How to Build a Raised Bed Garden Planter
A raised bed garden planter has many advantages for the home gardener. It can extend the growing season by keeping soil warmer. The gardener can control moisture in the planter and select the soil type. Drainage is better in this type of planter. Building a raised bed is a simple project that even a novice gardener can do.
Things You'll Need:
- Four 4 feet long 2-inch by 6-inch moisture resistant wood boards (short boards)
- Four 8 feet long 2-inch by 6-inch moisture resistant wood boards (long boards)
- Four 16-inch square moisture resistant wood posts
- Wood screws
- Screwdriver, manual or power
- Carpenter’s square
- Weed barrier fabric
- Wire mesh lining
- Potting soil and compost
- Rake
- Choose the location for your raised bed. Pick a site with plenty of sun, especially morning sun. Level the site as much as possible and remove any weeds or grass.
- Assemble the base. You will build the planter upside down. Begin with the foot and head of the planter. Take a short board and stand it on its thin end. Attach a post to each end with wood screws. This is the head of the planter. Repeat this to make the foot of the planter. Attach a long board to the head and foot with wood screws to make the first side. Repeat to make the second side. This now forms a box with a 4-foot by 8-foot base. Make sure that each side is square by using a carpenter's square.
- Attach a second layer of boards to the base to build up the height. Screw another 2-inch by 6-inch board to the posts. The boards should be flush to the boards below. The posts will stand about 4 inches above the second board.
- Flip the planter and place into position. You may need some help moving the planter, as it will be heavy. When the planter is in position, mark the post locations. Move the planter to the side and dig a 5 to 6 inch hole with a trowel in each post location. Move the planter back into place with the posts in the holes. Backfill, or fill with soil, each of the postholes until the planter is secure and stable.
- Add the weed barrier fabric and mesh liner. Smooth and tamp down the soil in the planter until it is level. Cover the soil with the weed barrier fabric to inhibit weed growth from the ground. Place the mesh liner over the weed barrier. The mesh liner is helpful for preventing moles and gophers from burrowing in your planter.
- Fill the bed with a good mix of potting soil and compost. Add other soil amendments as needed, depending on the needs of the crops you will plant. Rake the soil to aerate it and to mix it thoroughly. The planter is now ready for planting.
You can adapt a raised bed planter to your own gardening needs. You can add irrigation or build a cover to make it a miniature greenhouse. However you use it, the planter will be an asset to your garden.