How to Plant a Raised
Vegetable Garden
by Julie McMurchie
There are a few options to choose from, some more expensive than
others.

Concrete construction blocks, wall stones, or other masonry blocks or
pavers that can be stacked are an affordable way to build a raised bed.
For most of your gardening, eight inches of garden soil should be
sufficient.  

If you prefer to build your raised bed out of wood, you will need to use an
untreated hardwood such as redwood or cedar that is resistant to rot.

There are also a number of kits available on the market that you may
choose from, some constructed from wood, others made of plastic.  

Most raised vegetable gardens are no more than four feet across, which
allows the gardener to reach into and across the garden without climbing
in. Do not build a garden that you can’t to without harming the plants.

Some kits may include a bottom, but if you are building your own it isn’t
necessary to include. What you want is a frame tall enough and sturdy
enough to hold the soil, and that won’t fall apart at the corners as the
plants grow and spread.