The ideal bottom layer of raised garden beds should help with drainage, suppress weeds, improve soil, prevent rodents and pests from burrowing in, and protect the soil from potential contaminants. Materials like cardboard, branches, logs, leaves, manure, pine needles, wood chips, coffee grounds, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, and old potting soil are suitable for this purpose.
To keep animals out, consider adding an extra barrier by placing cardboard at the bottom of the bed. You can use various materials such as newspapers or stones to suppress weeds. Before filling the bed, lay down a 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch of gravel underneath to level the area. Wide-mesh hardware cloth, stainless steel gopher or rat mesh, landscape fabric, burlap sack, and coconut coir can be used to retain soil while allowing water to drain out.
For deep raised beds, bulky organic material such as leaves, shredded paper, broken down boxes, or other organic materials can be added. Some builders recommend adding cross boards on the bottom and attaching quarter-inch hardware cloth to the bottom. This simple DIY project can create a beautiful garden with lots of plants in it.
In summary, the best materials to put at the bottom of raised garden beds include cardboard, branches, logs, leaves, manure, pine needles, wood chips, coffee grounds, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, and old potting soil. These materials help with drainage, suppress weeds, improve soil, prevent rodents and pests from burrowing in, and protect the soil from potential contaminants.
📹 What do I put on the bottom of a raised garden bed?
00:00 – What do I put on the bottom of a raised garden bed? 00:37 – Should I cover my raised beds in winter? Laura S. Harris …
Should I put anything in the bottom of my planter box?
To line the bottom of a planter for drainage, use broken pieces of pot, old newspaper, or a plastic liner. This prevents compost loss and blockage in the drainage holes. For small planters, old newspaper allows excess water to drain freely while preventing compost flushing out. For outdoor planters, use a plastic liner or pond liners, which can be cut into the base and filled with compost. Trim any excess liner from the top.
To improve potting soil, add soil amendments like perlite, mulch, and sand to prevent the compacting of compost and fertiliser inside the planters. This will prevent the soil from becoming too compacted and promote better drainage. Using handheld gardening tools can also be helpful in filling the planter with compost.
How to fill an elevated raised garden bed?
Raised garden beds are gaining popularity due to their ease of use, no bending or kneeling required, and their ability to grow fresh fruits, herbs, and veggies. They require less maintenance than traditional garden beds, as weeds struggle to grow through the base of the bed. To fill a raised garden bed, follow these six steps: prepare the bed, add a drainage layer, ordinary garden soil, premium potting mix, water the soil, add mulch, and start planting.
This method is particularly beneficial for those with bad knees and sore backs, as it eliminates the need for bending or kneeling. To ensure the success of your raised garden bed, it is essential to know how to fill it with the right soil and mulch.
What should you not put in a raised bed?
Raised beds are ideal for growing a wide variety of edible plants, but not all plants can or should be grown in them. Some plants grow too large for raised beds, such as potatoes, asparagus, artichokes, rhubarb, corn, wheat, rice, and winter squash. Raised beds can be challenging to maintain due to the need for ladders, which can be dangerous for harvesting plants. It is essential to consider the specific needs of each plant when choosing a raised bed, as not all plants can thrive in raised beds. Therefore, it is essential to carefully consider the type of plant and the space available for each plant to ensure the best growth and care.
Should I put fabric on bottom of raised garden bed?
Landscape fabric serves as a raised bed liner to prevent soil erosion and minimize nutrient loss risk. It helps maintain water-soluble nutrients from the soil, preventing water from gushing out too quickly. To make installation easier, you can buy materials separately or use bundles like the landscape fabric and heavy-duty staple bundle, which includes 3″ x 50″ weed barrier landscape fabric with 8 or 11 gauge staples. This makes building a raised bed garden more efficient and cost-effective.
What not to fill a raised garden bed with?
Raised beds, particularly small and shallow ones under 12 inches deep, should be filled with soil to avoid interference with plant root growth and water drainage. Bagged raised bed potting mix is commonly used in small raised beds, but can be purchased in bulk from local landscape companies or made by blending topsoil, compost, and sand. Alternatively, the Lasagna Garden Method can be used to fill large raised beds with other materials, such as in-ground gardens or raised beds, to create a more cost-effective and efficient gardening solution. Both methods can help maintain the soil and water balance in the soil, ensuring optimal plant growth and drainage.
Do you need to put anything under a raised garden bed?
Raised garden bed lining offers numerous benefits, including soil insulation, temperature control, soil retention, weed separation, and pest control. The Grounds Guys, a landscape and garden experts, specialize in landscape and lawn care services for commercial and residential properties. They take pride in doing the job right the first time and guarantee your satisfaction with the Neighborly Done Right Promise™. Their local service professionals are part of the community and committed to ensuring your home or business looks its best throughout the year.
They offer free estimates, upfront pricing, experienced and licensed experts, guaranteed timely responses to questions and inquiries, top-quality materials, the latest equipment, and outstanding service. They also clean up after every job to leave no mess behind.
What is the best base for raised garden beds?
Wide-mesh hardware cloth, stainless steel mesh, landscape fabric, burlap sack, or newspaper/cardboard can be used to line the bottom of raised garden beds. These materials keep weeds and burrowing animals out, but allow earthworms to pass through. Earthworms are nature’s gardeners, aerating and enriching soil for plants. Staple the cloth to the bed frame during construction and ensure it remains in place for years to come. This durable material is designed to prevent burrowing animals from affecting the bed frame’s functionality.
Should I put rocks in the bottom of my raised garden bed?
In the event of pest or weed issues, it is recommended that the bottom of raised beds be lined, although this is not a mandatory measure.
What do you put in a raised bed base?
To maintain good drainage in raised beds, mix organic matter, sand, and topsoil. Regularly refresh and replace the soil to ensure good drainage. Plants in raised beds are more susceptible to drought due to improved drainage. Regularly check the moisture level below the soil surface to determine if more watering is needed. Water more during warm and windy weather when plants lose water more quickly. If the soil is dry or plants show signs of stress, add a layer of mulch to the surface of the beds to conserve moisture.
What do you put in the bottom of an elevated garden bed?
Cardboard can be used at the bottom of raised beds to prevent weeds, but it should not be used with glossy print and tape removed first. Wood chips should not be placed at the bottom of raised garden beds as they can draw nitrogen from the soil, make the soil unsuitable for vegetable plants, break down quickly, and cause uneven soil levels and increased temperature. It is best to avoid mixing wood chips into the soil when planting, as they can cause uneven soil levels and increased temperature.
Does a raised garden bed need a bottom?
Raised beds typically have no bottom, except for those placed on surfaces like wooden patio decks, balconies, porches, or concrete walkways. Most online raised bed kits and instructions do not have bottoms. Four-sided beds, like those shown, are designed for optimal drainage and should be set on gravel, grass, or mulch, filled with good soil. This ensures that the bed does not turn into a bathtub, which is ideal for herbs and veggies that prefer a good soak but do not want their roots to sit in water too long. Most raised bed kits and instructions do not include bottoms.
📹 DIY Elevated Garden Bed
In this video I make a DIY Elevated Garden Bed for the back patio. I wanted to plant some lettuce and a few other herbs and ended …
ProTip – to determine the volume of soil you need, measure LxWxH (inches) and divide by 1728. That converts CubicInch to Cubic Feet, most garden shops sell soil by the cubic foot bag. A typical bag may be 1.5-2.0 cubic feet. If you only want it, 6″ deep, then use 6″ as your depth. So 4’ x 2’ x 6″ bed would need (48x24x6) /1728 = 4 Cubic Feet of soil. If you need to know inches to cubic yards, divide by 46,656.
Saw this this morning.. Went to local store for supplies… Spent the afternoon doing this project. From someone who does not build or savvy in the slightest with a drill but it was a success!!! Thank you so much for making this project easy as possible with measurements and list of supplies needed. Took me a min to figure out what kinda screws to use the 2″ where too long and kept sticking out, maybe it was my drill idk but either way i got it done! Thanks again
I made these last spring but did it 3 boards high. I made them 4×8 but used a 2×2 lip on the bottom to then lay cedar slats across the bottom. I then laid pond liner 6 inches up on a side and put in 5 6-inch drain tubes with “socks” over to seal out dirt. Made a tube into one and turned it into a selfwatering sub-irrigated reservoir (sir). Keeps the dirt from drying out for 4-8 weeks and grows amazing carrots, zukes, cukes, lettuce and green onions and herbs. Just planted it again and cant wait to eat fresh veggies all summer
It’s about time a article came out with clear and easy to understand instructions and visuals……. I’m a motorcycle mechanic, not a carpenter,, but I like to do projects for my beautiful wife,, and she wants me to build two of these elevated garden beds…… thank you for making me feel like I can accomplish this……
Hey. Awesome job! We’re going to be making an elevated garden bed for my Wife’s parents today (Fathers Day gift). My plans look a LOT like your’s, hehe. We just plan on adding some lower raised beds (directly on the ground) on the short sides, and some sort of trellis on the top. I’m the yard manager for a local lumber mill. I make a LOT of raised beds for customers in the run of a year. Usually, when I’m cutting the corner supports, I’ll make three cuts instead of just two. The first cut is most important to have straight, then as you flip the timber a single side at a time you have the end of the previous cut as a beginning guide for the next cut. Saves a LOT of time marking and lining up the cuts… Oh, btw…we’re planning on trying a layer of wire, much like you did, but then lining the bottom with a good layer of twigs. Adding wood as filler to the bottom of the bed will not only allow for drainage but allow the wood to soak up some moisture as it decomposes. This moisture will then stay present, and be available to the plants growing in the box, meaning you won’t have to water as frequently. The technical term for this method is ‘hugelkultur’.
Update.. so I build the box today it was so easy to do.. if HomeDepot wouldn’t of made a small cut mistake it would of took my right under 2 hrs to build. It was easy and simple.. thank u so much for the easy illustration and wood size instructions. My nxt Box I will up my length a bit now that I know how to make it!
Hi and thanks for the article, I was wondering how your beds were holding up after a couple of years? I live in coastal NC and after several years of flooding I need to get my veggies off the ground! I will probably do something similar but include more boards on the bottom so the soil doesn’t fall through, also sit those bottom boards on a rim instead of screw them up from the bottom of the box. Thanks for the idea!
Good article and I am going with the design but for the posts 4×4, I find getting treated 8′ fence posts that were already treated and cheap and easy to cut for my posts. For the cedar, I used replacement cedar fence slats and cut them the same way and they hold the dirt fine. Thanks for your vid, it is .a perfect design.
Thanks for posting this! I just made one (finished about 5 minutes ago!), per your specs. It was even easier because we had the wood cut down at the store. Also watched your follow up article, and will heed your advice about the landscaping fabric and it not allowing enough drainage. Will try gravel and see how that does. Thanks again!
Amazing work. Probably the most straightfoward article about this and its a really simple build the way that you did it. Combine it with Dan’s precise material list, and you have a really easy project. Don’t forget that if someone isn’t comfortable making cuts, Lowes will do these cuts for you. There are 13 cuts I think, lowes will do 10 for free then 10 cents a piece after that. So you could spend 30 cents and have all of the pieces ready to go. Just build.
This is a crisp and beautiful article and I am keen on adopting this elevated design rather than the raised bed. I am 68 and i don’t wish to strain my back. I have a question, I live in Florida known for annual Hurricanes. Is this garden bed can be left out during hurricanes (shifting such heavy stuff indoor is ruled out) or any anchoring is recommended? I would be grateful for your advice asap. Thanks
Thanks for the plans! Quick question about the 1×4 boards underneath. Since those are mounted underneath, are there any concerns with gravity and/or the weight of the soil warping that wood over time? Obviously the wire and the 5 boards are designed to dissipate that weight, but curious if that might being a fault down the road?
I just watched your article yesterday Mitch as I was looking for easy easy plans. I ran right out to Home Depot to grab everything and built 2 of them today. Only altered the height to 40″ but left everything else as you instructed. Thank you so much for the easy to follow article, now it’s time to start planting!
Is it still standing?? I have one but it was a full board and I drilled holes for drainage and well last night we had a massive thunderstorm and my box bowed to the point that it almost broke!😖 Currently I have cinder blocks under the bed just on case it totally collapses! I’m going to just remove the legs altogether and just keep it on the ground. Anyways anyone that reads this please make sure you give your bed support in the middle!
I’m so glad I came across this article. I’ve been wanting to make my very own diy elevated garden. I’m new to this so I have a question about the wood itself. I’m not that knowledgeable with building something like this. Will it be harmful to the garden to put a sealant on the wood to resist water damage? I know the article is not recent so I hope you do see this. Thanks for the article & any advice. 🤗
I love the way your wife looked at you, she adores you, don’t ever let that look fall from her face, that goes both ways. Several years ago my parents celebrated their 50 anniversary, I asked my Dad what the secret to staying married for 50 years was, he said “don’t quit on the same day” it was the most truthful answer I have ever received. Remember that when times get tuff.
Hey Mitch, I don’t have any tools yet to build this, so I bought a 3′ x 3′ foot wooden box that has a solid bottom. Would you recommend taking the bottom board off and replacing it with boards spaced apart like you did, or can I just drill drainage holes? If so, how big of holes and how many would you recommend? And in that case, would I still need the steel mesh? Thanks for this great article and all your help!
Love the simple design. Going to make a couple of these soon. I imagine not a lot of water goes through the bottom unless there would be a lot of rain. The drainage could possibly take nutrients with it. Any thoughts on a way to catch water passing through and collecting it into a bucket to be used for watering when things dry out? Or is that just overthinking it? lol
Hey everybody. So everyone has said to use burlap it seems. Well i had a (possibly) brilliant idea. Pine needles. Where I live they are like 1 1/2 feet. Biodegradable and cost nothing if they fall in your yard almost everyday. I’m probably going to fill the bottom 1/4 then soil should press it down and it should hold tight and the water should drain through. We will see.
I built a few of these in Idaho where summers are extremely dry and due to the air flow around the box the soil would dry out even with daily watering. With increased watering we noticed our garden suffering from nutrient deficiencies. So the next ones I built I took all the way to the ground. Solved all of our issues. Down side was, cost more to build. Luckily for me my dad works at a landfill and I have unlimited access to mulch. I imagine if you live in a more humid climate these work just fine though.
I am not a builder of items like this. I was able to (frustratingly) make 2 small raised garden beds. They are so not perfect. You look at them from above and they are not straight. 😆 Oh, well. I wanted to plant more crops next year and wanted to do make a raised bed you can stand up and plant. This construction looks like I can work with. But there is 1 problem. I don’t have a circular saw. So…. 🤔 I have an interesting problem. I guess that’s what brother-in-laws are for. 😆
You really should paint or stain this before adding dirt to protect the wood more. Also needs drainage holes at the bottom or plants will rot. Adding big locking castors on the legs is something I did to mine to easily move it if the need arises. The basic put together was good – but needs a little more to protect and function better.
Wet soil too heavy and will cause sagging, then breaking of bottom supports. Should have used 2×4 cross bracing, and should have built some sort of shelving 6″ off bottom legs. I made planter box something like yours, but switched to the blue barrels food grade, cut in half, with legs attached, some holes in bottom for drainage, and lined with the ground cloth. Not going to ROT EVER. Legs were untreated posts, that had 32oz plastic juice containers on bottom legs, preventing contact with ground. For 2023, I’m think about only cutting an oval hole in one side of a blue plastic barrel, and attacking legs as before. But not cutting in half, so as to plant things deeper. Same storage on bottom area also. Food grade barrels are much more durable, and while being smaller, they’ll fit various areas better. 12-20-2022 Merry Christmas 🇺🇸✝️💟
Put 64oz juice containers on bottom of all 4 feet, thus keeping them from touching the ground. Then no need to having special pads to place planter on. 11-19-2020 Also, since lots of folks are without jobs doe to the china virus, old pallets are an alternative to purchasing new wood. Improvise and use what you have for free……
Looks great just in my opinion it will not survive more than one year, And that’s why : The wood you use does not look protected from water and bacteria, In my opinion the pvc sheet should be stuck with pins like the iron mesh, There must be holes for drainage in the bottom of the planter otherwise the water will flood the bottom and cause excess watering… And in my opinion it is better to fill the bottom of the planter with tuff stones and only then planting soil. …