Mar 24, 2019

Raised Garden Bed Tutorial

Spring is here and what better way to bring in the season than to garden!? Whether you want to re-vamp your garden space or are looking to create one altogether, these raised beds are a great way to get you started!

I won't even pretend to be a skilled gardener, which is why a raised bed is such an important start to get me on the right track. Our soil here in Houston is filled with clay and I learned the hard way that you can't just stick something in the ground, water it, and expect it to grow. By raising the bed and controlling exactly what nutrient-rich soil you use, I now have a fighting chance to keep my plants alive!

For my space, I chose to build 3 rectangular boxes so I could keep things separate and so the boys could have their own garden, but you can change the size/shape of your beds to suit the space you have! Here's how I made mine.

**This tutorial is for one raised bed, measuring 6'x2.5'

Tools Needed

Saw (You could also have your boards cut at Lowes/Home Depot)

Drill, Appropriate Drill bits

Sander

Level

Tape Measure, Straight Edge, Pencil

Eye and Ear protection

Staple Gun (Or another way to attach wee barrier)

Shovel

Wheelbarrow

Supplies Needed

(2) 1" x 6" x 12' boards

(4) 1" x 6" x 10' board

(1) 4" x 4" posts

2" Exterior Screws

Soil

Weed Barrier

Approximate Total Cost For (1) Raised Bed (excluding soil): Less than $100

Cut Boards

For my bed to measure 6' x 2.5' and be 2 boards tall, I cut my 1x6s down so I had (4) boards 72" long and (4) boards 30" long.

I then cut (2) boards 34" long and (2) boards 74" long, mitering the edges, which will be my top pieces.

Lastly, I cut my 4x4s into (4) 11.5" pieces.

Build Frame

I lined up all the pieces, making sure the edges were square with my speed square, and had my husband help me hold the pieces together so I was able to screw the 1x6s into the 4x4 posts. You could also use clamps if you're doing this solo. After securing the bottom 1x6s to the posts, screw in the top pieces.

Add Top Wood Pieces

I flipped the boxes over so the posts would be flush with the 1x6s. I then fit the pieces of wood that I had mitered on top and screwed them into the 4x4 posts as well as the 1x6s just make sure they were secure.

Stain/Secure Liner/Add Soil

I chose to stain my boxes but this step is totally optional!

I then used a weed barrier and secured it to the inside of the beds with my staple gun. I chose to mix Garden Soil and Raised Bed Soil and added it to the beds. Now all that's left is to pick your plants and get them going!