Raised Vegetable Gardens; Building and Planting a Raised Vegetable Garden Bed

Watch our free video of raised vegetable gardens design and planting. Learn how to build and plant easy raised vegetable beds as a weekend project. Planning a vegetable garden has never been easier!

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Building planter boxes for raised bed vegetable gardening allows the garden soil to be right at your fingertips. Raised vegetable gardens hold a special appeal for gardeners who prefer easy access gardening and may be limited on space.

As the term suggests, you "raise" the garden bed level off the ground by building up the soil. This helps eliminate some of the bending and stooping that naturally goes along with successful vegetable gardening. This type of gardening also makes the chore less overwhelming for beginners who can undertake one small plot at a time!

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Raised Garden Can Increase Garden Crop Yield

Planting in raised bed vegetable gardens increases the yield of the garden dramatically.

The increase in production is due in a large part to the gardener's ability to make the soil conditions ideal for growing vegetables.

Another bonus is the beds are warmer earlier in the spring season to allow the benefit of earlier planting than traditional gardens sown into the ground.

The practice of raised bed vegetable gardening was first undertaken in Europe where adequate land for cultivating has always been in short supply. The Belgian, Spanish, Italian, French, and English gardeners soon discovered that raising the beds reduced the amount of physical labor that was necessary to grow a plentiful harvest.

Raised Bed Micro-Gardening

Raised bed vegetable gardening is now highly regarded throughout the world. Known for its neat and orderly appearance, the beds get high marks for outstanding results as well. Gardeners who use container beds for growing vegetables can experiment using concentrated techniques such as micro-gardening.

With this method, areas as small as one square foot are used to sow a few plants which usually require special attention.

Using the micro-gardening technique, you can grow a variety of exotic vegetables.

When cultivating smaller spaces than typically grown, the extra effort needed for specialized fertilizers and soil amendments is not so time consuming.

Raised bed vegetable gardening is a way to plant a distinctive garden that is also a volume producer.

Building a Raised Vegetable Garden

When native soil is too many rocks, too much sand or clay, or garden plot is not level, raised bed vegetable gardening levels the site and allows the addition of rich nutrient-filled garden soil.

A simple raised bed garden can be easily constructed from materials on hand, or purchased from a home or garden center.

Using Concrete Retaining Wall Blocks to Build a Raised Vegetable Garden

Watch our video to see how to build a simple and attractive raised bed garden using concrete blocks that can be purchased at your local home building supply depot.

Raised Vegetable Gardens Video--How to Build and Plant

Materials Needed for a Wooden Frame Raised Garden Bed

4 2X12-in. Sideboards (dimension as required by site)

12- No. 8X4-in. galvanized deck screws

24 No. 8X½-in. galvanized deck screws

• It is not recommended to use pressure treated lumber to construct vegetable beds. Such lumber contains poisonous compounds that may contaminate plants.

• Suggested use is decay resistant redwood or red cedar lumber.

• Mark the edges of the raised bed area using flour, garden lime, or sand.

• Dig a trench 4-6 inches deep underneath the marked lines.

• Level the bottom of the trench using a carpenter's level.

• Cut 2 X 12-in. lumber to length and place in trench, overlap end pieces with sides.

• Drill pilot holes. Use a socket wrench or cordless drill to install three deck screws at each corner.

• Drive wooden stakes 3 feet apart and screw them into the sideboards. Ready the planter for planting by filling with rich soil and compost.

Raised beds permit gardeners to overcome difficulties growing vegetables with the native soil found in their area. It can be frustrating to plant and nurture a crop that never successfully produces! If you find yourself limited to cultivating certain types of produce, consider raised bed vegetable gardening as an alternative and effective method.

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Raised Vegetable Gardens to Vegetable Gardening

Raised Gardens to Vegetable Garden

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