How to Build a DIY Raised Garden Bed You Can Use for Years
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Control freaks (guilty!) can sometimes have conniption fits out in the garden, where everything from the weather to the worms simply cannot be tamed. But a DIY raised garden bed? In many ways, it’s the definition of discipline. Raised beds and planter boxes solve a lot of common gardening problems in one fell swoop. Not only can you select the nutrient-dense garden soil your veggies might command—a big win if your backyard is full of clay or rocky dirt—but you can keep critters at bay with the sides of the bed and weed barriers, like landscape fabric or hardware cloth. Plus, the soil in an elevated garden bed warms up faster in spring and drains better after heavy, sloshy rain.
But my favorite part of building your own garden bed is that once you’ve trekked to Home Depot umpteen times like a human wheelbarrow and checked off all the step-by-step tasks, you will find the actual task of gardening get easier for the next 5 to 10 years. When a raised garden bed is 12 to 24 inches tall, weeding and planting are significantly easier thanks to fewer reasons to stoop or kneel. Just ask your back. Another bonus: Because you never walk directly on the soil inside your garden bed, the garden soil within it will stay loose and aerated, giving plant roots room to breathe. Read on for your DIY raised garden bed tutorial—new garden tools not included. It might just be the best garden design idea you’ve ever tried.
Tools & materials you’ll need
Tools:
Tape measure
Saw (or, better yet, have the hardware store do the cutting)
Power drill/driver
Level
Shovel or rake
Materials:
Rot-resistant lumber (cedar and redwood are common picks for rot-resistance and longevity)
3-inch exterior deck screws or lag bolts
Landscape fabric or cardboard (optional, for weed suppression)
Soil mix (compost + topsoil + organic matter)
Mulch
Corner brackets or rebar stakes (optional, for reinforcement)
Trellis, because we’re fancy
Step 1: Choose your spot
Plants in a vegetable or cutting garden are often sun worshippers, so find a level location on your property that gets at least six to eight hours of sun per day. Make sure there’s easy access to water and three feet minimum of space to walk around all sides of the bed. Clear the area of grass, rocks, or debris. (If your site isn’t totally flat, it would be wise to level it out with a shovel before you start building.)
Step 2: Design the right size planter box
You can build a raised bed in just about any shape or size (consult these raised garden bed ideas for thought starters), but a few guidelines will make your gardening life easier.
Width: You want your DIY raised garden bed to be four feet maximum in width. That way, you can reach the center from either side without stepping in the bed or stooping (uncomfy!).
Length: Six to eight feet is common, but you can go longer if you’ve got the space.
Height: Around 12 to 24 inches gives you plenty of depth for most plants, especially veggies. Go a bit taller if you want a planter box that’s even easier to reach. If you’re planning on growing root vegetables like carrots or potatoes, opt for a bed that is at least 18 inches deep.
Step 3: Cut and prep the lumber
I am not someone who longs to use a saw, so I often enlist the kind folks at the hardware store to do my wood cutting for me. This should go without saying, but if you’re going to DIY-cut your cedar boards to fit your design, be incredibly careful. Measure and mark your boards using a tape measure and pencil. Use a circular saw to cut them to length. Cedar and redwood are naturally rot-resistant and hold up well outdoors, but even pressure-treated pine can work if you’re growing ornamental plants (just avoid it for food crops unless the wood in question has been labeled safe for gardens).
Step 4: Assemble the frame
Lay out the boards in a rectangle on a flat surface, preferably on a warm, rain-free day. Pre-drill holes at the ends of the long boards to prevent splitting. Then screw the shorter end boards to them using three-inch exterior-grade deck screws. For extra strength, add metal corner brackets (preferred; Amazon has plenty, including in galvanized steel) or drive two-foot lengths of rebar into the ground at each corner (if you have Herculean strength).
Step 5: Place and secure the bed
Move your finished frame to the prepared site. Use a level to make sure all sides are sitting evenly on the ground. You can dig shallow trenches to help the frame sit flat if needed.
Now, prep the inside of the raised garden bed by lining the bottom with a layer of cardboard, newspaper, or landscape fabric to block weeds (just make sure it’s biodegradable and doesn’t prevent drainage). “Cardboard is one of the best materials to use at the bottom of a raised bed,” says Helen Lambrakis, cofounder of Garden 26 Landscape Design. “It blocks weeds and grass from growing into the raised bed while still allowing water to pass through for improved drainage. Plus, cardboard is great for the soil itself. The material slowly biodegrades over time, adding organic matter and attracting earthworms, which enhance soil aeration and fertility. Overall, it’s an effective, eco-friendly way to prep your raised bed.”
Lambrakis continues, “To use cardboard, be sure to avoid pieces with glossy surfaces or heavily printed ones, then lay it “over the entire bottom with overlapping layers to prevent gaps, moisten the cardboard to help it break down faster, and immediately pour on your soil mix to hold everything in place.”
Step 6: Fill with soil
Now for the good stuff—filling the bed. Use a mix of:
Topsoil for structure
Compost for nutrients
Organic matter like fallen leaves, twigs, or aged manure for moisture retention and aeration
A good ratio is 60% topsoil, 30% compost, and 10% organic matter. “For filling a raised garden bed before planting, you should have two to three layers,” Lambrakis says. “The first is an optional base layer of logs, sticks, or coarse organic matter to improve drainage and reduce soil usage in deep beds. The second is a mix of compost, leaves, or aged manure to add nutrients. The top layer is high-quality garden soil mixed with compost (about 50/50) to provide a rich growing medium.”
Mix thoroughly and water well to help it settle before planting. If you’re filling a tall bed, save money by adding a base layer of logs, sticks, or coarse mulch underneath your soil mix—sort of like Hügelkultur gardening, an ancient German method of gardening on mounds like you’re in a Lord of the Rings movie. It’ll break down over time and improve the soil structure.
Step 7: Plant and maintain
Once your bed is filled, break out your most glamorous gardening gloves and hat: You’re ready to plant. Cocktail herbs, leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, flowers—you name it, they often thrive in a raised bed.
Add a two- to three-inch layer of mulch on top to retain moisture and keep weeds down. And consider setting up a self-watering system or soaker hose to make watering easier throughout the growing season. Raised beds do tend to dry out faster than in-ground beds, so keep an eye on soil moisture—especially during summer’s inevitable hot spells.
Want to make your edible garden bed planter a maximalist fantasy, à la Bunny Mellon? Add a trellis for climbing plants like cucumbers, pretty pavers around the exterior, and cloche covers to keep pests at bay (this cover from IKEA is beloved for its sturdy powder-coated steel frame). The prettier it is, the more you’ll want to be out there with your hands in the dirt.
What type of wood is best for raised garden beds?
Cedar and redwood are top choices because they’re naturally rot- and insect-resistant—handy accolades for an outdoor raised garden bed that can help yours last up to 10 years. If you’re on a budget, untreated pine works too, but it may not last as long. Avoid pressure-treated lumber for crop gardens unless it’s labeled safe for food use. Not up for a DIY garden bed? Fret not. There are ready-made options aplenty. One go-to of AD editors: the Asparen planter from IKEA.
How deep should a raised bed be?
A minimum depth of 12 inches is good for most herbs and shallow-rooted vegetables. For root crops like carrots or potatoes, aim for 18 to 24 inches. The deeper the bed, the more room roots have to grow—and the better your drainage.
Can I put a raised bed on concrete or a patio?
Absolutely. Just make sure there’s drainage—drill holes in the bottom if your bed has a solid base, or leave the bottom open and raise it slightly off the ground. You’ll need deeper soil (18+ inches) since roots can’t grow below the bed.
How often should I water my raised garden bed?
Raised beds drain faster than in-ground beds, so they need more frequent watering—especially in sweltering or windy weather. Check soil moisture daily during peak season with a simple finger poke. (The laziest among us—moi, in my own garden—may want to install a drip irrigation system or some such).
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
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