For this project master gardener Chris Dawson designed an L-shaped, two-tiered , raised bed. The bed is 8 feet long along the outside perimeter of the L, and each arm of the L is 4 feet wide and is elevated 18 inches. The second tier is 4 by 4 feet and placed on top of the corner of the L, elevated another 6 inches.
Dawson chose 8-foot-long 6x6 natural cedar timbers for this project because they resist rot, complement the siding on the house and weather well in Zone 4.
Other materials needed for the project include:
saw
measuring tape
drill and drill bits
pencil
stakes
sledgehammer
a square
a level
string
12-inch galvanized steel spikes
soil
a slow-release 10-10-10 fertilizer
This project took Dawson and two other professional landscapers three hours to complete.
1. Mark off the perimeter of the bed with measuring tape and stakes. Outlining the bed allows you to make any adjustments.
2. Use string to mark off the entire boundary. You won't have to remove turf grass: it will break down and rot once it's covered with soil.
3. Begin laying the first timbers for the outside perimeter of the L directly on the ground. Dig into the ground to adjust the level as needed. Stack the timbers two high to start with. (To adjust for a slope in this project, Dawson used four timbers on three sides and three timbers on the remaining sides.)
4. Secure the timbers at the corners with 12-inch galvanized spikes. Do this all the way around the frame. Leave a couple unsecured to remove when you add the soil to make dumping the soil from a wheelbarrow easier.
5. Stack the remaining timbers and secure at the corners with the spikes.
After the bed is framed, add the soil. A raised bed dries out more quickly than a traditional garden plot. To help retain moisture, include plenty of decomposed organic matter--compost, composted manure or sphagnum peat moss. Organic matter decomposes quickly, especially during the summer. Plan on adding additional compost or organic matter to your bed every spring and fall to help keep the soil rich and fertile.
Once the bottom section of the frame is filled with soil and secured, the top tier can be added.
- Cut the timbers into 4-foot lengths.
- Place the sections so that the upper tier rests on top of the lower bed.
- Secure the corner with 12-inch spikes.
- Fill the top tier with soil.
The final step is to add fertilizer to enrich the soil. Thoroughly mix the fertilizer into the top six inches of soil. Be sure to wear gloves, and always follow the directions on the label for the correct rate of application. Too much fertilizer can harm plants.
Whether you're a new or seasoned gardener, creating a raised bed is worth the effort and small cost. If you can't physically do it yourself, you can always hire a local landscaper to build the frame. Then once the soil is in place, you can enjoy the convenient working level, the easier maintenance and the attractive look of the raised-bed garden.
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