How to Build a Raised Garden Bed

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-25-2009, 12:37 PM

I saw this video and it's so great. I figured some newer gardeners or people who wanted to garden would like to see it in case they wanted to build their own raised garden bed:

[ame="http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Build-Raised-Garden-Beds-59797501"]Build Raised Garden Beds Video – 5min.com[/ame]

Enjoy.

**Brighid** · 08-25-2009, 02:09 PM

This is great! Thanks...we have a bed that I would love to raise but had no clue how to go about doing it.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-25-2009, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by Brighid

This is great! Thanks...we have a bed that I would love to raise but had no clue how to go about doing it.

You're so welcome! We're doing two next year and I figured it would be good to start planning now. Come March, we'll build the beds if the weather is nice. Then we'll get some nice compost.

**RetiredVeryEarly** · 08-28-2009, 11:43 PM

I can't watch videos online (dialup!) but we have a lot of raised beds. We build them out of whatever we have, usually old boards. Have actually used a wooden waterbed frame for a garden bed frame!

We put cardboard underneath (to smother weeds/grass) then put in layers of stuff: wood chips on the bottom sometimes, then old produce, horse manure, leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, etc. Use whatever you can get your hands on. We heap it up quite high (higher in the middle than the sides are) as it gets shorter as it composts in place. It works best if you have the materials put in directly as opposed to filling it with soil or compost. The materials contain water and hold water well, so when it is dry my raised beds need less watering than the other ones. ANyway, I get incredible harvests that way, huge plants, lots of fruits, so I recommend it highly.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-29-2009, 12:47 PM

Yeah, we have a big issue with skunks and it's almost what took out the left side of my flower bed this year. The guy in the video recommended some meshing at the bottom of the box, but your weeds idea really has me intrigued. I spent a lot of time this year weeding things out. Did you have an issue with root overcrowding because the cardboard kept the roots from going further downward?

**craftypam** · 08-29-2009, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by RetiredVeryEarly

I can't watch videos online (dialup!) but we have a lot of raised beds. We build them out of whatever we have, usually old boards. Have actually used a wooden waterbed frame for a garden bed frame!

We put cardboard underneath (to smother weeds/grass) then put in layers of stuff: wood chips on the bottom sometimes, then old produce, horse manure, leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, etc. Use whatever you can get your hands on. We heap it up quite high (higher in the middle than the sides are) as it gets shorter as it composts in place. It works best if you have the materials put in directly as opposed to filling it with soil or compost. The materials contain water and hold water well, so when it is dry my raised beds need less watering than the other ones. ANyway, I get incredible harvests that way, huge plants, lots of fruits, so I recommend it highly.

Are you refilling the beds every year with new compost? We have a regular garden and I am sooooo tired of grass growing in it. The grass grows in the garden better than it grows on the lawn. LOL Is there somewhere in particular that you got your information. I don't have alot of property, but I would like to put raised beds all along our back fence to be able to grow more.

Thanks

**frugalfranny** · 08-29-2009, 03:55 PM

Thanks MTTB.......I have a great space for a raised bed and such rocky ground that it will really save me some work.

This is something I could do........and I already have the compost!

**dschipman** · 08-29-2009, 04:16 PM

Thank for this post. We are planning out one of the above ground gardens for next year. This was extremely helpful. I will let DH see this.

**Brat** · 08-30-2009, 09:23 AM

Check in to this site...http://www.squarefootgardening.com/ They have a lot of good tips. I have used this system for years and they really do have a lot of advantages. Easy care and lots of stuff in a small space.

**omalleyc** · 08-30-2009, 09:38 AM

Thank you so much for this post! After I noticed the garden on Big Brother 11 I wondered if I could have a raised garden like theirs! Since I have no idea how to garden this will be just the ticket for me next year!