Build A Raised Garden Bed

Spring has arrived early, and if it means getting the garden in early then I don't mind!

 

My garden has evolved hugely since we moved in almost five (really?) years ago.
It began in a corner of the patio that was excavated away last spring.
In fact, to garden, I had to climb up three feet over a brick wall to even get to it - it can be seen in the lower left corner of the photo. But, the height made it pretty to look at when sitting on the patio.

In addition, I've also always planted a container garden. In fact, most of the pots were left unwanted by the previous owner. Yeah for me!!


It appears someone else liked the pot and shady pepper plant too.

Those bunnies thrived on the patio.

Next, my garden moved to the other side of the house where railroad ties were already in place, making two potential garden areas tucked in the fence corner just off the back porch landing. 

Thankfully the small one had been worked previously and I'd tucked a few things in there already, but the bigger one was a rock (uugh!) garden when we moved in.

With a lot of help and hard work, my family has turned these plots into quite a garden. And, my hubby power washed and stained the fence too in 2010. 

Looks all nice in neat, huh?

Not for long! Over the last few years, I've learned that having my garden in this corner, and it being so large a square, makes it very hard to work, which results in it becoming chaotic after a certain point in the summer. Not to mention the river rocks that keep appearing. 


There are thriving tomato plants taking over the garden and lawn in the foreground of this photo: 

Here I am trying to keep up with the weeds:

My biggest contention? Those webs that go back and forth between fence and plant. Anybody else with me? In my thoughts, webs mean eight-legged creepy crawly things are close - too close, and I've got to have room to move away fast! Being corralled into a corner between huge tomato or bean plants and a fence, is not good tactical gardening no matter how you look at it.

This year my plans are to transform these garden beds into something fantastic.
(I've got plans!)

That means a new garden area must be found.

How about in this basically unused, messy area behind the garage? We had this cleared out and then regraded last fall and it currently is ready for a purpose and a renovation. You'll notice the ever lovin' straw that's everywhere as you keep reading...

So, how about a raised garden bed? That I can reach from all sides?

How about two?  

Pinch me! I must be dreaming!

A few calculations and a shopping trip later...


For two 8L x 4W x 8H garden beds:

> Four 12x8 cedar boards cut at Lowe's into four 4' end pieces and four 8' pieces <

> High quality exterior screws - that came with the screw bit (nice) <

> Two packs of wooden stakes <

HR and I pre-drilled the screw holes in the boards ends (not the middles), measured and measured and measured, squared up the plot, dug the trenches longer and deeper for a level bed, prepped stake holes with a metal pole and hammer, pounded the stakes in and then screwed on the boards carefully. This was what took the longest - to level the board, square it up and remove more dirt from under the boards to make them line up as perfect as they were going to get.

Then I lost my helper to playmates. He is such a Tim the Tool Man too.
I enjoy working with him on projects so much!

So, when my husband encouraged me to stack the boards destined for the second bed on top of the first bed frame instead, I took him up on it. No more digging and leveling today and I could (almost) complete the project this way. (I ran out of screws, but had enough to get the main screws in the top boards.)

However, I am so pleased with the results! The height of the garden bed is perfect too at about 14 inches (our 8 inch wide boards are more like 7 and 1/4).  Just what I really wanted!! I was planning on making the dollar stretch and putting in two beds with the same boards, so I am shorter on garden space now, but my plan is to simply spread out the fun and build another one next spring, or this fall, when the budget will allow.


Since it only took 2 1/2 hours to build - from getting the tools ready through to completion,  it's a project I'd take on again.

The dirt is a mix of mushroom soil, topsoil and perlite.
Smells wonderfully potent - reminding me of my childhood days on the farm mucking box stalls. Yeah, could do without that memory in particular! 

The best part: planting.
How effortless it was!
My helper was back for this part of course!

Project recap:


Wood, stakes and screws -- just under $100.
Dirt mix -- just over $100, including delivery.
Digging in dirt and planting seeds with kids -- priceless.

Sharing that one more item is checked off the good ol' To-Do List with other busy, list totin', springtime ready bloggers.


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One Project At A Time Tuesday