If your bed is not 12 inches deep, you could dig out a bit of the ground before adding the dirt to make … Attach one of the … These brackets feature an 11.5” stake that can be hammered into the ground, making fastening your corners a breeze. Repeat all the way around the bed. After leveling and clearing the area where your bed will be located, lay out the bottom tier of your beds using two 4’ 2 x 6s, two 8’ 2 x 6s, and your four corner posts. If you’re building on a slope, see our article about How to Build a Raised Garden Bed on Sloping, Uneven Ground. Screw the boards to the post using 2 1/2-inch deck screws. Raised garden beds require less tilling than traditional, in-ground beds. You can fill planters with top-quality soil for more productivity in a smaller space. Wood composite is warp resistant and maintenance free. Use standard sizes, starting with 2 x 6 for the most basic bed with good soil underneath, all the way up to 2 x 12 if you need a taller bed for plants with deeper roots. Screw them into the 4-by-4-inch posts. Use a shovel to remove ground that prevents the frame from resting in a level position. Raised beds … In this case, your first consideration should be the type of materials available and how quickly and easily they go together. Building your own elevated garden boxes is a straightforward project for anyone with access to materials, along with the space and skill to fashion the parts. There are a lot of great reasons to build raised beds that contain and protect your garden soil. Whatever you choose, raised gardens are a satisfying way to grow your own food without the strain and stress on your body. If other pests affect your area, read. Other options include black locust and redwood. Whether you’re handy with tools or don’t know a drill press from a driver, there are kits on the market that are easy to build with little time or expense. Cheap Raised Garden Beds You Can DIY. Mark the cut lines on the 4×4 rough cedar posts and then get the job done with a circular saw. The beauty of this particular raised bed build is that it is cheap and easy to build. And while pre-fab kits come in a variety of sizes, you can make DIY beds to fit tricky spaces and unusual depths. The blog editor at Eartheasy.com, Shannon lives on six acres of land with her husband, daughters, and backyard poultry flock. Assembly involves sliding each timber into a joint and fastening with zinc-plated screws (provided with the kit). For more benefits, see 10 Reasons to Add Raised Garden Beds to Your Garden. I make mine with 6 legs, 32" tall, … But not all raised bed systems are the same. How to Keep Animal Pests Out of Your Garden, Here’s How to Grow the Best Food Imaginable in Your Raised Garden Beds, Raised Garden Beds: Soil Depth Requirements, 6 Tips for Building Soil for Your Raised Garden Beds and Planters, Preparing Your Raised Garden Beds for Spring, How to Build a Bean Trellis for Raised Garden Beds, Gardening on Concrete with Raised Beds and Patio Containers, Backyard Vegetable Garden: Getting Started. While there is no clear winner in terms of materials, wood beds biodegrade at the end of their lifespan, meaning no waste gets left behind. Editor’s note: this article was originally published in 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Cut decking pieces from 2-by-8-inch boards to the appropriate length. In this way, beds built 12 inches deep or more have the added benefit of giving plants a longer growing season. Drill pilot holes through the supports and insert 2 1/2″ screws into the bottom of the planter. The size is up to you. Place on the inside of the bed so that the stakes are less … I have made 8 of these beds (6 for our local elementary school garden and 2 as gifts) that are 8' x 4' and they are holding up very well, even out here at the coast. This raised garden bed plan uses the square foot gardening technique. Each non-toxic color includes UV protection to minimize fading over time. Use ½” aluminum flat stock cut to match the inside width of your bed. As you can easily notice in the plans, you should use 2×6 lumber and 44 corner posts. Repeat for the remaining three pieces. These instructions describe building a 4-foot by 6-foot by 10-1/2-inch bed … These kits are the longest lasting and share the same low maintenance features as the composite lumber beds above. Stacking brackets also exist for the upper levels of tiered beds. This is a simplistic design that can be used for most other examples. Raised Bed With Legs. 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