Raised beds are a gardener’s best friend, and in Missouri, finding affordable materials makes them even better. I love experimenting with different options that are sturdy, eco-friendly, and easy on the wallet.
From reclaimed wood to simple bricks, there are plenty of ways to build walls that last without spending a fortune. Creating your own raised beds is satisfying, practical, and gives your garden a neat, organized look.
With the right materials, your Missouri garden can flourish all season long.
1. Reclaimed Wooden Pallets
Free pallets are everywhere in Missouri if you know where to look. Check local businesses, factories, or Facebook Marketplace for these wooden treasures.
Just make sure they’re heat-treated (marked with ‘HT’) rather than chemically treated. One pallet can often be disassembled to build an entire small raised bed!
2. Concrete Blocks
At about $2 each, concrete blocks create instant raised beds with no construction skills needed. Simply arrange them in your desired shape and fill with soil.
Missouri gardeners love the bonus planting pockets in the blocks themselves – perfect for herbs or flowers! They also hold heat well during our chilly spring nights.
3. Cedar Fence Pickets
Home improvement stores across Missouri sell individual cedar fence pickets for around $3 each. These naturally rot-resistant boards make beautiful raised beds at a fraction of lumber prices.
Four pickets stacked horizontally create a perfect 12-inch high bed. Cedar’s natural oils help it withstand our humid Missouri summers without expensive treatments.
4. Corrugated Metal Roofing
Scrap metal yards in Missouri often sell used corrugated roofing panels at bargain prices. When sandwiched between wooden corner posts, these panels create modern-looking, long-lasting raised beds.
The metal heats up quickly in our Missouri spring sunshine, warming soil earlier for faster plant growth. Plus, they reflect light onto your plants for extra photosynthesis power!
5. Stone Retaining Wall Blocks
Clearance sections at Missouri garden centers often have discontinued retaining wall blocks at steep discounts. These heavy blocks stack without mortar and last virtually forever.
Their substantial weight handles Missouri’s freeze-thaw cycles beautifully without shifting. Look for end-of-season sales when stores need to clear inventory before winter – you might score them at 70% off!
6. Fallen Logs
After Missouri’s frequent storms, free logs are often yours for the hauling. Oak, walnut, and cedar last longest, creating natural-looking raised beds that blend perfectly into woodland gardens.
The decomposing wood actually improves soil quality over time. Many Missouri municipalities have free log piles after clearing storm damage – just call your local parks department to ask.
7. Recycled Plastic Lumber
Missouri recycling centers sometimes sell plastic lumber made from recycled milk jugs and shopping bags. This material never rots, never needs painting, and handles our state’s humidity like a champ.
While initially more expensive than wood, it lasts decades longer in our challenging climate. Watch for factory seconds or discontinued colors for the best deals in the Show-Me State.
8. Brick Salvage
Missouri’s historic cities like St. Louis and Kansas City are goldmines for salvaged bricks from demolition sites. Often available for pennies each or even free if you haul them.
These century-old clay bricks have already proven their durability against Missouri’s weather extremes. Dry-stack them for drainage or use a simple mortar mix for a more permanent structure that will outlast you.
9. Gabion Wire Baskets
Fencing wire formed into cages and filled with Missouri’s abundant limestone rocks creates striking modern raised beds. Hardware stores sell gabion wire by the foot for minimal cost.
These structures drain beautifully during our famous Missouri downpours. Fill with rocks cleared from your own property or ask local construction sites for their excavated stone piles – they’re often happy to have you haul them away.
10. Livestock Water Tanks
Rural Missouri farm supply stores sell galvanized stock tanks for $50-100 that make instant raised beds with zero construction. Just drill drainage holes, add soil, and plant!
These ready-made containers warm up quickly in spring and resist our state’s termites and wood-boring insects. Look for dented models marked down at farm auctions across Missouri’s agricultural communities.
11. Urbanite Concrete Chunks
Missouri homeowners replacing sidewalks or patios often give away broken concrete pieces (called “urbanite”) for free. These irregular chunks stack beautifully into artistic raised bed walls.
The rough edges lock together naturally without mortar. The alkaline concrete gradually leaches calcium into Missouri’s naturally acidic soil – perfect for vegetables that crave higher pH levels.
12. Wattle Fencing
Missouri’s abundant willow trees provide perfect material for woven wattle fencing – a traditional method using flexible branches woven between upright stakes. Completely free if you harvest it yourself!
This biodegradable option lasts 2-3 years in our climate before needing replacement. Many Missouri conservation areas allow limited willow harvesting with a permit – creating a sustainable, zero-cost raised bed option.
13. Straw Bales
Missouri farmers sell straw bales for $4-6 each that can be arranged into instant raised beds. They gradually decompose, enriching your soil with organic matter over the season.
The hollow centers filled with soil create perfect growing conditions. Many Missouri gardeners use this method for a single-season bed before establishing something more permanent, composting the straw afterward.
14. Bamboo Stakes
Missouri’s invasive bamboo groves provide endless free material for raised bed walls. Cut mature canes and lash them together with wire to create Asian-inspired garden beds.
The hollow tubes provide excellent drainage during our state’s rainy periods. Many Missouri property owners will gladly let you harvest bamboo from their land – you’re helping control an aggressive plant while getting free building material!