6 Ultimate Metal Raised Bed Garden Ideas That Will Blow Your Mind

Metal raised bed gardens are a great idea for many reasons. We go over some of the best ideas and why you should consider a metal steel raised bed garden over other materials.

Why You Should Choose A Metal Raised Bed Garden?

A Metal raised bed garden will not crack or chip like pottery during cold winter months so there is no need to bring the containers indoors during the winter. Also, they are much lighter in weight than a concrete container. They do not rot like wooden raised beds, nor do they release plastics into the soil like some poly bags. My blog post 4 Secrets To Overwintering Your Cherished Patio Garden will help to prevent some problems.

Is Metal Good For Garden Beds?

Metals can leach into the soil which makes using metal containers tricky. However, galvanized steel has a zinc coating that protects the steel from rusting. The zinc is a nutrient that plants take up in their diet. They do not take up enough to affect human consumption but if you are concerned, zinc is also a beneficial nutrient for humans.

However, other containers to avoid are any pots containing lead or copper. Both are easily absorbed within soil but lead is not readily taken up by plants and copper while utilized by plants is held in the small roots and does not travel up into the main part of the plant. Other metals such as mercury, cadmium, nickel, are not taken up by plants in any amount to harm humans. Plants too can get sick from toxic levels of harmful metals.

(Reference: “Metals in Urban Garden Soils“. Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities fact sheet with information about metals commonly found in urban garden soils, including sources, behavior in garden soil, concerns about human and plant health, what gardeners can do, and related topics. 9pg (PDF), March 2015)

Is Galvanized Metal Safe for Gardening?

Galvanized steel metal raised bed gardens are the best for a large garden. A livestock water trough that you can buy at any livestock feed store makes a great metal raised bed garden but shop around because you may be able to buy a solid but older trough from a horse or cattle barn. The zinc coating on the galvanized metal protects iron rust from leaching into the soil but neither of these metals are harmful to humans. Both zinc and iron strengthen our immune system and blood from disease. As with anything, of course we do not take large quantities of these metals and any excess amount is passed as waste. Plants do not pass these metals to us and I don’t think you would eat the soil. Take a multi-vitamin with minerals instead.

Along with troughs, the galvanized steel metal raised bed gardens can be made out of window wells. These can be bolted together to make a variety of sizes for your garden beds. You can find these at a home center and they may be cheaper than buying a new livestock trough. The window wells do not have a bottom so trees can be grown in the beds to cover plants that like shade. The tree roots will go right down into the soil. It makes drainage easy.

How Long Do Galvanized Steel Garden Beds Last?

Because they do not rot, or rust too quickly, galvanized steel garden beds can last for decades. If you make sure to add adequate drain holes or use steel window wells, your raised beds should have a long life. In humid, or rainy areas, they might not last as long, but many buildings here in tropical Malaysia use metal roofing so, by coating with a moisture barrier, you can extend the life of the container.

Do Metal Garden Beds Get Too Hot?

Metal garden beds can get too hot if they are in direct sunlight. A good idea is to line the interior of the container with bubble wrap before adding soil. As an alternative, you can move the entire container into a shady location during the hottest part of the day. Also using a good mulch will help keep plant roots cool and you can add a drip irrigation system to keep the entire bed cooler.

Other Metal Raised Bed Garden Ideas

DIY Corrugated Metal Raised Bed Garden

You can make these raised bed gardens from corrugated metal and wood. They allow you to add a slight bench to the top so you can sit on the side while you weed or inspect your garden. The Owner Builder Network has a DIY video if you want to build your own metal raised bed garden.

Mobile Metal Raised Bed Garden

HGTV has a mobile raised bed garden idea utilizing galvanized metal pipe normally used for heating or air conditioning units. They show the DIY steps in their blog post here.

Washtubs As Metal Raised Bed Gardens

Old washtubs can be used as beautiful wildflower containers but you can also include a few heads of colorful cabbage or lettuce to create edible treats.

Conclusion

Whatever metal raised bed garden idea you use, there are plenty of great ideas on the web. Metal is one of the best options because it is affordable, large enough for a good sized garden, and helps older gardeners who find it difficult to get down on their hands and knees (like me!). Do you have a metal container in your patio garden? Let me know in the comments below.

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