If you’ve ever tried to grow plants in poor soil, you’ve probably discovered that it can be very frustrating unless you replace the bad soil with fresh, high quality topsoil—which means lots of back-breaking digging, often in dirt that seems like it’s halfway to becoming solid rock. An easier solution is to ignore the existing soil and simply build a raised bed on top of it.

Raised beds have a lot to recommend them, but more than anything else, they’re a great way to provide highly productive and well-drained soil for your plants, even if your yard is solid rock. With walls anywhere from 6 inches to 2 feet high, raised beds are usually built directly on top of the existing ground, separated from it (if at all) by a layer of newspaper or landscape fabric, although several inches of crushed gravel should be laid down first if the area is poorly drained.

Designs for raised beds can be as basic as a few boards arranged in a rectangle and joined at the corners, like the Raised Bed Kit on page 152 or the Utility Raised Bed on page 158. But they can also be more elaborate constructions that are as much garden feature as a place to grow veggies. The Backyard Bird Garden trellis (page 140) and the Half-Lap Planter (page 165) are two examples.

Another advantage of raised beds is that most can also be modified for more productive growing by adding either lightweight plastic covers to control heat loss and protect against early frosts, or netting to keep deer and raccoons from eating the crop (see Raised Planting Bed and Cover, page 146, for an example). They can even be raised off the ground, making gardening easier for those with bad backs and knees and also keeping tasty veggies out of the reach of slugs and other garden pests (see the Lettuce Table page 154).

It’s best to fill raised beds with fresh soil from a garden supplier or home center. Special soil mixes for planters are available and do a great job of nourishing young plants, but standard, sterilized topsoil also works well. Avoid using topsoil scraped from your yard or a nearby field; it’s almost always contaminated with weed seeds and may not be right for what you want to grow. If you want to mix your own, you can find a number of different recipes on the Internet. One commonly used formula is equal parts peat moss, compost, and vermiculite.

Most raised beds can be made with basic tools and minimal carpentry skills. If you own and can use a saw, a drill, and a few standard hand tools, you can make your own high-yielding raised bed in a few hours, for as little as $50 to $75, and start growing your own vegetables or garden-show quality flowers the next day.

TIMBER RAISED BED

Raised garden beds are easy to weed, simple to water, and the soil quality is easier to control, ensuring that your plants thrive. Your garden beds can be built at any height up to waist-level. It’s best not to build them much taller than that, however, to make sure you can reach the center of your bed. This basic but very sturdy raised bed is made with 4 × 4 landscape timbers stacked with their ends staggered in classic log-cabin style. The corners are pinned together with 6" galvanized spikes (or, you can use timber screws). It is lined with landscape fabric and includes several weep holes in the bottom course for drainage. Consider adding a 2 × 8 ledge on the top row (see the large red bed on page 137). Corner finials (also on page 137) improve the appearance and provide hose guides to protect the plants in the bed.

TIP: For low-growing plants, position the bed with a north-south orientation, so both sides of the bed will be exposed to direct sunlight. For taller plants, position the bed east-west.

The most basic raised planting bed is simply made from landscape timbers with staggered end joints. This one is lined with landscape fabric.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Reciprocating saw

Drill with 3/16, 1/2" bits

Stakes and string

4 × 4" × 8 ft. landscape timbers (4)

6" galvanized landscape spikes

Landscape fabric

Roofing nails

HOW TO BUILD A TIMBER RAISED BED

1 Outline a 3 × 5-ft. area with stakes and mason’s string. Remove all grass inside the area, then dig a 2"-deep × 6"-wide trench along the inside perimeter of the outline. Cut each of the four timbers into one 54" piece and one 30" piece, using a reciprocating saw or circular saw.

2 Set the first course of timbers in the trench. Check the timbers for level along their lengths and at the corners, adding or removing soil to adjust, as needed. Position the second course on top of the first, staggering the corner joints with those in the first course. Fasten the courses together at each corner with pairs of 6" nails driven through 3/16" pilot holes.

3 Line the bed with landscape fabric to contain the soil and help keep weeds out of the bed. Tack the fabric to the lower part of the top course with roofing nails. Some gardeners recommend drilling 1"-dia. weep holes in the bottom timber course at 2-ft. intervals. Fill with a blend of soil, peat moss, and fertilizer (if desired) to within 2 or 3" of the top.

BACKYARD BIRD GARDEN

This project combines a raised bed with a trellis, allowing you to plant a mixture of ground plants or vegetables and climbing plants in a small, compact space. The trellis incorporates a few additional features like a birdhouse and extended crosspieces for hanging bird feeders, wind chimes, seasonal or indoor plants, or anything else that you would like to display. It was designed mostly for small yards or patios, for urban gardens where space is at a premium, even for apartment terraces—but it can be used anywhere, no matter how big your garden is. The basic idea behind it was to create a sort of outdoor terrarium, a densely-planted environment that would attract birds and pollinating insects.

This design is meant to be placed directly on the ground, but it can be adapted to a deck or patio by nailing 1x slats to the bottom and covering them with aluminum screen or landscape fabric to keep the dirt in.

This all-in-one raised bed project has a built-in wood trellis structure for your favorite climbing plants, plus a post-mounted birdhouse to help attract birds to your yard.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

2 × 10" × 8-ft, cedar (2)

2 × 4" × 8-ft. cedar (4)

2 × 2" × 8-ft. cedar (5)

2 1/2" deck screws (1 lb.)

15/8" deck screws (1 lb.)

Hemp garden twine or rope

Birdhouse (optional)

Saw

Drill

Countersink bit

Clamps

Framing square

CUTTING LIST

PART	Long side
DIMENSION	2 × 10 × 48"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL	Cedar
PART	Short side
DIMENSION	2 × 10 × 30"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL
PART	Post
DIMENSION	2 × 4" × 6 ft.
PCS.	3
MATERIAL
PART	Long post
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 8 ft. *
PCS.	1
MATERIAL
PART	Corner support
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 8 1/4"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL
PART	Front/rear crosspiece
DIMENSION	2 × 2 × 27"
PCS.	4
MATERIAL
PART	Side crosspiece
DIMENSION	2 × 2 × 25 3/4"
PCS.	5
MATERIAL
PART	Front/rear hanger
DIMENSION	2 × 2 × 37"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL
PART	Side hanger
DIMENSION	2 × 2 × 35 3/4"
PCS.	1
MATERIAL

* If you chose not to attach a birdhouse, cut this six feet long instead of eight. The extra length of the 2 × 2 hangers is also optional.

HOW TO BUILD A BACKYARD BIRD GARDEN

1 To build this backyard bird garden structure, start by cutting the parts to the sizes listed above and assembling the frame with deck screws. Be sure to drill pilot holes. Cedar was used so that edibles could be planted, but if you’re not planting veggies, less-expensive pressure-treated wood is fine. Square the frame and set the posts at the centers and in the corners and screw them in with several 2 1/2" deck screws. Make sure the center posts are parallel with the corner posts. Put the 8-ft. post in at one of the corners. If you don’t want a birdhouse on top of the post, just cut it to the same length as the other posts. Also install a short piece of 2 × 4 at each front corner to strengthen the joints. To prevent the post ends from wicking up moisture and rotting prematurely, slip a spacer under the posts before attaching them. When the raised bed is done, before the soil goes in, pile some gravel under and around the posts and they’ll stay drier. This gap will also make it easier to fasten slats on underneath if you want to set the project on a deck or patio.

2 Install the 2 × 2 crosspieces and accessories. Mark the bottoms of the front and back 2 × 2 crosspieces at 1 ft., 3 ft., and 5 ft. up from the 2 × 10. Predrill the 2 × 2s, then screw them in place. Add the side 2 × 2s on top of the front and back crosspieces. If you would like to hang plants or a bird feeder, substitute the long 2 × 2s for a few of the regular size ones. Here, a small cedar birdhouse is being attached at the top of an extra-tall corner post. You can purchase these at most craft stores and birding stores, or you can make a simple one yourself with cut-off lumber.

3 After all the 2 × 2s are fastened on the frame, add hemp or jute twine or rope for the climbing plants. You can start from screws or nails attached to the inside of the frame, as shown in this plan, or just string the twine across the 2 × 2s—either way, it will quickly be covered by climbing plants.

HOW TO BUILD A BIRDHOUSE

The birdhouse shown here is pretty much as simple as a birdhouse can get. To make it, you’ll need about 3 feet of 1 × 4 (we used cedar here), about 2 feet of 1 × 6 and about a foot of 1 × 8. Make a box that’s 12 3/4" tall and has 1 × 4 sides and 1 × 6 front and back. On the front, measure up 8" and make a mark. Draw diagonal cutting lines on the sides from the 8" mark to the top of the back. Carefully cut along the lines with a handsaw to remove the top of the box. Make a 3 1/2 × 3 1/2" floor from a piece of 1 × 4 and install it in the box bottom. Drill a 1"-dia. hole in the front wall. The centerpoint of the hole should be about 3" down from the top of the box front. Cut a piece of 1 × 8 to 8 1/2" long. If you want to get fancy you can make bevel cuts that have the same angle as the sloping box sides—these are called plumb cuts. Attach the top so the back edge is flush with the back of the box. To make it easier to hang the birdhouse, temporarily remove the front, then drive screws through the inside of the back wall and into the mounting (see step 2, above). Reattach the front.

CUTTING LIST

KEY	A
PART	Top
SIZE	3/4 × 7 1/4 × 8 1/2"
MATERIAL	1 × 8 cedar
KEY	B
PART	Front
SIZE	3/4 × 5 1/2 × 8"
MATERIAL	1 × 6 cedar
KEY	C
PART	Back
SIZE	3/4 × 5 1/2 × 12 3/4"
MATERIAL	1 × 6 cedar
KEY	D
PART	Side (2)
SIZE	3/4 × 3 1/2 × 12 3/4"
MATERIAL	1 × 4 cedar
KEY	E
PART	Floor
SIZE	3/4 × 3 1/2 × 3 1/2"
MATERIAL	1 × 4 cedar

RAISED BED PYRAMID

This raised bed is made from 4 × 4s posts and features simple construction and distinctive design. We built this one 4-ft. square, but this design can be made bigger or smaller, with more or fewer levels—as long as it’s square. With four different levels and thirteen sections, there are almost unlimited possibilities for dramatic combinations of plants and colors. In addition, although all the plants grow in the same soil, the 4 × 4s that define the sections make it easier to keep more aggressive plants under control and to establish separate growing areas.

A little heavy lifting (not that heavy really) and some timber screws are all you really need to make this interesting, pyramid-shaped raised bed.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

4 × 4" × 8-ft. (7)

5" or 6" self drilling, exterior-grade lag screws (40) (GRK and TimberLok are two common brands)

Miter saw or circular saw

Drill or impact driver

Tape measure

CUTTING LIST

PART	Base
DIMENSION	44 1/2"
PCS.	8
MATERIAL	Rot-resistant wood
PART	First level
DIMENSION	30 1/2"
PCS.	4
MATERIAL	Rot-resistant wood
PART	Second level
DIMENSION	20 1/2"
PCS.	4
MATERIAL	Rot-resistant wood
PART	Third level
DIMENSION	13 3/8"
PCS.	4
MATERIAL	Rot-resistant wood

HOW TO MAKE A RAISED BED PYRAMID

1 Cut the 4 × 4 parts to length and assemble the large square base. Some circular saws and some miter saws (all 10" and 12" cut in one pass) do not have enough cutting capacity to manage a 4 × 4, so you’ll have to carefully make one cut and then flip it and cut from the opposite side. All the pieces for the base are cut the same size and joined end to end, with the second layer overlapping the first. As you can see from the photos, the way the pieces go together is a little different than standard construction for a square box, which typically uses two long and two shorter pieces, but it’s just as sturdy, and you can just set up a stop block or a jig for each level and cut all the pieces exactly the same size. You just have to remember how the pieces are going together, because it’s easy to lose track as you move from level to level.

2 After the two base levels are screwed together, mark the centerpoints on each outside edge. Measure diagonally from centerpoint to centerpoint, subtract 3 1/2" for the thickness of the adjoining piece, and cut four pieces to that size. Join them together just as you did the first level, with the end of each piece fastened to the beginning of the next piece. The outside corners of the square should sit at the center mark you made earlier. Repeat the same steps for each additional level. The four diagonal measurements at each level should be close to the same; if not, the lower box is out of square or the wood is warped. The simplest solution is to just adjust it until you’re satisfied with it visually and then cut the 4 × 4s to the average of the measurements and split the difference when you place the box on the lower frame. If you have to cut a level smaller, cut the identical amount from all sides so the box stays square—or you’ll run into the same problem with the next level.

3 Build and install the third level, using the centerpoints for alignment. Use self-drilling, galvanized fasteners, if you can find them, for these and all other joints. They’re a bit more expensive, but they’re stronger than traditional lag screws and save a lot of assembly time, since even large bolts can be driven in by a drill equipped with a nut driver or Torx bit without predrilling. Use two per corner—one horizontal and one vertical, with an extra bolt in the middle of the second base layer. You can also use traditional lag screws or 6" spikes, but predrill to avoid splitting the wood.

4 Complete the construction and apply your finish as desired. Exterior wood stain with UV protectant is a good choice for a project like this—the version seen here is made of Douglas fir, which should have a protective finish. Set the raised bed in place and shim it level with dirt or gravel. If the ground is uneven, cut out the turf and drop the raised bed in. If you’re on a slope, you can add a 2 × 4 or 4 × 4 on the low end or dig the high end into the ground. Spread out landscape fabric around the bottom to stop grass and weeds from growing through. Fill the raised bed with topsoil, cover the bare dirt with wood mulch, and then start planting.

RAISED PLANTING BED & COVER

A raised bed is much like a container garden in that it offers total control over the soil content and quality, without the worry of compaction from walking through the garden. Containment of the soil also prevents erosion, helps with weed encroachment, and improves water drainage. For many urban gardeners, a raised bed is the best—and often only—way to grow vegetables and other crop plants in tight spaces.

Another advantage of a raised bed is that the frame around the bed provides a structure for adding covers to protect plants from cold, wind, and snow, or to erect netting to keep out pests. The simple cover frame shown here is much like a hoophouse structure used by farmers to shelter rows of crops on a temporary basis. Ours is made with PVC pipe and is easy to disassemble for storage at the end of the season. The lightweight frame is perfect for a canopy of plastic sheeting (for warmth in colder weather), spun fleece (for insect protection), or deer netting.

The raised bed frame is made with a single course of 2 × 10 lumber. You can use smaller lumber for a shallower bed, or go higher with more courses and taller corner posts. Unless your bed will be used strictly for ornamental plants (not food), don’t use pressure-treated lumber, due to the risk of chemical contamination. Instead, choose a naturally decay-resistant species such as all-heart redwood, cedar, cypress, or Douglas fir.

Filled with carefully prepared soil, a raised bed offers high yields in a relatively small space. This simple, inexpensive bed design includes wood cleats installed along its top edges—a handy feature for clamping down covers of all types.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Tape measure

Hammer

Circular saw

Square

Hand sledge

Level

Spring clamps (12)

Hacksaw or pipe cutter

3 1/2" and 1 1/4" deck screws

10-ft. 2 × 10 (2)

8-ft. 2 × 10 (1)

8-ft. 4 × 4 (1)

8-ft. 2 × 4 (1)

8-ft. 1 × 4 (1)

Reciprocating saw or handsaw

Permanent marker

Drill and countersink bit and 3/16" twist bit

3/4"-dia. × 10 ft. PVC pipe (7)

1 3/4" #8 stainless steel machine bolts and wing nuts (6)

Cover material (8 × 14 ft.)

HOW TO BUILD A RAISED BED WITH COVER

1 Cut the two frame ends to length (45") from an 8-ft. 2 × 10, using a circular saw and a square or straightedge to ensure straight cuts. For the frame side pieces, trim the ends of the 10-ft. 2 × 10s, if necessary, so they are square and measure 120".

2 Assemble the frame by setting the sides over the ends of the end pieces so they are flush at the top and outside edges. Drill three evenly spaced pilot holes through the sides and into the end pieces and fasten the parts with 3 1/2" deck screws.

3 Create the corner posts by cutting the 8-ft. 4 × 4 into four pieces roughly 24" each. Trim the ends of each post to a point, using a reciprocating saw or handsaw.

4 Set the bed frame into place, then measure diagonally between opposing corners to check for square: the frame is square when the measurements are equal. Tip: For general soil preparation, turn over the soil beneath the bed and add compost or manure, as desired, before setting down the frame.

5 Drive a post at each corner inside the frame, using a hand sledge and a wood block to prevent mushrooming the post top. Drive the posts until the tops are about 2" below the top of the bed frame. Check the frame for level, then drill pilot holes and fasten each side and end piece to a post with 3 1/2" deck screws.

6 Add a 2 × 4 stake at the midpoint of each frame side, to help keep the lumber from bowing out over time. Cut the stake to a point and drive it down below the top edge of the frame. Tack the stake to the frame with a couple of screws.

7 Install the cleats: Rip a 1 × 4 into four 3/4"-wide strips, using a circular saw or table saw (it’s okay if the last strip isn’t exactly 3/4"). Fasten the strips along the perimeter of the bed frame, flush with the top edges, using 1 1/4" deck screws driven through pilot holes. Cut the strips to length as needed to complete each run. Fill the bed with soil and compost, as desired.

8 Mark and drill the ridge pole for the cover frame, using one of the 10-ft. PVC pipes. Make a mark 1" from each end, then mark every 24" in between. The marks should form a straight line down the length of the pipe. At each mark, drill a 3/16"-dia. hole straight down through the pipe.

9 Prepare the cover frame ribs by cutting six 3/4"-dia. PVC pipes to length at 96", using a hacksaw or tubing cutter. Then, make a mark at the midpoint (48") of each rib, and drill a 3/16"-dia. hole straight through the pipe at each mark.

10 Assemble the cover frame, using 1 3/4" machine bolts and wing nuts. Fit a rib over the top of the ridge pole at each hole location. Insert the bolt through the rib and ridge and secure with a wing nut. The wing nuts allow for quick disassembly of the frame.

11 Install the cover frame into the bed by fitting one end of each rib against a frame side, inside the box area, and then bending the rib and fitting the other end inside the frame. It helps to have two people for this job, starting at one end of the frame and working down.

12 Add the cover material of your choice. Drape the cover over the cover frame, center it side-to-side and end-to-end, and secure it on all sides with clamps fitted over the cleats. To prevent overheating with plastic covers, you can roll up the cover at the ends and clamp it to the outside ribs.

RAISED BED KITS

A raised bed kit is a great way to get a raised bed garden started in an hour or less. Raised garden bed kits come in many styles. One popular type has composite panels with notched ends that simply slide into grooved connectors. It’s available in several different-sized kits that can be assembled into various-sized boxes, or, with a few extra boards and accessories, made into large configurations with multiple growing areas, or even stacked to increase bed height.

Find a flat area of the yard or garden. Check the position of the sun to make sure your raised bed will get sufficient sunlight during the course of the day. If everything looks good, assemble the panels and corner brackets. The panels have grooved, T-shaped ends that slide easily into matching pockets in the corners, and the corners align the boards perpendicular to each other. After the kit is assembled in its final position, cut into the ground around the edges of the planting bed box with a square-nose spade, move the box, and then slice off the sod in the bed area. You can also just leave the sod and cover the ground with several layers of newspaper or a layer of landscape fabric, but if the site is at all uneven removing the sod will make it easier to level the bed. Either way, cover the ground with a weed blocker of newspaper or fabric so weeds and grass won’t grow through. Finally, shovel in the dirt and start planting. That’s all there is to it.

For a larger or more elaborate raised bed with multiple growing areas or a different shape, use extra panels and additional connectors. The 3-way and 4-way connectors combined with corner connectors create a number of different options for divided beds, rectangles, L-shapes, T-shapes, and others.

Raised bed kits are very popular right now, as they are easy to set up and have become available in a much greater assortment of sizes and styles. The composite model above, made by Greenland Gardeners (see Resources, page 169), is actually one fourth of the larger kit seen on the next page. Modular kits like these can be added onto and reconfigured in many ways.

The Raised Bed Kit can be assembled in a number of different configurations using standard composite planks and three types of locking connectors.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE A WOOD KIT

1 Some have modular plastic or composite panels that fit together with grooves or with hardware. Others feature wood panels and metal corner hardware. Most kits can be stacked to increase bed height.

2 On a flat surface, assemble the panels and corner brackets (or hinge brackets) using the included hardware. Follow the kit instructions, making sure all corners are square.

3 Set the box down, experimenting with exact positioning until you find just the spot and angle you like. Be sure to observe the sun over an entire day when choosing the sunniest spot you can for growing vegetables. Cut into the ground around the edges of the planting bed box with a square-nose spade, move the box, and then slice off the sod in the bed area.

4 Set the bed box onto the installation site and check it for level. Add or remove soil as needed until it is level. Stake the box to the ground with the provided hardware. Add additional box kits on top of or next to the first box. Follow the manufacturer’s suggestion for connecting the modular units. Line the bed or beds with landscape fabric and fill with soil to within 2" or so of the top box.

LETTUCE TABLE

The lettuce table solves a number of gardening problems that home gardeners confront when growing tasty vegetables and herbs. First, and most important, it moves the crop up and out of the way of rabbits, slugs, and other destructive pests. Second, it’s portable, so it can be moved to follow or avoid the sun, or brought into the garage on frosty nights. Third, it can be set up on convenient but barren spots like decks, patios and driveways. Fourth, it allows you to garden at a comfortable height, saving wear and tear on knees and backs. Fifth, you can easily replace the growing media every year and precisely control moisture and fertilizer, giving you better, more predictable yields. And finally, it provides accessible gardening for those in wheelchairs.

The frame of this lettuce table, which will be in contact with the soil, can be made from cedar, redwood, or any other naturally rot-resistant wood. It is left unfinished on the inside. Pressure-treated wood is used for the rest of the framework because it’s less expensive and will resist decay for decades. The galvanized hardware cloth across the bottom is an inexpensive way to support the weight of the soil; you can substitute cedar boards, galvanized metal flashing, or any other rot-resistant, nontoxic material that can hold the weight. No matter what you use to hold the weight, the soil is held in place with heavy-duty landscape fabric or aluminum screen mesh.

The lettuce table can be used to grow more than lettuce. It simply draws its name from its original purpose, which is to provide a shallow bed for growing lettuces in an easy-to-reach spot that can be moved easily around your yard. This interpretation is on the large side to allow you to grow several varieties, but you can easily modify the simple plan to build a more compact version.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

2 × 4" × 8-ft. cedar (1)

2 × 4" × 12-ft. cedar (1)

2 × 4" × 8-ft. pressure-treated (1)

2 × 4" × 12-ft. pressure-treated (3)

1 × 2" × 8-ft. pressure-treated (3)

1/4" galvanized hardware cloth

Stapler with 5/16" stainless steel staples

Landscape fabric

Construction adhesive

2 1/2" deck screws (1 lb.)

1" roofing nails (1 lb.)

Countersink bit

Framing square

Leather gloves

Drill

Miter saw

Tin snips

Hammer

Caulk gun

Clamps

CUTTING LIST

PART	Tray side
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 72"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL	Cedar
PART	Tray ends and divider
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 21"
PCS.	3
MATERIAL	Cedar
PART	Outer leg
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 36"
PCS.	4
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated
PART	Inner leg
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 20 1/2"
PCS.	4
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated
PART	Bottom leg
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 8 1/2"
PCS.	4
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated
PART	Stretcher
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 69"
PCS.	1
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated
PART	Top stretcher
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 72"
PCS.	1
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated
PART	Center support
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 19"
PCS.	1
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated
PART	Side rail
DIMENSION	2 × 4 × 24"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated
PART	Side trim
DIMENSION	1 × 2 × 71"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated
PART	End trim
DIMENSION	1 × 2 × 17"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL	Pressure-treated

HOW TO BUILD A LETTUCE TABLE

1. Cut the parts for the table frame to length and assemble the cedar top tray with the center divider. Predrill all screw holes to avoid splits, and use two screws at each corner. Use 2 1/2" (or 3") deck screws. This design is for a 2 × 6 ft. tray, but you can make it larger or smaller.

2 Wearing leather gloves, cut the hardware cloth to size. Cut out a 2 × 4" section at each corner for the legs. Center it on the underside of the cedar frame—it should be about 1/4" in from the edge on all sides. Nail it every 6" on the center divider, but first mark and cut out a 2 × 4" slot at the center of the divider. Pull the cloth flat and nail it several times on each side and the ends. No need to overdo it—the edges of the cloth will be covered and secured with 1 × 2s later.

3 Cut the legs from the pressure-treated wood and assemble them into two leg pairs. Screw the inner and outer legs together, leaving a 3 1/2" gap at the top. The top frame will sit on the ledges created at the top. Leave the bottom legs off for now. Make sure the legs are parallel to each other, then join them together with the side rails. Spread a bead of construction adhesive before attaching the two pieces. Set the legs down parallel to each other and join them with the side rails.

4 With the tray turned upside down, fit the legs onto the ends. Check that they’re square to the frame and sitting flat underneath it—if you see daylight between the inner leg and the tray, trim the outer leg a little so the gap disappears. Screw each leg to both parts of the cedar frame.

5 Attach the stretcher with 2 1/2" screws. Use clamps to hold the wood in place while you predrill and fasten. Also measure and cut the bottoms of the legs, and fasten with adhesive and screws.

6 Place the tray on the ground, right-side up. Screw the top stretcher to the rails and lower stretcher. Measure the distance from the stretchers to the center divider and cut and fasten the support. Add 1/16" to your measurement just to make sure you have a snug fit.

7 Predrill the 1 × 2s every 8 to 10". Flip the tray over then screw the 1 × 2s to the bottom of the tray, flush with the outside edges and covering the hardware cloth.

8 Finally, staple on landscape fabric or aluminum screen on the inside of the tray to hold the soil in. Fill the tray with a soilless growing media and fertilizer—not ordinary topsoil. For best results, replace the soilless mix every year, as it becomes compressed over time.

UTILITY RAISED BED

This raised bed is designed to be an easy-to-build utilitarian growing space for intensive growing of vegetable crops, and although it’s very appealing when it’s full of growing plants it’s not really intended to be a decorative garden showpiece. The walls are made from three stacked 2 × 6s, though you can build it higher by using 2 × 8s instead of 2 × 6s. For extra strength the corners interlock, and are also fastened to vertical 2 × 6 braces hidden inside the wall that hold the boards together. More vertical 2 × 6 braces are also attached on the inside every 4 or 5 ft. to hold the 2 × 6 planks together. For long planters galvanized tie rods are used every 5 to 8 ft. to connect the opposing walls and keep them from spreading apart. If you don’t like the idea of tie rods, you can build a dividing wall from 2 × 6s to hold the sides together.

Make the walls of the raised bed from cedar, redwood, or other naturally rot-resistant wood, or even from composite lumber, though you’ll have to double the number of tie rods or dividing walls to keep the flexible composite boards from bowing out. If you’re not going to be planting vegetables, you can build the raised bed from pressure-treated wood.

About as simple as a large raised bed can get, this project is designed to take a lot of dirt and support a lot of plants. It is simple 2 × 6 construction, but because of its size it should be reinforced in the center with a tie rod or cable to keep the sides from bowing out.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

2 × 6" × 16-ft. cedar (8), (for project as built in photo)

2 × 6" × 8-ft. (1) (for braces)

6 ft. × 1/2" galvanized tie rods (4), with washers and bolts

2 1/2" deck screws (5 lb.)

Circular saw or sliding miter saw

Crushed gravel (as needed)

Countersink bit

Drill

Wrench

1/2" spade bit

Shovel

CUTTING LIST

KEY	A
PART	Side
DIMENSION	2 × 6" × 16 ft.
PCS.	6
MATERIAL	Cedar
KEY	B
PART	End
DIMENSION	2 × 6" × 5 ft.
PCS.	6
MATERIAL	Cedar
KEY	C
PART	Braces
DIMENSION	2 × 6 × 15"
PCS.	12
MATERIAL	Cedar

Siting Your Planter

You can set the planter directly on the ground if your soil is reasonably well-drained. If your soil is clay or drainage is a problem, spread several inches of crushed gravel on the ground so that excess water can drain away, and set the bed on the gravel. This will also keep the base of the raised bed from rotting. Either way, spread a layer of newspaper over the ground before you add soil to smother any weeds. Level the bed, if needed, by eye. If it looks off balance or twisted or low at one end, add gravel under the low spots to lift the frame up.

VARIATIONS

This basic raised bed is constructed from two 2 × 8s per side, and has a center divider holding the two sides together instead of rebar.

Another type of basic raised bed. This design uses metal angles to hold the corners together, along with heavy metal stakes at the sides to resist spreading and movement.

1 Start by screwing together the first level, predrilling the holes with a countersink bit so you don’t split the ends. After the first level is done, attach vertical 2 × 6s at the inside corners. Add the next layer of 2 × 6s, alternating the lengths to make the corner a little tighter and more interesting-looking. The sides and ends are all equal lengths, so adjoining corners are alternated in opposite ways, and the overall size of the raised bed is 16 ft., 1 1/2" × 5 ft., 1 1/2". Attach more vertical 2 × 6 braces every 4 ft. or 5 ft. on the inside of the 2 × 6s.

2 A long raised bed of 2 × 6s needs to be held together at the center or it will bulge out from the weight of the dirt. Add a 2 × 6 vertical support and drill two 1/2"-dia. holes at the same points on both sides. Push galvanized, threaded tie rods through the holes, then thread galvanized washers and nuts over the ends and tighten until the distance at the center and the ends is the same. Threaded tie rods are zinc-plated rods, usually 3/8, 1/2, or 5/8" in diameter, that are tapped with threads over the entire length. If gaps eventually appear at the corners, dig out some of the adjoining soil to reduce the pressure, push the walls back together as best you can, and reinforce the corners with large metal angles. Move your bed to its site (unless you built it on site, which is a good idea when you can do it). Finally, spread newspaper over the ground to kill off any weeds, then fill with high-quality soil and start growing your crops.

Tip: Trim off any protruding hardware.

RAISED BED ROCK GARDEN

This is a simple, very attractive, and generally permanent raised bed that can be built in almost any shape or size, and is usually about 1 ft. to 2 ft. high. The challenge of a raised bed rock garden is selecting and stacking the rocks and blending them into the terrain so that instead of a random, raw-looking pile of rocks, you see a collection of rocks full of contrast and detail that look like they’ve been there forever.

If you don’t have a rocky field or stream nearby, you can find a wide variety of rock at any stone yard and most garden supply stores. Rock can be surprisingly expensive—from $200 to $600 a ton or more, depending on the type, the source, whether it’s cut, cost of delivery, and other factors. Multiply the lineal feet you’ll need by the approximate height of the wall, then by the thickness, so you can get a realistic idea of cost. Stone is sold by weight, but suppliers will translate cubic feet into weight. Cubic feet are obtained by multiplying length × width × height; a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, or 3 ft. × 3 ft. × 3 ft.

If you’re getting a small order and hauling the rock yourself in a truck or trailer, most suppliers will let you pick your own, but even if they just dump a truckload in your yard you’ll find plenty of variety. If possible, buy a mix of sizes—it will make the wall look more interesting and make it easier to avoid large gaps.

There are three basic options for a raised bed rock garden. The first is to simply build up a pile of topsoil, slope it 30° or so, embed rocks in the sides and fill it all with plants. The next option is to build a tighter rock wall at a 30 to 60° angle, with a wider base for stability, but still pitched back against the dirt it’s enclosing. The third option is to build a thicker, more traditional vertical wall with a tamped gravel base several inches thick.

Rocks can just be set on the ground, but unless you’re going with the simplest option, it’s better to start the bottom course in a shallow trench. Partially buried, the rocks will look more natural, like they’ve been there forever. They’ll also stay in place better when the ground freezes. It also makes it easier to hide the bottom edge of the landscape fabric, if you choose to use it. If you’re building the wall on a sloping site, you’ll need to excavate a foot or so of existing soil to make room for topsoil.

If you want to keep the rock wall unplanted, landscape fabric can help keep unwanted weeds and grasses from getting established between the rocks. A good strategy is to place fabric out to the edge of the bottom course, then bring it up the backside of the rock, holding it in place with the soil. You can pack soil into crevices between the rocks as you plant them, so that desirable plants get established and crowd out weeds that try to take root. Inside the raised bed, place sheets of newspaper over the ground instead of landscape fabric to kill off any existing growth without blocking out beneficial earthworms.

The easiest way to make a sloping rock wall is to dump a load of soil in the desired location and then shape it and build up the rocks against it, packing additional dirt in as needed. Standard topsoil will work, but many suppliers sell special mixes for raised beds. You can also just shovel the dirt in as you build the wall up. Estimate the amount of soil you need by measuring the inside width and height in feet. Soil is sold in cubic feet by the bag or cubic yards when bought in bulk. The rock wall doesn’t need to be self-supporting if it’s built into the soil. If the wall is closer to vertical, dig the trench wider and 5 to 6" deep and tamp in a few inches of crushed gravel (usually called Class 5). Make the wall thick enough to be solid and self-supporting, and wedge small rocks and chips in as needed to keep the stones locked in place

Pick out the most interesting stones in the pile as you work, and try to make them prominent. Mixing different sizes makes a denser, more varied wall.

A raised bed made from rocks can be anything from a formal rock wall to a gently sloped collection of field stone planted with herbs and small flowers. Either type will last forever.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

Rocks

Crushed gravel (for self-supporting walls)

Landscape fabric

Newspaper

Topsoil

Wood chips or other mulch

Shovel

Leather gloves

Wheelbarrow

Dolly (for large rocks)

Moss and lichen (optional)

A FEW COMMON ROCK GARDEN PLANTS

Hens-and-Chicks

Snow-in-Summer

Coral bells

Sedum

Dianthus

Rock jasmine

Rockcress

Dwarf juniper

HOW TO BUILD A SLOPING ROCK WALL

1 Mark out the site and dig a shallow trench for the rocks. If the area is weedy, or on a slope, or the rock wall will be very low, excavate enough so that the raised bed will have 12 to 18" of topsoil. If the soil is clay, replace it with equal parts loam, peat moss, and coarse sand.

2 Use the largest stones for the base, setting them in so they look partially buried, with the most weathered side exposed. Avoid even spacing or straight-looking rows, and vary sizes. Pack soil in, or, if you don’t intend to have plants in the wall, place landscape fabric behind the rocks. Continue piling rocks around the area of the raised bed. Once the rocks are in place, cover the soil with mulch.

3 You can encourage a weathered, mossy look by “painting” the rocks with a handful of moss mixed in a blender with a cup of buttermilk or yogurt. This will give moss and lichen a good start.

4 After the soil has settled for a few days, begin planting the garden. Focus on plants native to your area. You can plant several sizes, from tiny alpine flowers to small shrubs and trees. Place plants in the crevices, allowing them to cascade over the rocks.

Add a birdbath and other decorations to your raised bed rock garden. You can add more colors during the warmer months by setting potted indoor plants among the rocks.

This raised bed framed by large stones and boulders looks like a natural rock outcropping, and blends in perfectly on the open, gently sloping yard. Use a heavy-duty dolly or rent a small front-end loader for this project—large boulders can weigh several hundred pounds.

HALF-LAP PLANTING BED

The half-lap is a traditional woodworking joint used to build everything from fine furniture to timber-frame barns. It creates a very strong connection and is more visually appealing than a standard butt joint or a simple overlap of the mating pieces. In this application, a raised bed benefits from the half-lap’s strength, but it’s the handcrafted look that makes this joint worth the extra trouble.

You can use any standard size of square-edged timber for this project: 4 × 4, 4 × 6, 6 × 6, etc. The smaller landscape timbers with rounded edges can also be used, but are much harder to work with. The trick to making half-lap joints is notching out exactly half of the thickness (or depth) from each mating piece so that the completed joint is equal to a whole timber. If you have a shop and a thickness planer, it’s a good idea to first plane all your pieces to precisely the same size before setting up your tools for making identical notches in each piece. Timbers, especially the wet ones sold at home centers, often vary slightly in size, and many are slightly thicker at the centers because of uneven drying, and will rock slightly when placed on a flat surface. It’s best to measure the timbers against each other and keep similar sizes together as you mark and cut the notches for each joint, and then keep them together as you construct the planting bed.

If you have a few projects under your belt and want to try your hand at something a bit more challenging, this half-lap raised bed may be just the ticket for you.

TOOLS & MATERIALS

(Quantities are for a 3 ft. × 5 ft. bed)

(6) 4 × 4" × 8-ft. cedar or pressure-treated

(2) 2 × 6" × 8-ft. cedar or pressure-treated

3" deck screws or 16D galvanized nails (5 lb. box)

3" galvanized casing nails

Wide wood chisel (1" minimum)

Compactable gravel (optional)

6" spikes (24)

Tape measure

Speed square

Circular saw

Hammer or mallet

4-ft. level

Drill

Countersink bit

CUTTING LIST

KEY	A
PART	Side
DIMENSION	4 × 4 × 59"
PCS.	6
MATERIAL	Cedar or pressure-treated
KEY	B
PART	End
DIMENSION	4 × 4 × 35"
PCS.	6
MATERIAL	Cedar or pressure-treated
KEY	C
PART	Side cap
DIMENSION	2 × 6 × 62"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL	Cedar or pressure-treated
KEY	D
PART	End cap
DIMENSION	2 × 6 × 38"
PCS.	2
MATERIAL	Cedar or pressure-treated

HOW TO MAKE A HALF-LAP PLANTER

1 Cut the 4 × 4 stock to length to make your parts. You may find it faster to gang-cut two or three 4 × 4s at the same time, using a circular saw if the 4 × 4s are the exact same thickness. Simply clamp them together with their ends flush, make a cut with a circular saw along the cutting line, and then flip the stock over and finish cutting from the opposite side so the cuts line up. Make the cuts for the half-lap joints. Select pieces that are the same size, then put the flattest side (the side that rocks the least) of each board on a work surface facing down. Mark the 3 1/2" shoulder cuts, arranging them so the best sides will face out when the project is assembled. Set the cutting depth of your circular saw to 1 3/4" and cut along the inside (3 1/2" side) of the marked line. Then make a series of cuts parallel to this cut, spacing them about 1/4" apart. These are called kerf cuts, and the point is to remove as much waste wood as you safely can. Be careful to keep the saw flat on the wood at the beginning and end of the cuts—it’s easy to accidentally tip it.

Tip: You can also make these cuts on a sliding compound miter saw if it has a built-in depth stop. Or, get hold of a power miter saw (see above) with enough cutting capacity to get through a 4 × 4 in one pass.

2 Complete each notch by breaking out the waste pieces with a hammer or mallet. Clean up the bottom of the notch with a wood chisel, then test the half-lap joint with the adjoining timber and adjust as needed.

3 Form the half-lap joints. Lay out two long members on a flat surface with the notches facing up. Set a pair of shorter members—the ends—across the longer ones with their notches down. Test the fit and ensure that this base layer is square. Fasten each half-lap joint with a pair of screws or nails positioned diagonally over the notches, alternating the placement of the screws from level to level. Predrill if the wood starts to crack when you drive the screw in.

Add the next layer, keeping the sides of the raised bed flush and plumb. Drill pilot holes and drive a couple of 6" landscape spikes through the boards in each course and into the course below.

4 After the 4 × 4s are all assembled, you can leave the raised bed as is or add a 2 × 6 cap for a more finished appearance, and to make a comfortable place to sit. To create a cap with the 1 1/2" overhang shown here, measure the outside of the frame and add 3". This will give you the length for the long edge of the 45° miter cut. Cut the four pieces, then set them in place and fiddle with them until the miters look tight. It may help to pin or screw a few of the outside corners together. Again, unless you’ve used a thickness planer, the construction grade wood will have slight variations and cupping that make a furniture-quality miter joint impossible, so just do the best you can and then sand the joints to even them out. You can also fiddle with the overhang if necessary—it will never be noticed.

This half-lap planting bed was made from round posts. It has an appealing appearance, but cutting the half-laps requires patience and skill.

Tip

Before filling your completed bed with soil, you can protect the timbers from premature rot by lining the insides of the walls with heavy (6-mil or thicker) plastic sheeting. Just make sure to line the walls only, not the bottom of the bed. Another option is to set the timbers atop a trench (underneath the timbers only) of compacted gravel to allow water to drain away, which will forestall rot and help keep the bed level over time. Also add a layer of newspaper over the ground before putting new soil in to smother any weeds and grasses.