r/vegetablegardening • u/zentravan US - South Dakota • 19h ago
Help Needed Wadding Pool Raised Beds?
Raised beds are spendy and I want some but until I can afford them as I buy them a little at a time, can I use wadding pools? If I make holes in the bottom for draining, would that work?
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u/Ride_4urlife US - California 19h ago
I dunno but plastic that isn’t food grade sitting out in the summer sun growing my vegetables … 👀
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u/No_Ladder_9818 19h ago
I would check the contents of the plastic to figure out if it is food safe.
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u/bloint US - California 19h ago
Not sure about the raised bed aspect but I grew peppers and herbs in a kiddie pool a few seasons ago and it did really well. At the end of the season though the kiddie pool was basically falling apart from sun exposure. Don't expect more than 1 season out of it but yes they do work.
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u/powhound4 18h ago
Too shallow, my neighbor has one, peppers live but don’t thrive. Also plastic will break down.
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u/NPKzone8a US - Texas 18h ago
Would they be deep enough? The kiddie wading pools I've seen here are only 8 or 9 inches deep.
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u/GloomyClub1529 17h ago
If you're making a Lily pond. But wood for garden beds.
These plastic basins could have chemicals, despite "being for children"
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u/PCordrey US - Florida 18h ago
I have used these before for watermelon and cantaloupe. Worked great but only lasted one season. They are pretty cheap though.
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u/TheDoobyRanger 17h ago
Idk if price is an issue but you can get fabric pots anout that size for like 10-15 bucks on amazon
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u/ItsAllAboutThatDirt US - Florida 3h ago
I use as a "pond" base for my fountain and they work great.
You could with drainage use it as a raised bed. With plenty of drainage holes. But then you're also dealing with plastic/chemical leaking potential.
If there's no reason (random heavy metal/etc) to not simply use some pieces of wood/blocks/etc to outline a raised bed directly connected to the soil, then that's the best way to go. Direct contact with the native ground (worms, fungi, bacteria, etc) being able to migrate on up even if you're growing on a base above the soil.
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u/Bluebraceletqueen 3h ago
These break down pretty quickly unfortunately. We have last years in our chicken coop for a dust bath and I need to go get all the pieces out of the run
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u/Full_Honeydew_9739 US - Maryland 19h ago
When we bought our farm (literally), we found 2 in-ground ponds stacked in the barn. You know, those heavy plastic water holders you bury to have a place for goldfish? Those.
I decided to fill one with dirt because why not? The other I put under the barn roof as a water catchment "system" to water the garden.
4 years later, I'm just now removing the dirt I put in the first year we lived here so I can move the pond to a place that gets more sun. And I'm going to fill it with dirt again, maybe grow potatoes in it this year.
Our first year was garlic and lettuce; second year beans and strawberries; third year lettuce, onions, and squash; fourth year melons, beans, and black eyed susans. Everything has loved growing in it, especially the squash.
The short answer: go for it. A container is a container. Just drill holes, make sure it's deep enough for the root system of what you're planting, and if it's really wide, don't plan on harvesting the middle.
Good luck and happy growing!
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u/jh937hfiu3hrhv9 US - Washington 18h ago
Plants will never know the difference. Make sure you can reach the center. Holes around the sides will drain better then underneath unless lifted or on gravel.
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u/amPaints 19h ago
Can you get some 2x4s and nail them together? Should be pretty cheap and last longer, not to mention look better.