Raised garden beds are an easy way to create interest and add dimension to your garden. No matter what your skill level, The Home Depot has everything you need, including click-together kits, soil amendments and lumber. Quality building materials are available for less every day in-store.
Here's what you need to know about raised beds:
- If you start with clean, fresh soil, you can avoid the problem of dormant weed seeds and pests from infesting the garden.
- They warm more quickly in spring, so you can work the soil and plant earlier.
- With beds planted higher than ground level, a gardener with limited mobility doesn't have to get down on his or her knees.
- Soil compaction can reduce crop yields up to 50 percent. Soil doesn't get compacted in raised beds because it's fresh and more easily worked.
- Raised beds create areas of fertile, well-drained soil in locales with poor soil and inadequate drainage.
Raised bed depthWhen determining the depth of your raised bed, consider your soil's current condition. If it's fairly workable, you can get away with raised beds up to 8 inches high. However, if the soil is completely unworkable—the kind of soil that can hardly be dented by a spade—make the raised bed 1 to 3 feet high.
Step 1: Build the border
Start with your 4 rot-resistant posts. When selecting your lumber, consider using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood which has been responsibly harvested. The Home Depot sells more FSC certified wood than any other retailer in America.
Step 2: Dig the bed
Dig a trench 1 to 2 inches deep where you want to position the raised bed. Position the frame in the trench. Level it by either adding soil or digging a deeper trench. For tips and know-how, read
Good for you garden tools.
Step 3: Prepare the ground
There's no need to remove turf (except for Bermuda grass) or most small weeds; they'll break down and feed the soil. Fill the wooden frame with high-quality topsoil or other amendments, such as sphagnum moss, and then rake smooth. Trusted brands such as Scotts and Miracle-Gro carry products that retain moisture and provide organic matter to your soil, available in-store. Vigoro carries a wide variety of top soils, formulated to provide drainage and aeration while feeding the soil, available at The Home Depot.
Step 4: Set up the waterworks
Install a watering system. Soaker hoses, perforated plastic sprinkle hoses and drip-irrigation are perfect for raised beds as they disperse water neatly and evenly throughout a contained area.
When you're all set to plant, try
Bonnie Plants which are grown in biodegradable peat pots or check out organic seed packets from Burpee or Ferry-Morse for an earth-friendly way to start your garden.
For more eco-freindly ideas you can use in your garden, visit The Home Depot Eco Options site.
