Raised Garden Bed Plans Archives (2024)

FAQs

How many years do raised beds last? ›

Pine will last an average of 5 years as a raised garden bed, and redwood will last more like 10 years. Landscaping block and brick can make for a good raised bed as well. They take a little more work since you have to level and compact the ground underneath the block much more thoroughly than for a wood raised bed.

I've built raised garden beds in the fall, filled them up and let them sit all winter so they were ready for planting in the spring. In my opinion, the fall is the best time for building a new raised bed vegetable garden because you don't have to take precious gardening time in the spring or summer to do it!

Ideally, we think it's best to consider replenishing the soil between each season i.e. after every Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer harvest; however, if you can only do it once a year, that's alright too.

Store-bought raised garden beds come in a variety of sizes and styles, but can be pricey. For those interested in raised bed gardening without the expense, these DIY raised garden beds with step-by-step instructions can be built in a few hours and often for a fraction of the cost of store-bought kits.

A raised bed does not need to be very deep to be effective, but the surface underneath your garden bed affects which depth is right. In general, eight inches is a good minimum depth for raised garden beds.

You can line the bottom of your raised garden bed with cardboard and newspaper to deter pests and weeds. In order to minimize the amount of chemical substances, choose cardboard that has no tape and minimal markings.

Raised garden beds need more frequent watering compared to in-ground garden beds because they dry out more quickly. To avoid overwatering and root rot, check the soil daily and water when it is dry two inches down. Watering every other day is typically sufficient for raised beds.

We recommend lining the bottom of your raised garden bed for several reasons. For beds that sit directly on the ground, a lining helps with the following: Reduces the presence of weeds. Discourages pests (like voles, moles, or gophers.)

Raised beds made of cinder blocks or concrete blocks

Cinder blocks and concrete blocks are very inexpensive (typically $2 to $3 a piece at home improvement centers), and they make it really easy to build the outline of a raised garden bed.

What is the longest lasting type of raised bed? ›

Keep beds at least 6 feet from pavement and south-facing walls, which intensify summer heat. HOW LONG DO BEDS LAST? That depends on what they're made of. Beds built with western red cedar can last 10 to 15 years; galvanized steel, 20 years; masonry or plastic composites, indefinitely.

“Hügelkultur” (pronounced hyoo-gul-kulture) is a German word that means mound culture or hill culture. A hügelkultur is a sloped and raised planting bed filled with topsoil, wood, and organic materials. German and European people have practiced it as a gardening method for hundreds of years.

One frequently asked question is whether you can put cardboard in your raised beds. The answer is yes.

For best results, there should be another 12″ or more of good soil below the bed. This gives your plants at least 18 – 20″ of soil. (The soil in raised beds is usually a few inches below the rim of the bed. This is because soil compresses after several waterings.

I recommend at the very least coating your lumber in linseed oil or beeswax to preserve them for the long haul. Some gardeners use lining between the interior of their raised bed and soil to protect the wood. Even with the lining, you'll get seepage of water that will penetrate that wood and linger.

The best part is that the average metal garden bed may last at least 30 years, enough to meet any long-term gardening goals. However, care must be taken to prevent excessive decomposition of zinc, which is usually caused by the use of too acidic soil.

Here are some guidelines for how long raised bed soil can remain viable: Soil that is well-maintained and regularly amended with organic matter can last for up to 10 years or more. Soil that is poorly maintained and not amended regularly may only last for a few years.