All About Raised Garden Beds
Is this the year where you are finally going to have a garden?
If you wish to:
Grow fresh vegetables and flowers (and care for them more easily)
Maximize garden space
Gain better control over the soil
Reduce soil compaction
Care for your plants more easily
A good solution is the classic, lovely raised garden bed. It’s actually not as hard as you might think–and it’s even easier with our raised bed brackets!
Source: oscarsplacenyc.com
What is a raised garden bed?
A raised garden bed is just that: an above-ground garden that sits on top of your existing soil, within a frame made of wood or some other material.
Raised garden beds are fantastic if your land has sandy, claylike, or hard-packed soil—all suboptimal conditions for growing happy, healthy plants.
Since you (and your pets, and your little ones) are walking around your raised garden bed—and not in it—your soil stays loose and aerated instead of becoming compacted.
In addition to keeping your garden tidy and organized, raised garden beds perform well, too. There are several performance benefits to a raised garden bed:
Loose soil allows your plants to send their roots deeper in search of water (which means a stronger foundation and improved health)
Promotes growth for new seeds and delicate transplants
Extends the growing season
Best of all, raised garden beds are a snap to assemble.
Source: oscarsplacenyc.com
How to build a raised garden bed
It’s incredibly easy to build a raised garden bed. You’ll need to gather some materials:
A set of Single Raised Bed Brackets, or a set of Double Raised Bed Brackets
2x6 or 2x12 wooden slats, available at your friendly neighborhood lumber shop
What are raised bed brackets?
The hardest part of building a raised bed is constructing corners that are square, strong and trim-looking.
Raised bed brackets offer an easy shortcut—no screws or nails necessary!—to help you create precise 90° angles at each corner of your bed. In fact, you can put the frame together in under 10 minutes. It might feel like cheating, but we don’t think you’ll be complaining at all. ;-)
By using raised bed brackets, you can save on building time.
Other considerations for your raised garden bed
Source: oscarsplacenyc.com
Step 1: Pick a size
If it’s your first raised garden bed, start small—3’x6’ or 3’x8’ are good starting points. Avoid building a bed that’s more than 4’ across, in order to keep weeding and harvesting manageable. You can always build a longer garden adjacent to your original bed.
Depending on the type of plants you’d like to grow, 1’-2’ tall is ideal. You want at least 10” to 14” for strong roots.
Source: oscarsplacenyc.com
Step 2: Pick a location
Find a flat spot. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to make the spot flat.
Leave at least 2 or 3 feet between beds for walking and wheelbarrow access.
Source: oscarsplacenyc.com
Step 3: Consider sun exposure
Build your beds somewhere that receives at least five to six hours of sunlight but is protected from harsh winds.
Plan for each plant’s individual needs. Some plants need full sunlight all day long to thrive. Others grow best in partial shade, which means they grow best with exposure to morning sun followed by afternoon shade.
Source: Realtor Magazine
Step 4: Pick your wood
Avoid lumber that has been pressure-treated with chemicals, since those chemicals can leech into the soil (and into your vegetables).
Go for naturally rot-resistant varieties of wood, such as oak, cedar, and redwood.
Source: loveyourlandscape.org
Step 5: Make healthy garden soil
Growing strong and productive plants always begins with nutrient-rich soil. You want the kind that’s dark, rich, and loaded with microorganisms.
Fill your beds with a nutrient-dense mix:
50% good-quality topsoil
50% well-aged compost
Before each new growing season, test your soil for pH and nutrient content. You can buy a kit on Amazon. The ideal soil pH level ranges from 6.0 to 6.5. Test for the presence of macronutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium; these nutrients are vital for cell formation, plant growth and photosynthesis.
Later in the growing season, amend your soil by adding another half inch of compost. You can work it in with a tiller.
Source: HGTV
Step 6: Fill the raised garden bed.
Bags of garden soil come in measurements of cubic feet, usually in a range of 1 to 3 cubic-foot bags. Bulk soil purchased from a local landscape supply company will be in cubic yards.
First, calculate the volume of your bed in cubic feet. To do this, simply multiply the width by length by depth in feet (e.g. 4’ x 6’ x 1.5’). For instance, for a 3’ x 6’ x 1’ raised bed, you’ll need about 18 cubic feet of soil.
If math isn’t your forte, use this handy calculator for converting cubic feet per yard.
First, add bulk soil.
Fill the bottom quarter of your beds with equal parts topsoil, composted manure, and sand. You can purchase these in bulk from a local landscape company.
If you have an extra-deep empty bed, you could choose to add a few inches of woody organic matter (e.g., small branches, leaves, mulch, pine needles), and then add the other recommended raised bed soil and compost on top. The woody debris eventually breaks down and feeds the soil as a carbon source over time.
Then, add bagged soil.
For the remainder of the volume, add in high-quality organic bagged soil blends, plus compost. You do not want “potting soil” only, as it is too light and fluffy for raised beds.
If your bagged soil doesn’t already contain lava rock, pumice, perlite, or rice hulls—add some aerators for drainage.
Finally, mix in compost.
Supplement your soil with compost. Be careful of adding fresh manure that hasn’t been properly aged, as it is very high in nitrogen and can burn your plants.
Step 7: Plant your flowers and vegetables.
When you buy your seeds, they’ll have instructions for planting on them. Get to know your plants—for example, beets need more water in their early stages of growth, and cucumbers need the most water while they are establishing themselves, growing vines and setting fruit.
Sow seeds directly into the soil, and mark your rows with plant markers.
Source: cambriawines.com
Depending on the time of year, you may want to wait until next year to plant.
In this case, get a head start on your composting process. A compost pile needs to have a proper balance of green and brown material in order to decompose properly; all you need to do is cover the soil in your new raised beds with a mixture of fresh grass clippings and dry leaves in autumn. Turn the compost heap every now and again for proper aeration (and to avoid a stinky compost pile). By spring, you will have a lovely compost pile to begin planting your garden.
Source: gardenista.com
Step 8: Water properly.
You’ve already added your aerators for drainage, but remember that raised beds dry out quickly. Be diligent about watering them while avoiding overwatering. You can lock in moisture and add nutrients with a top layer of mulch.
Give your plants a long drink in the early evening, but check them again on hot summer afternoons. If water begins to pool at the surface, it is possible the beds do not have adequate drainage, or the soil is too compact.
Source: www.seattleurbanfarmco.com
Depending on your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, you may want to consider a drip-irrigation system. It’ll deliver consistent moisture straight to plant roots.
Source: HGTV
Conclusion
A raised garden bed is a great and fun way to build a thriving garden in an otherwise challenging environment. Our raised bed brackets eliminate all building complications and leaves you with a great spot to grow some vegetables for you and your family. Just imagine how rewarding it’ll be in a few months to see a full and lush garden in your yard!