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Plants growing in a raised timber garden bed on legs

Overview

Short on space? Maybe you're renting or on the move and need a mobile garden solution? Portable garden beds are really easy to make and can be moved anywhere you have sun and a flat surface! All you need are some castors and a bit of nifty know-how.

Steps

1Select your planter

We're using a garden bed kit and customising it with some castors. But you can make your portable garden bed from anything. A wheelbarrow, an old pallet, a trolley – anything with wheels will do the job!

2Assemble your garden bed

If you're using a kit, like we are, you're going to need to screw it together. Line up your base pieces on the frame, making sure you leave a gap between the timber so that the soil drains well. Then use the nail gun to attach the timber to the frame of the planter. If you're buying one already assembled, you can skip this step.

3Mark up where your castors will go

Once your planter is assembled, use a pencil to mark up where you want your castors to go – you'll need to do this for every leg.

A person marking a hole for a castor wheel on the end of a piece of timber

4Drill your pilot holes

A pilot hole should be half the length of the screw you'll be using – in our case, it was about 10mm. Drill four per leg – don't forget your protective eyewear for this bit!

A person drilling a hole in  the end of a piece of timber

5Attach your castors

Line your castors up with your pilot holes and drill them in. Make sure when you're attaching your castors that they are all pointing in the right direction, otherwise your portable planter won't move properly. No one likes a wonky trolley!

A person attaching a castor wheel to the end of a piece of timber using a cordless drill

6Plant your plants and herbs

This is the fun bit! Prepare your bed by half-filling it with some good quality potting mix. Spread it out evenly and lift your plants out of their pots or punnets and place them gently in the soil. If they're a bit stuck, gently tease out the roots. Fill around the plants with more soil and press down so they're snugly in position. Remember to leave enough room between plants for them to grow and expand. Once they're settled, give your plants a generous water and maybe add some seaweed solution to minimise any ‘transplant shock.'

A person planting lettuce into a raised wooden garden bed

7Get moving

Once your garden bed is planted, find a nice sunny spot in your garden and wheel it into position. And you're done! How easy was that?

8Keep watching

Watch the full episode and more D.I.Y. projects from Make It Yours Episode 3: Backyard Makeover by Tim and Mat.

Suggested products

Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.