Wouldn’t it be nice to work in your garden on those beautiful sunny days without your back or knees giving out?
Building raised beds is a simple DIY project that could relieve your nagging pains, as well as enhance your garden experience and beauty.
In just a few hours, with a quick trip to your local home-improvement store or lumber yard, you can have elevated raise beds ready for your next planting.
Keep reading for a supply list and tips on planning and building raised beds. You will also find information on soil selection and planting.
1. Planning: Determine where to install the raised bed(s). Look for a place where the new bed will have at least 8 hours of summer sun.
Also, determine the desired size of the raised bed. For width, consider what is easiest for you to reach across and for height, consider what is easiest for you to lean over, if at all. A typical standard size is approximately 3.5' x 8.5' x 18".
2. Supply List: For a raised bed of the above mentioned dimensions, the following is needed:
Qty 2: 2" x 12" x 12'
Qty 2: 2" x 6" x 12'Qty 1: 4" x 4" x 8' Corner Post
Large box of Deck Screws #8 x 3"
Tools: miter saw or compound saw; drill bits for pilot holes; screwdriver for drill bit
3. Assembly:
2. Supply List: For a raised bed of the above mentioned dimensions, the following is needed:
Qty 2: 2" x 12" x 12'
Qty 2: 2" x 6" x 12'Qty 1: 4" x 4" x 8' Corner Post
Large box of Deck Screws #8 x 3"
Tools: miter saw or compound saw; drill bits for pilot holes; screwdriver for drill bit
3. Assembly:
a. Cut the 12'-length boards to 8.5'; leaving 3.5' for the end piece.
b. From the corner post, cut four 18" sections that you will attach the other boards to.
Note: If you do not want to deal with the assembly process with the 4" x 4" posts, you can try slider connectors or brackets. With the connectors, you can just slide your board through and use deck screws to secure.
b. From the corner post, cut four 18" sections that you will attach the other boards to.
Note: If you do not want to deal with the assembly process with the 4" x 4" posts, you can try slider connectors or brackets. With the connectors, you can just slide your board through and use deck screws to secure.
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4. Placement: Once the bed is assembled, place it in the desired location in your garden. If you are placing it in an area that still has sod/grass, a good option is to lay old cardboard boxes down first.
5. Soil Preparation: Compost mixture you’ll be putting inside. A great place to start is a mixture of 30% compost and 70% topsoil. To calculate the amount of mixture for the above bed dimensions:
Multiply 3.5 x 8.5 x 1.5 to get 31.25 cubic feet of total soil mixture. As 27 cubic feet equals 1 cubic yard, it is safe to get 1 yard of topsoil along with 1/3 of yard of compost. Allow a few days for the soil to settle. Happy Planting!