Wood raised garden beds

A woodenraised bedis a classical choice in the garden , relatively cheap , and easygoing to get commence with . Untreated cedar , fir , and true pine are common choice for Natalie Wood elevate beds . Here ’s how to create a 4 - foot . wide , 6 - foot . long , 2 - ft.-tall raise bed :

Keep in thinker that the lengths of gameboard can be adjusted base on your want bed size .

Choosing the right lumber

Make indisputable to expend untreated lumber if you are building the raise bed for vegetable . Treated lumber is OK if using for flowers or decorative industrial plant . endeavor to use sustainably sourced , local or regionally produced woods to be more ecologically friendly . A FSC ( Forest Stewardship Council ) certification indicates a sustainable choice .

Untreated wood may last five year or so , depending on your climate . Pressure - do by wood has about twice the lifespan but some research suggests the chemical may not be safe for vegetables . Line the inside of yourwood raise bedwith plastic if you ’re concerned .

To help your wood parent bottom have a recollective spirit in th garden , practice a coating ofraw linseed oilortung oilto the inside bottom rampart to avail water - proof untreated Sir Henry Wood . Water sealant and rubber-base paint paints are also hunky-dory to use , but be sure to explore what chemical are used in them to be sure they are good for edibles . Also , do n’t paint just the outside rampart or the wood will take up piddle and have no way to dry out . Wood side walls need to " breathe " to be capable to dry out and keep from rotting .

Jennifer Howell

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How to build a wood raised garden bed

Reference the exploded view exemplification above and follow the simple footstep outlined below to make a uncomplicated garden bed out of wood that you’re able to easily customize to fit your needs .

Step 1. Find the right spot for your garden bed

adjudicate placement of your rear bed and target with marking spray or a rail line of flour or gumption . Leveling the ground first makes it easier to build your raised bed and keeps it in just shape longer because there ’s less stress on the wood .

Step 2. Determine the height of your raised bed

Start with four 4×4 position cut to the desired height of your resurrect bed . These are about 21 in . tall . It ’s easiest to plainly set your anchor posts on top of the soil with the frame ; sink them in the land is n’t necessary .

Step 3. Build the wood raised garden bed frame

Step 4. Attach the rest of the boards

Now that your seam frame is in place , ingeminate step 3 two more times , stack the 2×8s vertically .

Step 5. Fill your raised bed with soil

Next , take the boxful with a intermixture of halfregular topsoiland halfcompost . Use your own compost , well - age manure , bagged compost , or bulk compost from a reliable origin . Soil may settle the first season , so irrigate it in thoroughly and give it a couple weeks before plant if you’re able to , then top off if you necessitate to . Now you ’re ready to imbed !

Reinforce the corners

If you want an even sturdier Sir Henry Joseph Wood raised garden bottom , consider fasteningmetal street corner bracketsto each recess with 3 - in . deck screws to reinforce the corner seam and keep them from pop open or developing a crack where grease can escape . you’re able to finddecorative corner bracketsto fit out up your raised garden seam , or some that allow you to eliminate the corner spot and simply fit your side bulwark boards into thecorner bracketfor quick and gentle structure .

Jennifer Howell

Wooden raised garden bed: Building a wooden raised garden bed is a great way to start a garden.

Wooden raised garden bed: Building a wooden raised garden bed is a great way to start a garden.

How to build a raised garden bed out of wood exploded view Illustration: Illustration by Carlie Hamilton.