As winter starts to slowly release its grip, most gardeners are already deep into planning for the much anticipated arrival of spring. Our mailboxes are inundated with colorful seed catalogs, we are already over estimating the time/energy we will have available to commit to our gardens, and of course this is all the while we are removing more turf for larger beds. I have always loved the optimistic energy that surrounds each spring! With that mindset, I was thinking about what tools or techniques that have truly helped me in creating an efficient and productive garden.
Many years ago I transferred our traditional vegetable garden into a collection of 12” tall raised beds. The difference it made was unbelievable. I was made into a raised garden believer that year. A thriving garden is always a lot of work but the transition to raised beds made the time I spent in the garden much more enjoyable. Somehow I was able to stay more on top of the weeding and watering. The drainage was better and the soil was nicer to work with; in short, the difference in the quality of my harvest and on my back was noticeable.
If you find yourself considering the possibility of adding raised beds to your property you may be weighing your seemingly endless options…it can be overwhelming because there are lots of styles available! Many people don’t need to be convinced of the countless benefits of creating a garden space featuring raised beds. However, sometimes we lack confidence in our building abilities. If you or someone in your life is construction savvy there are a plethora of plans and ideas online. But not all of us have the same skill set or resources so here are some wonderful products that make creating a raised bed pretty painless. Mostly requiring very limited tools; some needing none!
Typically, the raised bed corner kits are simple “L” shaped braces. While that will get the job done, too often the weight of the soil will cause the bed sides to bow and become distorted. The best way to avoid this situation is to purchase quality products and keep your lengths of lumber to a reasonable stretch. Another option is reinforcing the corners on the insides as well. Please note that even with great quality corners, beds will not hold up well if sides have too long of lengths of unsupported lumber.
Tip: Many home improvement type stores will cut your lumber for you to the desired lengths. This is especially helpful if you do not have a truck for hauling the lumber.
Tip: One of the biggest mistakes made when putting together a raised bed is the spacing between corners or not using extension support pieces. I have found a 4-6’ run is about the maximum distance you want for supporting the weight and pressure of the soil in the bed.
I can speak personally to the durability of the first product I’m going to highlight. The wonderful thing about these in particular are the wide variety of heights available. You can also get them with a faucet to easily add drip line irrigation to your beds.
Raised Bed Corners Set of 2 | Gardeners Supply
This style is similar but a different look. Equally well made and sturdy.
https://www.wickedkreationsllc.com/metal-garden-art/diy-raised-bed-corner-brackets
These are a very easy way to set up a bed with no tools necessary. With this style it is important to keep your bed dimensions small. I don’t think I would go much over 4’ x 4’.
Another option is the pre-formed metal beds. These often have fun colors and are easy to assemble with many shape configurations available.
Only down side…lots and I repeat LOTS of screws to tighten into place!
Requiring literally no tools, this traditional design is as easy as it gets! Looks great too.
Farmstead Raised Garden Bed | Eartheasy.com
You may also find these blocks at your local home improvement store. You will likely need to stack a couple on top of one another to get a useful depth bed but the convenience factor is untouchable.
While looking into your lumber options, the wood types that resist rot are redwood or cedar. The debate as to the safety of treated wood is not one I intend to dive into for this article; however many in-depth and resource supported articles can be found online to help you make the most informed decision that you will also feel safe about. Pallet materials are plentiful and certainly a more economical option. It is important to pay attention to the stamping that indicates how the wood has been treated. https://generalpallets.com/pallet-markings-and-what-they-mean/
Another raised bed option very different from these is hugelkultur. This is a type of mound bed you may be interested in reading more about. What Is Hugelkultur? Building the Ultimate Raised Bed | The Old Farmer’s Almanac
***These are examples of products sourced online or through my horticultural experiences over many years. I have no affiliation with any of these companies.