| How to build a raised bed box for your garden. Very simple. First, use regular lumber, not pressure treated lumber, because the chemicals used in pressure treating can leach into the soil. Not good. Don't bother with painting. The boards will last years without any Second, determine the size of your bed. Generally 4 ft. x 8 ft. is sufficient and most popular. You may want to lengthen the bed but don't widen it any wider than 4 ft., so you can physically reach to the middle of the bed from either side, for weeding, harvesting etc... For just tomatoes, a 2 ft. x 8-12 ft. may be more ideal. As far as the heighth of the bed. Usually 10" - 12" high is ideal. Third, put it together. This will probably be the easiest woodworking project you can do. It doesn't have to be perfect. If 4 ft. x 8 ft. is the size of your bed. Buy or get (3) - 2 inch x 12 inch x 8 foot boards. Cut one of the 8 ft. boards in half, which should then make (2) 4 ft. boards. Use a flat surface if possible. Stand the (2) 8 ft. boards up on the edges, then put one of the 4 ft. pieces on one end and the other 4 ft. piece on the other end making a box. Overlap the ends of the (2) 8 ft. boards with the (2) 4 ft. pieces at the ends. You should have a box. Now, nail or screw the 4 ft. boards to the 8 ft. boards. See (figure 1) below. Done. You can, if you want to, attach a screen wire to the bottom to prevent any varmints from being able to dig up into the bottom of the box. This probably, will not be necessary. |
| Fourth, fix a place in the yard for your box. Caution: The box will be heavy by now. If you need to, get someone to help you set the box in the yard. Find a spot that will have access to full sun. You can put it up against a building or house, but don't put it right up against it. Leave about 3 ft. around it so you can get around it easily. You will need a 3 ft. perimeter all the way around the box for vines, like cucumbers, and to work the bed, for wheelbarrows, etc... Find or create a level spot to set the box. You can level the ground with a shovel just where the boards will set. The reason you want the box level is so when watering the water will be evenly destributed and won't run off one side. Once in place you are ready to add your soil. |
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| Building a Raised Bed |