If you have a small backyard, or one that’s already got a lot of trees, or even super rocky dirt (hello, Texas Hill Country!), creating a garden can be tricky. That’s why I love using raised garden beds. It makes it so much easier to find the room to garden, and it’s easier on your back, which is always a win. I’ve built a couple of different DIY raised garden beds in the past, so today I’m showing you how!
In both 2020 and in 2021, I built elevated garden beds for our backyard. If I’m being fully honest, we never used them to their full potential. As much as I love houseplants, I’m not much of a garden girl. But, I’m still a big believer in the raised garden bed, and I think we’ll give it another go sometime!
There are dozens of different ways to make a raised garden bed. Some people build them directly on the ground, some do them a little more elevated.
Personally, I like a raised garden bed that stands up on legs. This helps avoid any weeds getting through, and it’s easier to tend when it sits up a little higher. That being said, it’s much harder to add a drip irrigation system or anything like that when it’s off the ground!
Take the time to consider your specific backyard and your needs for a vegetable garden before you dive in. There’s no right or wrong way to add garden bed planters to your yard. You can use bricks, concrete blocks, or cinder blocks to create your raised bed garden if you prefer. I’ve also seen gorgeous beds made from pallets! Get creative and have fun with it…and if you want to just copy my design, read on for the details!
If you prefer to watch things come together via video, I put together this little video with footage from my Instagram stories. It’s a great way to get a better visual of how things come together. But, be sure to read on for the tweaks I would make to my garden bed plans if I were doing it again today!
An elevated garden bed is a great way to grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Raising your garden above ground level provides many benefits compared to a traditional in-ground garden. Elevated beds allow for better drainage, prevent soil compaction, reduce weeds, and are easier on your back since you don’t have to bend over as much!
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the complete process of building your own elevated garden bed from start to finish. Whether you’re a beginner looking for your first garden project or an experienced gardener seeking to expand your space, constructing a DIY raised bed can be a fun, rewarding way to boost your gardening potential.
Benefits of Elevated Garden Beds
Here are some of the key advantages elevated garden beds provide:
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Easier maintenance – The raised height reduces bending and strain.
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Improved drainage – Excess water can drain away more easily
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Better soil – You can create the ideal growing medium by adding organic matter.
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Fewer weeds – Beds are elevated above surrounding weeds.
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Warmer soil – The soil heats up faster in spring for an earlier start.
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No soil compaction – Since you don’t walk on the soil, it stays loose.
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Accessibility – The height makes gardening possible for those with mobility issues.
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Space efficiency – Beds allow for square foot gardening and high density planting.
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Attractive appearance – Raised beds add structure and a neat look to your garden.
Planning Your Elevated Garden Bed
Before building, take some time to plan out your raised bed. Here are the key factors to consider:
Size
A good standard size is 4 feet wide by 8 feet long. This allows you to easily reach the center of the bed from either side without stepping on the soil. You can make small beds like 2×4 feet or larger beds like 4×12 feet.
Height
Around 18 to 24 inches high is typical. Lower beds around 6 to 12 inches high work well for shallow-rooted crops. Match the height to your needs and mobility.
Materials
Use rot-resistant untreated wood like cedar, redwood, or pine. Avoid treated lumber, painted wood, or pressure-treated boards.
Location
Pick a level, sunny spot with good drainage. Make sure to situate it near a water source for convenient irrigation.
Layout
Decide if you want a single bed, double beds side by side, or multiple beds in a grid pattern. Leave 3-foot pathways between beds.
How to Build an Elevated Garden Bed
Building your own raised garden bed is a straightforward DIY woodworking project. Follow these steps:
Gather Materials
You’ll need:
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Rot-resistant wood boards – cedar, redwood, cypress
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Corner posts – 4×4 inch lumber
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Deck screws, 3-4″ long
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Landscape fabric to line the bottom
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Shovel, drill, saw, tape measure, screwdriver
Cut the Boards to Size
Cut your side boards to the length you need for your chosen dimensions. For example, two 8 ft boards and two 4 ft boards for a 4×8 ft bed.
Assemble the Frame
Attach the boards end-to-end at the corners using deck screws to form a rectangular frame. Check for square corners using the 3-4-5 method. Predrill holes to prevent splitting.
Add Corner Posts
Cut 4×4 posts to match the bed’s height. Position a post at each inside corner of the frame and screw into place for reinforcement.
Line the Bottom
Cut landscape fabric to fit the bottom. Staple it into place to prevent soil from leaking but allow water drainage.
Move into Position
Carry your finished frame to its permanent spot. Level and adjust if needed.
Fill with Soil
Fill with a quality gardening soil mix amended with compost for nutrition. Top off as the soil settles.
Choosing the Right Wood
Selecting suitable wood is an important part of building a raised garden bed. Here are some top options:
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Cedar – Rot resistant, long lasting (10-15 years), reasonably priced
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Redwood – Decay resistant, attractive reddish color, withstands moisture
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Cypress – Durable, good rot resistance, ages gracefully to silvery gray
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Pine – Cheaper but rots faster, use thicker boards or sealant to extend life
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Landscape ties – Usually made of pine but treated for rot resistance
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Composite lumber – Made from recycled wood & plastic, no rotting, costly
Avoid woods like pressure-treated pine that may leach chemicals into the soil over time. For a budget-friendly option, use sturdy pallets or repurposed wood where possible.
Raised Garden Bed Soil Mix
The right soil is vital for healthy plant growth. Aim for this balanced mix:
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1/3 compost – Provides nutrients and organic matter.
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1/3 peat moss or coconut coir – Retains moisture.
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1/3 vermiculite or perlite – Improves drainage.
You can also purchase blended raised bed soil. Just be sure to add compost each year to replenish nutrients. Add a 2-3 inch layer of mulch on top to suppress weeds and retain moisture.
What to Plant in an Elevated Bed
Some top choices include:
Vegetables – Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, carrots, peas, beans, lettuce, kale, carrots, onions, radishes.
Herbs – Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, cilantro, chives, rosemary.
Flowers – Marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, snapdragons, petunias, alyssum, nasturtiums.
Match plants to the sun exposure and soil depth your raised bed provides. Fertilize regularly and be sure not to overcrowd plants.
Add a Trellis (Optional)
If you’d like, you can build a trellis out of 2×2 boards and chicken wire, to allow the taller plants to vine a bit! It’s really simple to add, and gives some much needed support to plants like tomatoes and jalapenos.
You can see my trellis in action below.
You can absolutely leave your planter raw cedar if you love the look – cedar is great for outdoor garden beds and being exposed to the elements, and it should hold up just fine without any special sealing!
I wanted to make mine a little prettier, so I stained all of the 2×4 pieces (and the slats for the bottom) with Ebony stain, and I used this Aged Wood Accelerator on the side slats.
Don’t know how to use a Kreg Jig?Click here to learn how!
Drill two pocket holes in each side of all of the 1×4 side slats. Then, attach them to the long edge of the 2×4 using wood glue and pocket hole screws. I laid a 1×4 board underneath my slats as I was attaching them so that they weren’t flush with the front of the legs.
NOTE: You can see I did four slats on each of the sides. If I was building this again, I would only do THREE. The depth of my planter ended up being problematic and the weight of the soil was too much. I think a slightly shallower planter would have worked much better.
Attach three slats, pushed so that they’re touching one another, between two of the leg boards to create one side for the planter. It should look like the picture above when you’re done.
DIY Elevated Garden Bed
FAQ
What do I put on the bottom of an elevated raised garden bed?
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Weed suppression:Cardboard or landscape fabric are good options to prevent weeds from growing up from the ground below your raised bed.
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Drainage and soil improvement:Adding a layer of organic material like wood chips or leaves can help with drainage and enrich the soil as it breaks down.
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Material selection:If using wood, choose softer woods that decompose faster and avoid using pressure-treated lumber.
Is it cheaper to build or buy a raised bed?
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Cost per square foot:Building a raised bed yourself typically costs around $25-$50 per square foot, while a store-bought one can be much higher.
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Material sourcing:Utilizing scrap wood or finding deals on lumber can significantly reduce the cost of building a raised bed.
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Customization:Building your own allows you to tailor the size and design to your specific needs and space.
What is the cheapest way to make raised garden beds?
- Pallets: Easily accessible and can be taken apart to build the frame of your raised bed.
- Cinder blocks: Inexpensive and readily available at most hardware stores.
- Old tires: Can be stacked and used as a raised bed container, but ensure proper drainage by adding holes.
What kind of wood to use for raised garden beds?
It is important that gardeners only use pressure-treated wood labeled for “ground contact.” The treatments used will ensure the wood will perform well as a …Feb 27, 2024
Are raised garden bed plans a good idea?
If any backyard furniture deserves an award for being highly utilitarian, the raised garden bed is a top contender, and you need raised garden bed plans to make one! In essence, a raised bed is a massive planting box. It doesn’t sound like much when it’s described like that, but it solves a lot of problems.
What is a raised garden bed?
Raised garden beds can be defined as boxes or containers full of soil in which you can grow your plants. However, they don’t have a floor or base, and the bottom is left exposed to the ground. If a raised bed is constructed with a base and shaped more like a box that you can lift off the ground, then it’s basically container gardening.
Can you build a vegetable garden in a raised bed?
Build This Raised Bed Cedar Raised Boxes. source Building a vegetable garden in raised beds can take up space, and it can consume most of your yard. While a square is the ideal, you may find that you need a combination of square and rectangular beds that you can tuck around the corners to free up the center for your lawn.