Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Build a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
How to Build a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden. There are many advantages to using raised beds to grow vegetables. This includes higher yields, improved soil conditions, a longer growing season, fewer weeds and reduced soil compaction. Raised beds are often used in places where the soil is unusable, unavailable (balcony and roofs) or inaccessible to...
There are many advantages to using raised beds to grow vegetables. This includes higher yields, improved soil conditions, a longer growing season, fewer weeds and reduced soil compaction. Raised beds are often used in places where the soil is unusable, unavailable (balcony and roofs) or inaccessible to someone with limited mobility. All of these factors will determine the best type of raised bed to use for your situation, but the basic elements of building a raised bed are the same.
Things You'll Need
Shovel
Mechancial tiller (optional)
Rake
Compost
Aged manure
Peat moss
Find a location in which to build the bed that has full sunlight, a level surface and good drainage. Choose a site near a water source and a location convenient to you.
Determine the size of the raised bed you need to build depending on soil conditions or room available. The common width of a raised bed is 4 feet, and the length of the bed depends on the space available. The height for raised beds incorporating the existing soil is usually 4 inches, but beds built in locations with bad soil require a soil depth from 8 to 12 inches above ground level and therefore taller walls.
Construct a wall for raised beds using materials available to you or within your budget, such as logs, rocks or landscape timber. Walls are not required and can be made from whatever is available as long as it does not contain toxins, such as old treated wood and railroad ties. Support any wooden walls on raised beds built over 1 1/2-foot high with retaining walls, and stone or block walls more than 2 feet tall will need footings or mortar.
Double dig the soil and incorporate organic matter, such as compost, peat moss and aged manure to enrich the soil. Remove the top 6 inches of soil in the area of the raised bed, work the organic matter into the remaining soil and then return the removed soil and mix the two layers.
Tips & Warnings
Build raised beds accessible by only one side no more than 3 feet wide and beds accessible by both sides 4 feet wide. Make beds 2 feet wide in locations with less room available or for fewer crops.
The surface level or soil conditions are not important if you are planning on raising the bottom of the bed off the ground and not using the existing soil in the bed.
Do not use any materials to make a raised bed if you are not sure whether they are toxic.
