How to Build a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden out of Landscaping Timbers

Raised bed gardening provides a practical solution for many gardening challenges. Raised bed gardens create workable soil in rocky areas or places where native soil is contaminated. The raised bed garden also puts plants on a level where handicapped gardeners can easily work the soil without bending or stooping. Raised bed gardens will heat sooner than the soil, which allow most gardeners to plant vegetable crops sooner. One of the fastest means for raised bed garden construction is to use landscaping timbers to form the walls of the raised bed. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Measure and mark the dimensions of your raised bed by hammering stakes into the corners of the bed location. String builder's string between the stakes to mark the bed's footprint.

2

Level the ground beneath the strings with a shovel. To ensure the ground is level, place a piece of scrap plywood on the ground and put a spirit level on the plywood.

3

Have your landscaping timbers cut to size when you purchase them. Raised beds may be any length, but should be 4 feet in diameter. Place the first row of timbers on the ground so that they have abutting corners. Stagger each successive row of timbers so that there is not a uniform seam in the raised bed wall.

4

Measure the height of the timber wall. Add 18 inches to this height. Purchase a concrete reinforcing bar and have it cut into stakes that measure this total length.

5

Drill holes for stakes vertically through your retaining wall using a spade bit. Drill a hole on each side of a point where two timbers meet as well as one at the center of the timbers along the top of the wall. Drive the concrete reinforcing rods through these holes and 18 inches into the ground to anchor the walls in place. The tops of the rods should be flush with the top of your wall.

6

Mix a lightweight garden soil for your raised bed that consists of one part peat moss, one part compost, one part composted manure and one part vermiculite. Fill the raised bed with this garden soil mixture. You will be able to plant your garden vegetables immediately.