How to Make a Simple Raised Garden Bed

This problem may be due to the composition of the soil or to the lie of the land. Most plants will not grow in boggy or wet conditions. The exception is those flowers or other plants that are known as bog plants.

Making raised beds need not be difficult; simply shovelling the soil from the perimeter into the centre can be enough. However, if the border of the raised bed can be stabilized with rocks or boards it is even better. This will prevent heavy rain washing out the edges – and taking soil, seeds or plants with it.

A Rock Border

Rocks can be used to edge a garden bed and so keep the soil a little higher than the surrounding areas. However, due to their shape, there will be cracks and dips in the edging and soil can be washed out through them.

If rocks are used, try to ensure the shapes are rectangular rather than round. Fill in the cracks with smaller rocks as a second layer inside the first rather than on top. Bricks are better because they are more even in shape and so can be set close together with no cracks.

A Plank Border

Heavy planks such as old railway sleepers or purchased 4x2s can be used as an edging for raised beds. Due to their weight and shape they will sit in position and stay there with just a few short stakes on the outside to hold them. However the former are not always readily available, while the latter can be quite costly. Another point is that they take up more room due to their width, so if space is at a premium, they may not be suitable.

Be sure to overlap the ends of the planks at the corners rather than just having the inside edges meeting. This gives better stability and the soil will not trickle out through the corner.

A Recycled Board Border

Recycled boards such as those from an old picket fence are ideal for use in a raised bed. They are free if they come from your own fence and may even be free from someone else if they are not wanted. Even if they are bought new, they are often much cheaper to buy than 4x2s.

However, they will not sit around a raised bed without being joined together and staked to prevent movement. The ideal joiners for boards are metal right-angled joiners that can be easily screwed into each end of the board. Make sure that the ends overlap and fit together neatly before putting in the screws.

These are easiest made on a hard smooth surface and then transferred into the garden. But when picking them up, take care to support the structure carefully. Once they are in place, hammer a stake firmly into each corner. Another in the middle of each board may also be needed. This one will need to be on the outside rather than the inside.

Soil for the Raised Garden Bed

Once the edging is in position, loosen the soil inside its perimeter with a garden fork, then add more soil and compost to almost the top of the edging. Leave about an inch between the top of the boards and the soil.

To make the most of all the soil in the garden, shovel up the surrounding topsoil into the raised bed. This will make a good pathway all around the sides that makes it easier to access and work on the raised bed. This is all good soil and it would only be trampled down into a hard surface if it was not moved and used.

Gravel or pine chips can then be placed around the edges so that there is a firm surface to walk on. Once a raised garden bed is established either vegetables or flowers can be planted in it.