Raised Garden Beds Plans

DIY: How To Build Your Own Raised Garden Beds

Many people want to start gardening, but take one look at their soil and get discouraged. It takes an average of seven years to change "dirt" into "healthy garden soil." That's a lot of work- tilling, pouring in tons of amendments and soil testing before the first seed gets planted.

There is an easier way. With moderate effort and general woodworking tools, anyone can build a raised garden bed, fill it with good soil from the beginning and grow their own food this spring.

Choose the Location Carefully

Decide where you want the garden bed to be. It isn't going to be moved without a great deal of work, so choosing now will save your back.

Consider what you will be growing- some vegetables like full sun while others prefer some shade. Careful garden planning will allow some tall plants like corn and tomatoes to shade others. Having more than one garden bed is also an option.

What You Grow Determines the Bed Depth

Most raised garden beds are typically 6"-8" deep. Corn, carrots, beans, tomatoes and peppers all need more soil, so if these plants are part of your plans, make your bed 12"-18" deep. This will require more soil to fill the bed, but the roots won't be constricted or trying to obtain nutrients from the old soil below.

Size and Width Matter

It's easy to envision a huge garden bed to grow everything a family would eat in a year. The more bed you have the more you can grow- however, the more you grow the more you will work.

You should be able to reach from the edge of the bed to the center without climbing in and packing down the soil or stepping on plants. Four feet wide is a good measurement for most gardeners.

An 8'- long bed allows 32 square feet of growing space that allows for plant growth, fast weeding and easy watering. This is a good- sized starter bed for beginning gardeners.

Build Your Bed

Let's build an 8' x 4' raised garden bed that will be 12" deep. Three 2x12x8 treated boards will be the rails. That is a board 2" wide, by 12" deep and 8 feet long. They are specially treated to be in contact with the soil and outside without rotting. Also needed are galvanized corner brackets, 4" wide and 2" decking screws. These will not rust.

Start with level ground. This will eliminate the need for posts to nail the rails to. Cut one of the rail boards in half at the center. These now become our bed ends. Using the corner bracket on the inside, mark where the screws will go. Pre-drill the screw holes. Holding the corner bracket in place, insert the screws.

Lay the frame down. Fill with a garden mix of topsoil and compost. You can buy topsoil by the bag or by the yard, which is delivered in a dump truck.

By using a raised garden bed, you won't have to fight the weeds as much, fight with bad soil or use as much water. Another advantage is not having to crouch down when you work.