Raised bed basics: size, soil and where to put it
How to build a raised bed garden that warms up early, drains well and is easy to reach.
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Raised beds warm up earlier in spring, drain better after heavy rain, and keep you from stepping on and packing down your soil. They're the easiest way to start a vegetable garden.
⭐ Top picks for this job
- Raised garden bedWarms earlier in spring and drains well.
- Raised bed soilReady-made mix for new beds.
- Drip irrigation kitWater every bed evenly.
Pick a sunny spot
Most vegetables need at least 6–8 hours of direct sun. Watch your yard for a day and pick the spot that gets the most, with a water source nearby.
Get the size right
Keep beds no wider than 4 feet so you can reach the middle from either side, or 2–3 feet if you can only reach from one side. Length can be whatever fits. A depth of 10–12 inches works for most crops.
Fill it with good soil
A blend of quality topsoil and compost is the classic fill, or buy a ready-made raised bed soil. Avoid filling with plain garden soil alone; it compacts in a bed. Top up with an inch or two of compost every year.
Plan the water
Raised beds dry out faster than the ground. A drip line or soaker hose on a timer keeps them evenly moist with almost no effort.
Grow up, not just out
Put a trellis on the north side of the bed for cucumbers, peas and pole beans, so they don't shade the shorter crops.
Can't bend down?
An elevated planter box puts the garden at waist height, which is great for herbs, lettuce and anyone with a sore back.
Gear for this job
- Raised garden bed: Warms earlier in spring and drains well.
- Raised bed soil: Ready-made mix for new beds.
- Drip irrigation kit: Water every bed evenly.
- Trellis netting: For cucumbers, peas and beans.
- Elevated planter box: Waist-high gardening, no bending.
- Hand trowel: The tool you'll use most.