The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives. – Gertrude Jekyll
As all of you who have been following me for the last decade know, I am all about utilizing raised beds. In my personal opinion, it is the best way for a home gardener to utilize space, grow food, and have the best experience possible with gardening.
Many of you also know we recently moved to a new home and I am about to create my new potager, AKA a kitchen garden. I’m French so I prefer to call it a potager LOL! You can read my how to blog on How to create your own potager or kitchen garden if you missed it!
I am super excited to share the whole process with you here and at my YouTube Channel.
This blog is going to be broken into 2 parts as there is a lot of content and I don’t want to overwhelm you with so much information all at once. Some of you may be experienced gardeners who have always gardened in a large, tillable spot while some of you may be just starting out and don’t know where to begin.
In today’s post I am going to discuss the how-to build raised beds, and in Part 2 I’ll discuss the benefits of raised bed gardening.
There are many materials you can use to make raised beds, or you can purchase premade ones. In years past I have always built my beds with lumber. In my new garden I’ve purchased 7 galvanized metal ones… and I’m super excited! Here is a photo of the ones I purchased off Amazon. They are 2 feet high, where I’ve always had them just 1 foot. I’m getting older and my back isn’t getting any younger either, so I opted for a bit more height. You may be thinking that it will take a lot more dirt, which means more money, but I have some easy and FREE ways to avoid that! Read on to learn how friends!
Raised beds have gained a lot of popularity over the last decade. It is a gardening technique which encourages better drainage, soil quality, and pest control. They are also a great option for gardeners with limited space or mobility issues. Building a raised bed is a relatively simple process that can be completed in a weekend. So let’s get rolling with this informative how-to blog post!
How to build a raised be in 3 easy steps!
Step 1: Choose the perfect location!
Raised beds should be placed in an area that receives at least six hours of sunlight per day. They should also be located near a water source and in an area that is protected from strong winds.
Once the location has been chosen, the next step is to decide on the size and shape of the raised bed. The size of the bed will depend on the amount of space available and the number of plants that will be grown. A common size for a raised bed is 4 feet wide by 8 feet long, but they can be made in any shape or size.
Step 2: Let’s prepare the ground!
The area should be cleared of any grass or weeds. This can be done in several ways.
The area must be cleared of any grass or weeds. This can be done in several ways.
Option 1: First, choose an organic weed & grass killer. You can make one with vinegar. If you are not concerned with being organic, then use any weed and grass killer. With whatever you choose to use, cover the area with the killer liberally and let it do its job for at least 24 hours before moving forward with the next step.
Option 2: You can cover the area with pieces of cardboard and then cover with black plastic woven ground cover. This will kill anything growing and is less harmful to the soil.
Option 3: Combine both options 1 and 2.
Use good materials when filling your beds for optimum growth!
Mulch your beds after planting with grass clippings. This keeps the moisture & heat in while breaking down and adding much needed nitrogen to your soil!
You can also mulch with straw. It will provide the same benefits to your soil as the grass clippings!
As the season goes on the soil will compact and settle. Each spring you will need to add more composted manure and some garden soil.
As you plant your garden year after year, you will be taking nutrients out of the soil which is why you will need to replenish the composted manure and garden soil each spring and fall if you choose. Also, each fall when you remove all the plant debris you will ultimately be taking soil out.
Step 3: Let’s get building those raised beds!
Once the ground is prepared, the raised bed frame can be built. The frame can be made from a variety of materials such as wood, brick, stone, or even recycled materials. The most common materials used for raised beds are wood and stone. If using wood, it is important to use rot-resistant wood such as cedar or redwood, as they will last longer.
As these are both more expensive the alternative is to consider using hardwoods, which is what I’ve always done and had great success. My beds have lasted years! I recommend using oak or another hard wood for the sides of your wood beds. If you choose to use a stone material, cinder blocks are a good choice.
Again, common sizes are 4 feet wide by 8 feet long by 1 foot high. Another nice size to work in are 4 x 4 making nice, easy to work in squares.
The frame should be secured in place with stakes or anchors.
PRO TIP: If you are planning to use beds higher than 1 foot high, than add a layer of plaster planter pots between the cardboard layer and the sticks. This will make it so you don’t need as many of the other layers!
Step 4: Filling your bed!
There is a very simple formula to filling raised beds. You can think of it as a layering, like a lasagna of materials.
Layer 1 is the first layer at the bottom of the bed. I recommend using a layer of cardboard. This will break down and add carbon to the soil.
Layer 2: Lay a single layer of large sticks or branches on top of the cardboard. These too will compost and add carbon to the soil.
Layer 3: Cover the layer of sticks with straw.
Layer 4: Cover the layer of straw with leaves.
Layer 5: If you are building 4 foot wide by 8 feet long beds then add 2 bags of organic composted manure, spread evening over the leaves.
Layer 6: If you have any compost sprinkle that on top now.
Layer 7: The final layer should be at least 6 inches deep of good soil. You can purchase bags or go to your local greenhouse or other supplies and purchase good, clean topsoil.
As the season goes on the soil will compact and settle. Each spring you will need to add more composted manure and some garden soil.
As you plant your garden year after year, you will be taking nutrients out of the soil which is why you will need to replenish the composted manure and garden soil each spring and fall if you choose. Also, each fall when you remove all the plant debris you will ultimately be taking soil out.
I certainly hope you are encouraged to grow your own food. Even if you start with only two or three of these things, that’s a great start!
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Happy Day,
Jean
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