You might think a raised garden bed is just another piece of home gardening jargon. But you’d be wrong. Raised garden beds are an excellent way to grow your own food in small spaces, or even indoors. They’re also pretty simple to build yourself if you have the right tools and some basic carpentry skills. Raised garden beds are enclosed boxes that are usually about 18 inches high, with walls that are usually made from something durable like wooden pallets or cedar planks. They provide the ideal environment for growing vegetables, herbs and other plants because they keep weeds out and moisture in better than ground-level planting. Whether you have a tiny patio or a large backyard, these five tips will help you build your own raised garden bed in no time at all…
Step 1: Choose Your Location and Size
Before you get into the nitty gritty of building your raised garden bed, you should consider its location. Indoors or outdoors? What growing conditions are best? You may also want to consider how much space you have to work with, and how much time you are able to dedicate to maintaining your garden. Once you have figured out what’s best for you, you can start planning the actual size of your garden bed. Most garden beds are between two and four feet wide, with each foot representing a growing row. The length of your garden bed will depend on how many growing rows you want to fit into it. If you plan to grow multiple types of vegetables or plants, you may want to make each row a different length so you can maximize your space.
Step 2: Mark Out The Bed’s Shape and Size
Once you’ve determined the size and shape of your garden bed, it’s time to mark it out. Begin by outlining the bed’s outer dimensions with a piece of string. Then, measure and mark the length of each growing row with a measuring tape. Once you’ve got the rough outline down, you’re ready to begin building the actual structure. Some raised garden beds are built from pallets, which are easy to find at most local hardware stores. Others are built from cedar planks, which provide added durability and pest protection. Whichever you choose, be sure to check the structural integrity of any pallets or planks before using them in your garden bed.
Step 3: Add Some Height
Depending on your soil type, you may need to add a few inches of organic material to the bottom of your garden bed to help improve drainage. Some gardeners even add a drainage layer of stones at the bottom of their garden bed to improve water flow. Next, you can begin building up the sides of your garden bed by placing a wooden frame on top of the bed’s bottom rails. Walls made from pallets can be nailed or screwed together, but cedar planks may need to be connected with wood or metal corner connectors. You can also add decorative features such as lattice work or decorative wood panels for a more personalized look.
Step 4: Add the Side Rails and Bottom Rails
Once you’ve added the wooden sides to your garden bed, you need to add the rails at the top and bottom of each side. A standard garden bed has two rails: one on the top and one on the bottom. You can use any wooden boards you have lying around, but cedar planks are ideal because they repel pests like termites and ants, while resisting rot and fungi.
Step 5: Add Some Organics
Once your garden bed is built, it’s time to add some organic material to the top of the soil. This will help your garden bed retain moisture, as well as promote better soil quality. There are many different soil amendments that can be used, including compost, mulch, leaf mold and soil. The type you choose will depend on your specific needs and growing conditions, but most gardeners prefer to use a combination of all four. If you’re gardening indoors, you may want to add a bit more than usual to help your plants thrive in a smaller environment. You can also add a bit of fertilizer, such as blood meal or fish meal, to provide nutrients for your plants.
Conclusion
Raised garden beds are an excellent way to grow your own food in small spaces, or even indoors. They’re also pretty simple to build yourself if you have the right tools and some basic carpentry skills. They provide the ideal environment for growing vegetables, herbs and other plants because they keep weeds out and moisture in better than ground-level planting. Before you get started, you’ll want to choose your location and decide on the bed’s size and shape. Then, you can begin adding some height to the bottom of the bed, followed by the wooden frame and rails. Once your garden bed is built, you’re ready to add some organic materials to the soil, as well as any fertilizer or soil amendments you may want to use.