Ideas to Redesign Old Flower Beds
Over time, a garden bed made from wood will start to rot. Brick, cement and plastic beds begin to crumble or crack. These structures are not completely lost; use portions of the old beds to make new ones. If you do not amend the soil with new soil or compost each year, it will be affected as well. At this point, you will have to build healthier soil.
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Clear the Area
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Before beginning, remove plants that you wish to keep. Remove the bed structures next, and any above-ground-level soil and unwanted plants. Place the plant items into a compost bin or pile.
Taking Things Apart
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Take apart wooden bed structures carefully so you can reuse nails and salvageable wood. Saw off rotten areas. Set aside intact bricks and cement blocks for repurposing, and any plastic bedding structure materials that are salvageable. Recycle or dispose of broken brick and other waste.
Reusing Materials
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Use salvaged items from the old beds to create new beds; the reclaimed wood will make smaller beds, and saved bricks or cement blocks from several beds can be combined to create one or more new beds. Reuse leftover plastic pieces by making a smaller raised bed with them, or use as edging along an in-ground bed. Save the nails when you take apart the wooden beds are reuse them when you make new ones.
New Materials
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Bring in new materials when you wish to make larger beds. Use the new materials alone or in conjunction with the old materials. Look for sources of untreated wood, which is the best for wooden beds, as well as bricks and cement blocks. Purchase what you are unable to find elsewhere.
Incorporate in-ground flower beds into your landscaping. Use an old wagon wheel to make a great structure for one of these. (Reference 3) Place it where desired before digging into the soil.
Soil and Plants
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Dig the ground where the beds will go to a depth of 1 foot. Cover the area with 2 inches of compost and work it into the soil well. Place plants into in-ground beds at this point. Place the raised flower beds over the worked areas, and fill them with a mixture of half soil and half compost. Plant the flowers you saved, then add any new plantings to the bed.
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