You’ve seen raised vegetable garden beds either online or in the backyard of someone you know. They look really great but how do you make one, and is it right for you?
Two very good questions.
First lets look at the pros and cons of a raised vegetable garden bed.
Pros
- You have more control over the soil in a raised vegetable garden bed. Soil can matter a great deal depending on what you want to grow.
- Less bending and stooping. So, not nearly as tough on your back and knees.
- You can pick where you want it.
- Growing time is extended. Raised gardens heat up much faster. Because of this, you can plant earlier, and get more growing time.
Cons
- Need to be watered more often as they drain very well.
- Can be more expensive starting out.
- Raised vegetable gardens require more planning when it comes to plant placement. Don’t forget, some plants, need room to spread out as they grow. Plan accordingly.
So there are your pros and cons, or at least the ones I could come up with.
Still want that raised vegetable garden? Want some ideas?
I am starting this out with a video of a basic raised garden. If you’re anything like me you will appreciate the step by step instructions for a 4X4 garden.
Got a hillside with great sun or shade? No worries, there is a video for that too.
This one is just cool. It’s titled as a Strawberry Raised Garden, but looking at it, you could plant green beans or any vegetable that vines. Very neat. This raised bed would be for the more advanced builder, but no worries, I have more ideas below with instructions.
This offering takes me back to my days living on a farm. Of course you will have to purchase these and drill holes in the bottom but this isn’t a bad idea. Those creepy slugs will be confused.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/water-troughs-turned-raised-be-118429
Want to get your kids in on the act? Here are step by step instructions for a raised garden for kids 6 and up. Of course you should do the building but it’s the right size for your kids to experience the joy of gardening.
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20258509,00.html
“The Ultimate Raised Bed”. Or that’s how its billed. I chose it for its size. Check out this link for the step by step instructions on how to build your own.
http://www.sunset.com/garden/backyard-projects/ultimate-raised-bed-how-to/view-all
The next offering shows how to make a raised bed and how to build a brick edge for mowing. How neat is that?
Not very good at building things? Yeah me too. Here is an article from “Wiki How” that shows how to make a raised garden using bricks!
Are you as happy as I am right now?
http://www.wikihow.com/Build-Raised-Vegetable-Garden-Boxes
Need layout plans for your garden because you want more than one raised garden box? Here is a great link. The space between boxes would remain the same regardless of how many boxes you make and put in place. So, make as many or as few as you want and follow this layout. Easy peasy.
http://www.growingthehomegarden.com/2009/01/new-vegetable-garden-layout.html
My final pick is this one. Why? They say you can build one raised garden bed for under $24.00. Now, this was done in 2011 so I am sure prices have gone up a bit but would still be cheaper to make than some of the others. And, the boxes are pretty cute.
http://www.modernbushman.com/2011/08/23/diy-raised-bed-vegetable-garden/
No matter what style you choose or how many you build – have fun with it!!
Do you already have a raised garden? What tips would you provide a beginner? We would love to hear from you.
Mike, I used to plant in double-dug rows (what a lot of work!) and have used raised beds for a few years now, but this year and last year I’ve been experimenting with straw bale gardening, and I think that’s what I’ll go for in the future. The basics are, you lay out your (clean) straw bales a week or so before last frost, then dose them with some manure or a balanced fertilizer and water them every day until they begin to get warm from breaking down into compost, in my experience about ten days. Then just plant in the straw and grow it like any other raised bed garden – the bales put the plants at a good height, and weeding is minimal – but the bales warm the plants in cool weather and feed them through the year. By Fall they’re pretty much ready to spread as compost. Best of all, they cost less than the black dirt it takes to fill a raised bed, and they don’t depend AT ALL on what’s under them – you could grow a straw bale garden in the middle of a parking lot. Although it’s gaining popularity lately, I’ve been told the technique is quite old and well-proven by our grandparents.
Just a thought!
Gary,
I’ve heard of it, thanks for sharing.
Very good comments and bibliography
Just found your web site and I love it! Have found so many helpful hints so much better than any other site I’d seen. I was looking in to purchasing a greenhouse to winter my pooed plants. That is until I found your site. I learned: 1) how to winter my geraniums, 2) greenhouses are not for wintering pooed plants, 3) how to prune rise of Sharon, 4) taking care of roses and so much more.
Thank you so much. I look forwardto reading all the articles on your site.
Angie
Potted not pooed…..
Whew! With cats in the neighborhood, pooed plants are a real issue! 🙂
(I love this site as well, very informative and very inspiring.)
Angie,
It’s great to have you on board! Stay tuned, we have a lot of new content planned, always trying to make new content timely.