Mixed Bag

Raised Planting Bed

Spring will soon be upon us and with that comes the thoughts of fresh green shoots sprouting out of the dark earth. If you have ever wanted to grow an ornamental or vegetable garden here are the steps to build your own raised planting bed.

The rough cost of this project is around $150.00-$200.00 (if you have the tools already).

Tools:

• Electric Drill
• 1/2″ Spade Bit
• Pencil
• Hammer
• Work Gloves
• Measuring Tape
• Shovel (a square point works well)
• Safety Glasses
• Sunlight Meter (Optional)
• Soil pH Meter (Optional)

Materials:

For a 4′ x 4′ x 9″ Bed:

• 6x 8′ Landscaping Timbers (All cut in half width wise)
• 8x 2′ Rebar
• 40/60 – Compost/Top Soil (Volume =  Length x Width x Depth)
• Mulch (enough for 2-4 inches across the top of the bed)

For a 8′ x 4′ x 9″ Bed:

• 9x 8′ Landscaping Timbers (3 cut in half width wise)
• 8x 2′ Rebar
• 40/60 – Compost/Top Soil (Volume =  Length x Width x Depth)
• Mulch (enough for 2-4 inches across the top of the bed)

Notes:

• These directions are the same for both sized beds.
• A raised bed is an alternative to planting directly in the soil if your soil is too hard or damp to work with.
• I used landscaping timbers because they are free of cyanide. Ask to make sure your timbers are also cyanide free.
• I had my landscaping timbers cut at the place where I purchased them.
• If you are using fresh or “hot” manure compost it four months before using it in the bed or as a side dressing. Fresh manure will burn your plants.
• Mulch: wood chips, grass clipping, newspaper, leaves, compost etc.
• Read about gardening in your region.

First find a good spot to put your bed, the amount of light that spot gets will determine the kind of plants you will be able to grow. If you are having trouble figuring out whet level of light you have I suggest purchasing a sunlight meter.

After you have your perfect spot, clear that area of foreign matter and grass. Grass can be taken out one of several ways: first you can place a heavy black plastic tarp over it anchoring the sides down with rocks, that will kill the grass in a couple weeks. The second method is using newspaper 8-10 layers thick, overlapping in a shingle type pattern with a layer of mulch applied to the top then sprayed down with water. This will smother the grass over the course of a couple weeks. The third method is dumping boiling water wherever you may want the grass to die — this will take several tries. The fourth method to remove grass is by brute force: run your shovel under the turf and lift it away (do not till the grass in; this will not kill it).

Once the grass is removed mark where the corners of the bed will go (I used pennies). Then stack all the timbers on top of one another just like if it were finished.

Next mark each side on both of its ends six inches in from the very edge of the structure. Then on the same  mark make a second mark for the middle (width wise) of the timber. Get a friend to hold the wood down while you are drilling. Also, make sure that the drill bit is perfectly perpendicular to the ground. Now using your spade bit, drill all eight marks till you hit the second timber down this will then mark where you drill next. Remove the top layer of timbers (make sure you will be able to re-stack them in exactly same orientation), find where the center of the drill marks are and drill through those marks till you hit the bottom timber.  Remove the top layer of timbers (make sure you will be able to re-stack them in exactly the same orientation), find where the center of the drill marks are and drill through those marks till you hit the ground. Re-stack the timbers, and make sure the holes in the timber are lined up. If not, either re-drill a new hole or widen an existing hole with the spade bit.

Then shimmy the rebar into the holes down from the top. Wearing your safety glasses and work gloves start hammering the tops of the rebar to force them down into the ground. If you are having difficulty doing this check the holes, as they may need to be widened. It does take some force to hammer the rebar all the way down. The tops of the rebar should be flush with the top of the timber.

Once all the rebar has been hammered down you can start filling the bed with your soil. Make sure you turn it well so that it is mixed thoroughly. Now you can plant your bed with either transplants or with seeds. Then layer the bed with around 2-4″ of mulch to decrease water loss, for seeds wait to mulch till after they have come up. It is important to read about each plant before you put them in your bed because the soil pH, sunlight, drainage, and time of year will effect the viability of your plants. It is also good to read up on what pests and plant diseases to look out for so you can provide preventative measures. I hope that following these steps will help you create the best environment for your plants to grow in.