Materials Needed to Build Raised Garden Beds

• Raised gardens require less upkeep than traditional garden beds. Compassionate Eye Foundation/Steven Errico/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  Gardening in raised beds saves water, time and labor. In addition, crops are typically more abundant because the gardener can create better conditions in a raised bed than in traditional ground-level beds. When choosing a site for your raised garden, find an area that is level with naturally good drainage. Experts at "Sunset" magazine recommend orienting the bed from north to south to take best advantage of sun exposure. A few materials are necessary to get started with construction of your raised garden bed.

Tools

• A shovel, metal snippers, utility scissors, level, measuring tape, galvanized screws and a power drill are the only tools needed to build a raised garden bed.

Ground Level Materials

• The fertile environment that makes raised beds ideal for growing vegetables also provides a food source for voles, moles and gophers. Garden designer Ton Wilhite recommends a layer of pea gravel followed by a sheet of steel mesh or hardware cloth to provide both proper drainage and pest control. Landscape fabric, gravel or pavers are used between beds to create a mud-free walkway where there is no turf.

Wall Material

• The most common material used to build a raised garden bed is lumber; however, brick, rocks, concrete blocks or any other durable material capable of containing soil can be used. Do not use lumber that has been preserved with toxic products, as in some pressure-treated lumber. Also avoid railroad ties soaked in creosote. The best options when using lumber are cedar and redwood because these woods are naturally resistant to rot. A combination of lumber scraps can be fitted together to build the walls of a bed. Whether new or recycled, estimate 48 linear feet, 8 inches wide, to build a 4-foot-by-8-foot bed.

Soil

• It would be counterproductive to build a raised garden bed and fill it with inferior soil. A layer of fill dirt, followed by bagged garden soil and topped with organic compost makes a nutrient-rich growing medium. Once plants are established, a layer of mulch conserves water and suppresses weed growth. On average, a 4-foot-by-8-foot bed requires a total of 32 cubic feet of soil, says "Sunset" magazine.

Extras

• The design of a raised garden bed makes the chore of watering easier and less frequently required. However, you may choose to install an automatic irrigation system that includes drip hose, spray emitters and a timer. Installing a series of arches made from flexible PVC pipe, galvanized pipe straps and clips provides a framework for converting your raised bed into a miniature green house. During cool seasons, polyethylene film can be draped over the arches to provide warmth. In areas where birds and flying insects are particularly destructive to the garden, the arches can also be used to hold bird netting over the plants.