How to Build an Easy Raised Bed

Three wood frames allow Paul James to garden with the best soil in the perfect location.

Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-1511 -- More Projects »
Master gardener Paul James had to abandon one of his loves — vegetable gardening — when the elements (seasonal flooding, poor sunlight and rabbits) proved too much of a challenge. But with renewed determination, he's chosen a new, more favorable location for his veggies. This time he's going to put them in three raised garden beds.
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Figure A
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Figure B
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Figure C
Use good wood. Paul opts for rot-resistant cedar, which is expensive. But even in contact with the ground, it should last 10 years.

He uses 2"x12" lumber to build a 4' x 8' frame (figure A). He starts with three pieces, each eight feet long. That means he'll have to cut only one of those pieces in half before he can start putting the frame together: The long sides will be the two, uncut pieces; the short sides will be the freshly cut, four-foot pieces.

He joins the corners of the frame with special galvanized nails that bite and hold well (figure B). He drives four nails into each of the four corners.

Prep the space. This area is designated for not only the three beds, but for the walking space he'll need when he tends to the gardens.

Rather than go through the tedious process of digging out the sod in the space he designated for his vegetable garden, Paul lines the perimeter with edging material that's dug into the ground (figure C). He then lays landscape fabric within that perimeter to smother the grass (figure D). To keep the fabric snug, he tucks it between the edging and the groove of the grass created by that edging (figure E).

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Figure D
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Figure E
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Figure F
With the fabric in place, Paul positions the frames, shimming them here and there with small stones to make sure they're level (figure F). Now it's time to cut the landscape fabric out of the interior of the frames (figure G) — where they would prevent worms and other important soil-dwelling critters from working their way into the beds.
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Figure G
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Figure H
Paul wants to prevent grass and weeds from growing in those beds, so he still needs to smother them. To do that, he lays several sheets of newspaper inside the frames (figure H). The sheets will do their job as they decompose.

Add soil and amendments. Paul fills the frames layer by layer with all variety of beneficial materials.

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Figure I
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Figure J
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Figure K
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Figure L
  • Straw. This is an excellent soil amendment, especially once it rots, and Paul lays about four inches in each of the beds. He's careful to use clean, or weed-free straw. To make sure he's got clean straw, he winnows it – that is, he throws a small batch into the air, letting the seeds fall onto a tarp and gathering up the chaff to put in the beds (figure I).

  • Blood meal. Blood meal is basically pure nitrogen, and it hastens the decomposition of the straw (which is basically pure carbon). About a cup or two per bed will suffice.

  • Burlap. Even after winnowing, Paul noticed a number of seeds in the straw. Covering it in a layer of burlap will smother the seeds (figure J).

  • Composted cotton burrs. Three or four bags in each bed should do the trick.

  • Leaves. This is the most important layer of all, because nothing amends soil better than leaves. Paul gathers leaves from around the yard. To help speed their rotting time, he pulverizes them by placing them in a garbage can and zapping them with a string trimmer (figure K). After adding the leaves to the beds, Paul tosses on just a bit more blood meal.

  • Finished compost. A bucketful will activate the microbial activity in the soil.

  • Potting mix. Paul tosses several bags of his favorite mix, as well as several bags of a mixture of manure and alfalfa.

  • Mulch. There's no getting around the fact that mulch gives the area a finished look. Paul opts for shredded cedar bark (figure L).

    Winter's just around the corner, so planting time is still months away. But by creating this space for his vegetable garden early, Paul has given the layers time to rot and transform into the perfect planting mix come springtime.

    • Also in this Episode
    Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-1511
    •How to Build an Easy Raised Bed
    •Controlling Deer
    •Building a Barbecue
    •The Wonderful Mushroom