Raised Bed Gardening Will Keep the Weeds and Pests Away—Here's How to Get Started

Raised garden beds are the ultimate solution for a less-than-ideal yard that may be filled with hard, rocky, clay soil or uneven terrain. Elevated gardening beds offer total flexibility, giving you freedom to plot them wherever you want, fill them with your ideal blend of soil, and take more liberties when choosing what to grow in them. Plus, they keep weeds and pests at bay. They also warm up quickly in the spring, so you can start growing earlier than if you were digging in the still-frozen earth.

While raised beds can initially cost more to set up and fill, they pay you back with productivity. To help you learn how to make a raised garden bed, we spoke to gardening experts who shared their tips for making, filling, and maintaining these structures.

Benefits of Raised Bed Gardening

There are many benefits of raised bed gardening, including its versatility and accessibility.

Location Versatility

You can place a raised garden bed almost anywhere, so long as it has access to sunlight and water. "Because garden beds can be almost any shape, size, or height, the sky is the limit," says Tammy Burke, a horticulturist at the American Horticultural Society.

Less Weeding, Less Pests

If you line your raised bed or have it lifted off the ground, weeds and pests are less likely to be a nuisance. Plus, the soil is often looser in raised beds, so any weed seeds that do get into the bed can easily be removed once they sprout.

Soil Management

You can fill your raised garden bed with the best possible soil for the varieties you want to plant. "With raised garden beds, no one can complain that the soil is too rocky or dry or malnourished," says Burke. "Just put a garden bed over that clay soil and fill it with your own soil mixed with plenty of nutrients."

Better Accessibility

A raised garden bed allows for a more accessible gardening experience. "Gardening can require a lot of physical activity—bending, squatting, kneeling—that can be hard on our back and knees," says Burke. Raised beds make it easier for people with mobility issues to garden.

Extended Growing Season

Raised garden beds allow you to enjoy your plants for longer. "Raised beds extend the growing season by warming up and drying out faster in the spring and retaining heat longer in the fall," says Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed's From Seed to Spoon app.

How to Make a Raised Garden Bed

Follow these steps to create a raised garden bed the right way.

Choose a Location

Before making a raised bed, scout out your yard and decide where to put it. "Choose a spot that receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day, especially if you're growing vegetables and herbs that require full sun," says Spoonemore. "Ensure the location is conveniently situated near a water source for easy irrigation. However, avoid placing the bed in a low-lying area prone to waterlogging or flooding." Placing the bed close to your home will make it easier to access and monitor.

Size the Bed

The length of the box will depend on your space, but the width is important. You want to be able to weed and reach plants without stepping in and crushing them or compacting the soil.

Generally, the bed should have at least 8 inches of depth and measure 3 to 4 feet wide, allowing you to reach the center of the bed from either side easily. A length of 6 to 8 feet is recommended, but can be adjusted based on individual preferences and space, says Spoonemore.

Choose a Frame

You can construct a raised bed from Corten steel (also called weathering steel), stones, or bricks, but wood planks are the most common material and the easiest for beginners.

"The choice of which type of wood to use for your raised beds will come down to affordability versus longevity," says Spoonemore. "Durable hardwood options such as oak, teak, maple, walnut, and beech are good choices for longevity.

Alternatively, softwoods will work well and are less expensive." No matter the type of frame you choose, avoid pressure-treated boards, which have been preserved with chemicals that can leach into your soil.

Line the Bed

If your ground soil is healthy, you don't have to line your garden bed—but if you have poor soil quality, staple water-permeable landscape or weed-blocking fabric across the bottom of the bed. Or use a recyclable product that can break down easily, like newspaper or cardboard, says Burke. Otherwise, you can choose a bed with legs that sit well above the ground. To attach the legs to the frame of the raised garden bed, use brackets, screws, and a drill, says Burke.

Fill the Bed

Pour a mixture of topsoil and compost into your raised bed, leaving about 1 inch of space below the top of the frame. Amend the soil with perlite or vermiculite to enhance aeration and drainage, which prevents soil compaction and water-logging while promoting healthy root development, says Spoonemore.

What to Plant in a Raised Garden Bed

Almost anything you grow in regular garden beds—herbs, vegetables, and flowers—can be grown in a raised bed. But generally, herbs and vegetables are the best option. "These plants have shallow root systems that can easily grow in the limited space of a raised bed," says Spoonemore. "They also tend to have high nutrient demands and benefit from the rich, well-draining soil that a raised bed provides." Just make sure to rotate your crops each season to prevent nutrient depletion and disease buildup.

A few of the best vegetables, fruits, and herbs to grow in raised garden beds include:

• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Radishes
• Strawberries (and other berries)
• Tomatoes (with support)
• Onions
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Oregano

How to Care for Raised Beds

Caring for a raised bed is essential to maintain healthy plants and maximize productivity, says Spoonemore.

Water

Keep your raised bed consistently moist by watering regularly, especially during dry periods. "Water deeply to encourage deep root growth, but avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot," says Spoonemore.

Weeding

If you line your raised bed, weeds likely won't be an issue, but you can keep them at bay by regularly inspecting the bed and promptly removing any weeds that emerge. "Mulching with organic materials like straw or shredded leaves can help suppress weed growth while also conserving moisture and adding nutrients to the soil," says Spoonemore.

Fertilizing

Maintain soil fertility by periodically adding organic fertilizers or compost to your raised bed to replenish nutrients. "Consider conducting soil tests to determine nutrient levels and adjust fertilization accordingly," says Spoonemore.

Pruning and Thinning

Prune plants as needed to promote airflow and prevent overcrowding, which can lead to disease and pest issues. Additionally, you should thin out overcrowded seedlings to allow remaining plants adequate space to grow and thrive, says Spoonemore.

Maintenance

Regularly inspect the raised bed for signs of wear and damage, such as rotting wood or loose joints, says Spoonemore. Repair damaged parts to keep the bed's structural integrity in tact.