6 Things To think About Before Preparing A Raised Bed Garden

What is raised bed gardening and why should you be interested? It's planting that isn't done directly in the ground. It is -- usually -- done in some kind of raised bed gardening in containers. There are square raised beds, rectangular raised beds, and round raised beds. You can make a raised bed just about any shape you want and, yes, container planters are a form of raised bed.

You don't have to have land the size of Green Acres to garden successfully. You know what I mean -- land stretching out for days.

You also do not have to grow vegetables in the ground. There's nothing out there anywhere that says a veggie garden will only be successful if you have an acre of ground to plant in.

Things to think about when preparing a raised bed garden

1. What size will it be?
Raised beds are generally three to four feet wide by about six to eight feet long. This allows you to easily reach into the raised bed from the side to plant and dig and weed, without having to step into the garden where you risk compacting the soil.

The height can also be important. If you are putting your raised bed on a hard surface, like a driveway, or over hard-packed soil, you want to make sure it’s deep enough for plants (especially root vegetables like beets and carrots) to root. If it’s too shallow those roots will reach down into that subsoil (or hard surface) and hit a brick wall. I usually recommend at least 10 to 12 inches.

2. How do you pick the perfect spot?
When preparing a raised bed garden, location is everything, but it doesn’t have to be your backyard. Your raised bed could go in a sunny side yard, your front yard, or even your driveway.

You’ll want to make modifications if you have a slope and assess whether the area drains well. Here are some tips for planning where to put your raised bed.

3. How will you get rid of grass?
Good question because this is a common concern. If you’ve ever tried to cut out and lift sod, you know what an enormous task it is. An easier way to get rid of grass is to outline the space and cover it with a layer of cardboard and cover that with a layer of soil. The grass will break down and voilà! A new garden site. Doing this in the fall will allow everything to break down over the winter.

4. Do you want to install irrigation?If you want to set up a whole drip irrigation system with a line running from your tap or rain barrel, you might want to do this before your raised bed areas are finished and filled. That way you can run hoses under pathways or layers of mulch, and adapt the bed around where the hose attaches to the irrigation system.

5. How much soil will you need and what kind?
There are some handy soil calculators out there that will help you determine how much you need to fill your raised bed, like this one from Backyard Miracle Farm:

Enjoy the sense of security that comes with having all the food and clean water on-demand…even in an emergency…And forget about the worry of storage space.

More Deatils: selfreplenishingfoodfarm.com

What's more... because the “Backyard Miracle Farm” is very light and portable, it makes for one of the best "emergency" food sources you could ever hope for.

...As far as type of soil, I like to emphasize buying the best quality that you can afford when preparing a raised bed garden. When I had multiple raised beds to fill, I ordered triple mix from a local supplier (after chatting with them on the phone about my options) and top-dressed it with organic vegetable compost. I like to recommend leaving some in reserve to replenish your raised beds throughout the season.

6. Should you stake the sides?
One thing I wish that I had done when I built my first two raised beds is install a couple of midpoint stakes to prevent the beds from shifting over time. This is one of my number one raised bed tips!

How to Make a Raised Bed Garden

Since most raised beds are constructed from wood we have created steps for a wooden raised bed.

Step One

Selecting a site is one of the most important decisions you will make when creating a raised bed garden. Make sure to pick an area that will get full sun since most vegetables need full sun. If you want to plant vegetables that need partial sun either create another bed in a different location or find a location that will receive both full and partial sun. Also make sure the area is flat so it will make it easy to water and all areas will receive a constant and equal amount of water. If you want to make watering easy try installing a drip irrigation system that will be easy to use and keep your garden perfectly watered.

Step Two

Decide the size and shape of your garden. Make sure you will be able to access all part of your garden without stepping into the bed. Try keeping the garden long and narrow which will allow you to access all your vegetables without actually stepping on the garden. This is good because your soil will not become compact from stepping all over it. This will give you carrots that will grow and grow as straight as an arrow. Remember accessibility is key and if you decide to put your garden up against a fence try making it only 3 feet wide so you don't have to step on the garden. The depth of the raised bed garden is up to you but the deeper the better, especially if you will be growing carrots or parsnips that need deeper soil. If you can try making your bed 12 inches deep!

Step Three

The prepping of your site is very important. Once you have the shape and size of your garden you will begin building the bed. It's a good idea to dig out the existing sod and loosen the soil below to a depth of eight to twelve inches. This will give your garden extra depth and good drainage. If you want to move fast just cover the existing sod and soil with newspaper or cardboard.

Step Four

Now it's time to construct the bed. Use a lumber that is rot-resistant such as cedar or one of the newer composite woods to construct your bed. Depending on the size of the garden by 'two by six' pieces of wood that will be able to build the entire garden. Cut your pieces to the desired length, then attach them together to make a simple frame. They are many different ways to attach the wood but select one that is easy for you and will be able to hold up well for years of use.

Step Five

After constructing the frame in a location you desire make sure to level your bed from all directions. This is a necessary step because if your bed is not level, you will have a situation where water runs off of one part of the garden and sits in another. If part of your frame is high, just remove some of the soil beneath it until you have a level frame.

Step Six

After leveling it is time to fill your garden with soil and compost. This will allow you to create a garden with great soil that is ideal for the vegetables you choose to grow. Once they're filled and raked level, you're ready to plant or sow seeds.