Raised Garden Beds-An Indispensible Method in the Organic Garden

Posted by Cathy England
September 8th, 2009
Filed in Garden Design
Tags: building plans, garden planning, raised garden beds

While it would be wonderful to have garden soil with the perfect balance of clay and sand resulting in a wonderful loam that all plants enjoy, there are not very many people who can boast that this is the condition of their soil, even after years of building and conditioning.  Raised garden beds are a great way to make up for this deficit in the organic garden. 

Building raised beds may seem a daunting task at first, but there are so many kits and building plans on the market that making a raised bed is exceedingly easy.  In many cases, the gardener can use common items that may already be on hand to build basic frames for these beds.
 

Benefits of Raised Garden Beds

• Using any type of raised bed, offers the possibility of better drainage for plants.  This helps to prevent rotting of roots, lessens the risk of disease, and gives the gardener good control over the moisture of the plants in that bed.  On the other hand, it may be necessary to use supplemental watering more often, so have the rain barrels ready.
• Designs for raised beds are varied, and can make for a neater looking and more organized garden.  When laying out the plan for the garden, raised beds make it easier to give definition to garden spaces, and are aesthetically more pleasing.  This is particularly useful for front yard gardeners, or for landscape gardening.
• Planting in a raised bed generally makes for fewer weeds, and less grass encroaching at the edges of the garden.  Because the frames surrounding the garden are generally made from brick or wood, they serve as a barrier for the garden against grass and weeds.  There will still be weeding to be done, but this should be less labor intensive than other beds without such barriers.
• Height of the bed can be customized to meet the needs of the gardener.  Raised beds can range from one to four feet high depending on the needs of the gardener.  For those needing beds that require less bending and kneeling, building a higher bed is a great answer.

Just as there are a number of ways to design the layout of the garden, to decide what to plant, and where to plant it, there are just as many ways to achieve the construction of beautiful and functional raised beds.  The method and materials used are varied and depend primarily on the preference and resources of the gardener.

Techniques and Tips for Raised Beds in the Garden

A raised garden bed from scratch

• Buy Kits-There are a number of raised bed kits that can be found online, or in garden catalogs.  Many of these kits include all of the materials that are needed to create beds, while some kits provide just corner joints that can be used with purchased lumber.
• Re-purpose-Look around the garage, gardening shed, or anywhere in the yard.  Are there bed building materials right on the property that will serve the purpose.  Old landscaping bricks, concrete blocks, or good sized rocks can be used to frame a raised bed.  This is a great way to recycle and reuse something instead of buying material that may not be needed.  Additionally, these materials can be used more fluidly to create contours that may fit better into a garden plan than rigid wooden designs.
• Build From Scratch-Many plans can be found online, and can be followed verbatim, or can serve as ideas and inspiration for a unique design.  Using lumber from the local hardware store or lumber yard, a saw, a hammer and some nails, a gardener can produce a custom bed that is the right size and shape to meet their needs.  (See below for an easy garden bed build).

An Easy and Inexpensive Plan for a Raised Bed

One of the easiest ways to build a raised bed frame requires two 1 by 6 inch boards 8 to 10 feet long.  There are two choices to be made.  Use pressurized wood, or use untreated lumber.  Generally, for the organic gardener, untreated lumber is suggested, but may require replacement after a few years. Pressurized wood lasts longer, but contains harsh chemicals that will slowly leach into the soil.

1. Cut each board in half using either a hand saw, or a table saw.  For a more finished look, a mitre box or saw can be used for mitered corners.
2. If not using mitered joints, take the sawn boards to the place in the garden where the bed will be built.  With the help of another person, and using to of the cut pieces, nail boards together at a 90 degree angle at the ends.
3. Continue to build in this way, until a square frame is constructed. 
4. Place the frame on the ground where it will be used, fill it with soil, compost or chosen growing medium until the soil is within an inch of the top.

Putting in raised beds is best done as a fall activity, as it will prevent the need for tilling the earth below the bed.  Much like lasagna gardening, building and filling the raised bed in the fall will kill the sod beneath, and the worms should help with the rest.  However, a bed built in the spring can be planted immediately, particularly if the plants being placed in the bed does not require soil deeper than 6 inches.

Whether using a kit, a design plan, or building from inspiration and imagination, raised beds can be very useful in all types of gardens.  They are inexpensive, add visual interest and structure and are only bound by the resources and creativity of the gardener!