Starting a Raised Bed Garden in 5 Simple Steps (2024)

FAQs

How do you prepare a raised garden bed for the first time? ›

Step #1: Prepare your garden bed

To start, look for level ground in your garden or even on the deck, the footpath, or the driveway. If you're setting up your raised garden bed on grass, ensure the grass underneath the base is dead and removed before adding aggregate and soil.

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.

Add a mixture of compost and purchased topsoil in a 1:2 or 1:1 ratio, to the top of the bed. There are vendors who sell topsoil mixed with compost. Alternatively, fill the bed with compost and a soilless growing mix in a 1:1 ratio.

The smaller pieces are placed on top of the larger pieces to fill space, such as branches and sticks, and then grass clippings, leaves and kitchen scraps. Compost and topsoil are on the top two layers for your raised garden bed so you can start planting as the organic matter beneath decomposes.

Here's a common layering method: First Layer (optional): If you're concerned about weeds, you can lay down a weed barrier fabric or cardboard on the bottom of the raised bed. This will help prevent weeds from growing up into the bed. Second Layer: Add a layer of coarse materials like gravel or small stones.

It acts as a physical barrier to block out pernicious weeds. Usually, 2 – 3 layers of cardboard will suffice, though you may want layers in more weed-prone areas. The damp environment created by the cardboard is conducive to earthworms and other beneficial soil microorganisms.

The fact is, landscape fabric is not a necessity if say, you want to control weeds because the confined space makes it easier to control weeds. But, you can use landscape fabric as a raised bed liner for other reasons, such as preventing soil erosion or improving the life of the raised bed itself.

Plant Waste or Compost

We have a huge pile in the back of our property where we burn leaves, large pieces of wood that we don't want to split, twigs, etc. It's really good to layer all of that stuff in your raised beds as it will break down even more. There were, of course, ashes from burning which will also be good.

When it comes to container raised garden beds or raised garden beds, make sure there are holes in the bottom of the container for proper drainage. Ideally, when you water the raised garden bed, your plants will absorb what they need and let the rest of the water drain from the drain hole of the container.

So if the soil in your garden is very shallow, or you are making new garden beds, adding or replacing a lawn, or putting in raised beds and need to add new soil, top soil is what you need.

How deep should a raised garden bed be? ›

Vegetable Beds: On the other hand, when it comes to vegetable beds, the bed must be approximately 12 to 18 inches deep to ensure adequate depth for the roots of your plants. This is especially important if your raised bed is placed on cement or the patio, which will inhibit roots from growing deeper into the ground.