How to Make a Cinder Block Garden

Are you looking to add vertical interest to your garden? A cinder block garden is a great, budget-friendly way to add structure to your landscaping. It’s very easy to make and it can be low maintenance too if you choose drought-tolerant plants. I built my cinder block garden last year and it’s one of the main focal points in my backyard. I did some research, studied pictures and watched video tutorials on YouTube. Read on for my version of cinder block garden tutorial.

Materials

1. Cinder blocks
2. Cardboard
3. Potting Soil
4. Plants

Steps

1. Decide how big you want your cinder block garden to be.
2. Purchase your materials. I recommend these cinder blocks from Menards.
3. Stack your cinder blocks.
4. Cut out cardboard pieces and place at the bottom of each of the cinder block hollow centers that you plan to fill with soil and plants. The cardboard will help keep the soil from spilling out of the centers while allowing the water to filter through.
5. Fill the cinder block centers with potting soil, leaving a one-inch gap at the top in order to make watering easier.
6. Plant your plants, making sure to firmly pat down the soil around the plants’ root balls.
7. Give your plants a deep initial watering to make sure that they are set in the cinder blocks. Add more soil if necessary.
8. Water whenever the soil feels dry and fertilize accordingly.
9. Enjoy!

Tips

• Choose drought-tolerant plants like succulents, herbs like rosemary and lavender & drought-friendly flowers like vincas and petunias.
• Paint your cinder blocks in solid colors or prints to add a touch of whimsy to your garden.
• Get your kids involved, this is a great creative activity!
• Hook up your cinder blocks with drip irrigation for a hands-free watering experience.