Building a Raised Garden Bed

I made a raised garden bed last week. I was so delighted with it and it was so easy I want to share it with you. To make the three foot square raised bed pictured you need four pieces of 2 X 6 lumber, each cut three feet long. Make the corners (pictured) with six inch raised bed corners (item 36-653) from Gardener’s Supply Company. Then cover the bed to keep out insect pests with insect netting (PKN6932) from A.M. Leonard Horticultural Tool and Supply  Company. You can find cheaper netting but you won’t be able to see through it. I like looking at my growing plants. I used 1/2 inch PVC pipe to support the netting.

Finally you need a soil mix to fill it. In the book All New Square Foot Gardening, Mel Bartholomew suggests a mix of 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 blended compost. He suggests getting several different kinds of compost and blending them for a better nutrient mix.

There you have it. Not hard and you can grow lettuce, kale, carrots, tomatoes–anything you wish to grow. Place your bed near a hose or a sprinkler so you can easily keep it watered.

Gardening is a wonderful hobby. Experiment with this and start with one or two vegetables. Let me know your successes, or any questions. Happy Growing!