Building a wood raised bed

Raised beds are a great cure-all for many types of soil or landscaping problems. You can build them on flat or sloped ground, or even right on top of concrete. They can be sized and shaped to meet your exact needs and you can fill them with topsoil and compost purchased from your local Home Depot, or found elsewhere on your property. This project guide shows the basic steps for creating a rectangular raised bed with wooden sides.

Tools:

Screwdriver

Hammer

Spade

Ground Rake

Work Gloves

Power Drill

Materials:

Exterior screws or nails

Topsoil and soil amendments

Mulch

Available at Your Local Store:
•Rot resistant lumber

Follow These Steps

Steps 1 - 5 of 5

Step One

Screw or nail together pieces of rot-resistant lumber. Use galvanized nails or screws. Nails are easier and faster, but screws are stronger and longer-lasting.

Step Two

Dig a trench 1 to 2 inches deep where you want the raised bed to rest. Position the frame on the trench and make it level by adding soil or digging out more.

Step Three

Loosen the soil to a depth of 6 to 12 inches, working in soil amendments as needed. There’s no need to remove turf (except for bermudagrass) or most small weeds; they’ll break down and feed the soil.

Step Four

Fill with high-quality topsoil, or premium garden soils that contain additional organic matter and nutrients, to provide a more suitable environment for optimum plant growth. Afterwards, rake the soil smooth.

Step Four

After planting your raised garden bed, add a layer of mulch to suppress weeds, conserve moisture and prevent many soil-borne diseases. Suitable mulches are pine needles, bark or other organic material.

Steps 1 - 5 of 5