen on Jun 06, 2015Step on a few empty plastic water bottles, enough to fill the bottom of your planter. Then add the soil. It will require a lot less soil. I would lightly spray paint it turquoise or even white. Annual flowers would work best,, as they have shorter roots. Veggies would be hard to control how they stay up IN THE WIND ETCHelpful Reply
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Darla Reed on Jun 22, 2015Make a rustic shelving unit. Set on it's short end add shelves made from pallet wood.Helpful Reply
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Jean Thompson on Jun 23, 2015We have planter Bed boxes my husband made with Decking boards -2 ft wide by 36 ft long, We have our Raspberries, Onions, Garlic planted in them...Helpful Reply
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