Raised bed gardening has a lot of benefits as compared to traditional gardening. However, raised beds could cost a lot because of all the materials needed to make one. Good thing you can DIY your own garden bed, which can be fun to do.
RELATED: 19 Creative Raised Garden Bed Ideas: Yard Decor For Every Season
In this article:
Raised Bed Gardening: Create Your Own Raise Garden Bed
How to Make a Raised Bed
Raised beds are very easy to make and best of all easy to maintain after you build it. You just need to have the right space in your backyard, you don't have to use the soil you have in your garden.
Just make sure you use the right wood and soil when doing your raised bed gardening. Here is a step by step guide on how you can create one for your garden. This is exciting!
Materials:
- Two 2 x 12 in. planks, 8 ft. long
- Two 2 x 12 in. planks, 4 ft. long
- Twelve pieces of 2 ft. rebar
- Rubber mallet
- Newspaper
- Soil
Step 1: Position the Boards
Start off by positioning your boards where you want to put them and arrange the planks accordingly on the orientation of the raised bed and where you want to put it. Place the two 8 ft. long planks on opposite sides then the two 4 ft. long planks on the top and bottom to create the box.
Step 2: Hammer It Down
Once the boards are in position, get ready to hammer it down the ground. Raise one of the longer planks sideways and hammer down the rebar a few inches to the ground and about a foot length from both corners.
Align the frame and do it to all the sides and hammer the rebar on the shorter plank just in the middle of the plank. This will create support for the planks and the entire raised bed that you're doing.
Step 3: Add Support
Now that everything is in place and standing up, add more rebars to complete the support, about a foot apart from each other. You can add more support on the shorter side and possibly add two more on both sides. When it is all set, hammer it down to complete the support until at least 6-10 inches are exposed to the ground.
Step 4: Fill It Up
For the bottom of the raised bed, fill it up with the newspaper. As an alternative, you can use cardboards to make it sturdier and flatter if you want it to be that way. Wet the newspaper or cardboard after.
Step 5: Fill the Bed With Soil
Lastly, fill the raised bed with soil until there are a few inches left on top. Now, you're ready for your raised bed gardening. There are a lot of crops you can plant and the best things to grow for these kinds of beds are root vegetables or leafy greens.
RELATED: How To Prepare Organic Garden Soil To Boost Plant Growth
Other Raised Bed Gardening Ideas
There are other ways and different materials you can use to create your own raised beds. It doesn't always have to be made of wood.
What's important is to create a space where you can house your plants and accessible enough for it to be easily managed. Here are other kinds of raised beds you can try to do:
1. Stone Beds
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Create a raised garden bed made from stacked stones. This kind of raised bed lasts for a very long time since stone doesn't rot even though it comes in direct contact with wet soil.
Another advantage is that stones absorb heat and radiates it to the soil. It helps with raising plants, especially during spring and fall.
2. Metal Beds
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Use Zincalume for metal beds so it will last longer than galvanized steel. Usually, metal meds in contact with wet soil can be difficult to manage long term. However, using metal be a great way to design a garden and give it a modern look.
3. Straw Beds
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A raised bed and compost in one? Use straw bales as a bed design. Although it may be a temporary option since straw doesn't stay the same all year round. In the colder months, the straw bales can be used as winter mulch.
4. Plastic Beds
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Plastic beds are budget-friendly, durable, and flexible. For design, you can choose virtually any kind of design or color to match your garden. Plastic lasts for a long time and works in any climate.
5. Woven Wicker
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Woven baskets or wicker are a great design to give any garden a rustic look. Using this kind of material lasts for a long time and looks great as well.
Watch this video from The Crafty Gemini for a cheaper raised bed gardening DIY:
Wasn't that fun? Now that you did your raised bed gardening DIY, it's time to fill it up with the plants you wish to plant. I would recommend planting onions, tomatoes, and potatoes. They're my favorite to eat and very easy to grow especially on raised beds.
Do you have other ideas for making your own raised garden bed? Share it with us in the comment section below.
UP NEXT:
- How To Make Raised Garden Beds | A Practical Garden Season Guide
- Container Gardening Ideas: How To Make Concrete Planters
- Easy Cucumber Growing At Home
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Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for quality and relevancy.
