How do I make a garden on an old garage slab?
I have a huge slab in my backyard where there used to be a garage it is cracked and sloping but I can’t afford to have it removed what kind of garden do you think I could put on there to make it a more pleasant place for me. I would like to grow some potted vegetables and have a place to sit. Budgeting $500. I’m an older woman so I cannot do heavy stuff. I’m pretty crafty tho. I just cannot think of a plan.
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Antionette this made me excited! You can use pots or make or buy raised garden beds to contain the plants and have a nice walkway inbetween.
Pots inside larger pots for a stacked look.
A lawn chair sitting area and a plant walkway seems like a Vision that sounds heavenly.
Just think what you’d like in your head and start little by little.
I would do raised beds around perimeter of slab, with walk ways in between and another bed in the middle. You could use a plastic liner inside of them. Also do possible put seating there.
You seem to have bricks laying around. Perhaps you can line the outside of the concrete with them. You could do things as budget allows, one thing at a time. You could fill in some of the cracks that are in the more whole floor area and turn that into a seating area. Potted plants will cover many of the unsightly areas. I purchased very large plastic pots at Home Depot and they are pretty reasonable. You can even find them on clearance really cheap in the fall and winter. Take plywood and make roll around platforms with good castors (metal, no plastic, plastic doesn't hold up to near the weight they say), that way you can move them around to arrange them. Make sure the drainage holes are bored out, many large pots are made for indoor and outdoor and the drainage holes are not open. I also remove the bottom piece so that it doesn't hold water. You can grow just about anything in a pot as long as you water and fertilize regularly as they dry out quicker and loose nutrients through the watering. An outdoor rug or two on the seating area will cover many evils in the looks department. You may want to get an off set umbrella so that you can provide shade where you want it without having to have it come out of a table. I got mine from Aldies and it will be in its third year this spring and still looks good and functions great and was way cheaper than anyone else. It may not look real good, but start out with a few cheap plastic chairs and tables, like you can get at WalMart pretty cheap and as the budget allows, replace with better. You have an open area at where the side of the garage along the fence was, you could plant vines, like squash, cucumbers, pole beans, etc. along that area and let them grow along the fence, that is what I do. You could probable also grow some veggies that need more planting area than a pot, like bush beans and carrots. If you get really large pots, you can put multiple plants in them. I put two to three pepper plants in the size pots I use for one tomato. I also plant six to seven leaf lettuce plants in the large pots with no problem. I hope this helps you get a start. Do what you can with the money in your budget, then do other things as you can. That is what hubby and I do on our limited income. It may take more time, but you can still achieve the seating and plant area that you want, Antoinette!
Thanks RGO and JUDY.
The raised bed is exactly right. Along the fence I would like privacy. What will work might be some upright evergreen?
Any Raised Bed Agriculture setup will do.
However if I were you, I would invest in a Quality Sledgehammer.
As it is good slab, to break that down to integrate it into structures around the yard rather than bury the slab, makes resourceful sense.
Even if you use it as a Stone Walkway or As an Additive for a Step or Few, it always adds a bit of old school character and charm.
get a bunch of tubs from Walmart(ones with rope handles) put drainage holes in bottom and make yourself mixed veggie & flower container garden; get a few cinder blocks,plank of wood and create yourself low cost bench for it. Here's 8 17 gal. buckets on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Homz-Rope-Handle-Gallon-Black/dp/B00HZGDZFY here's another type 10 pieces https://www.amazon.com/Tubtrugs-Large-Tub-gallon-Blue/dp/B000A63M0O/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_201_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YGH5KAQ3ZSDQSC3HQ674 easy low cost bench just add cushion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiNJJRSauMY
Get some buckets tin tubs, barrel planters. For a seat try some old tires covered with foam and fabric with legs, or use an old headboard and attach a wide board for seat.