How To Build A Vegetable Planter Box?

How deep does a planter box need to be for vegetables?

Eight to 12 inches is usually adequate. If drainage is a problem, or if the plants you are growing prefer drier soil, the bed could be taller and filled with a porous growing medium. Vegetable beds should be 12 to 18 inches deep. The material used to edge a raised bed should be stable, durable and attractive.

What kind of wood should I use for raised beds?

In most cases, cedar is the best wood to use for garden beds because cedar is naturally rot resistant. Western red cedar is commonly used, but Vermont white cedar, Port Orford (yellow) cedar and Juniper are also high-quality choices for outdoor construction projects.

How do you fill a raised bed cheaply?

The cheapest way to fill raised beds is from materials available on your own property–soil, and organic matter (leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, wood chips, etc.). Your town & local schools might also have soil, wood chips, and compost available for free pickup that can be used in raised beds.

Should I line my raised garden bed with plastic?

You can line your raised bed to make it more durable and to prevent toxics from leaching into the soil. For lining, use landscape fabric found at garden supply stores or cloth fabric from clothing. Avoid non-porous plastic, as it can retain too much water and discourage beneficial insects and worms.

Should I put rocks in the bottom of my raised garden bed?

Building raised beds is well worth the effort. Raised beds allow you to overcome problems such as poor, rocky soil, waterlogged areas and people walking through your gardens. While raised beds drain better than in-ground beds, adding rocks to the bottom of the bed improves drainage even further.

What should I fill my raised garden bed with?

Method #1: Simple Soil Mixture



As you may have guessed, this is the simplest route you can take. Fill your bed with a 1:1 mixture of topsoil and compost mix, then lightly combine with a rake or shovel. Check out the next couple of slides for our top picks and tips for this type of soil.

What do you put in the bottom of a raised garden bed?

The bottom of a raised garden bed should be a layer of grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, straw, and other organic material. The cardboard should be placed on top of that layer. The organic material will turn into compost, while the cardboard will prevent weeds.

How many bags of soil do I need for a 4×8 raised bed?

How much soil? For a 4×8–foot raised bed with a 10” height, about 1 cubic yard of soil is needed. For a 4×8-foot raised bed with a 6” height, using Mel’s Mix: about 5 cubic feet each of compost, peat moss, and vermiculite is needed.

What vegetables should be planted together in a raised bed?

Onions and garlic planted with tomatoes help to repel many common pests, including slugs and snails. Basil planted in the same bed can help enrich the flavor of ripe tomatoes. Radishes and marigolds planted with cabbages help control the cabbage maggots that commonly attack cabbage plant roots.

What kind of soil do I need for a vegetable garden?

The best soil suitable for vegetables includes lots of compost and organic matter such as composted leaves and ground or shredded, aged bark. Whatever you’re starting with, incorporate enough organic material so that the amended soil is neither sandy nor compacted.

How many tomato plants can I grow in a 4×4 raised bed?

A 4’x4′ raised bed can accommodate 4 or 5 tomato plants. For USDA zones with longer growing seasons, & for indeterminate tomato varieties, only 2 or 3 tomato plants might fit in a 4’x’4′ raised bed.

Should a garden box have a bottom?

Why You Should Line the Bottom of Your Garden Beds. It’s not mandatory to create a raised garden bed floor, but experienced gardeners recommend it for several reasons: Prevent weeds from growing up from the ground below. Stop burrowing pests like voles, moles, and gophers from entering the raised beds.

What can I plant in a 4×4 raised vegetable garden?

By planting vegetables in your 4-by-4-foot garden, you add foliage to your landscape while providing food for the family. Salad greens work well in a small space because the leaves grow closely and don’t take up a large amount of space. Other small vegetables include carrots, beets, asparagus and onions.