Raised Bed Garden Design: How To Layout & Build - Garden Design (2024)

FAQs

Raised Bed Garden Design: How To Layout & Build - Garden Design? ›

Square-foot gardening (SFG) is a type of raised-bed gardening where you have a raised box divided into squares. With the square-foot gardening method, you plant in 4×4-foot blocks instead of traditional rows. In each square, you plant a different veggie. It's said to save time, money, watering and space.

Square-foot gardening (SFG) is a type of raised-bed gardening where you have a raised box divided into squares. With the square-foot gardening method, you plant in 4×4-foot blocks instead of traditional rows. In each square, you plant a different veggie. It's said to save time, money, watering and space.

As a general rule, put tall veggies toward the back of the bed, mid-sized ones in the middle, and smaller plants in the front or as a border. Consider adding pollinator plants to attract beneficial insects that can not only help you get a better harvest, but will also prey on garden pests.

Layer the bottom with cardboard or newspaper as a weed barrier, which will decompose over time. Then, use a mix of yard waste, leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps layered with soil and compost.

The smaller pieces are placed on top of the larger pieces to fill space, such as branches and sticks, and then grass clippings, leaves and kitchen scraps. Compost and topsoil are on the top two layers for your raised garden bed so you can start planting as the organic matter beneath decomposes.

The most basic garden plan consists of a design with straight, long rows running north to south orientation. A north to south direction will ensure that the garden gets the best sun exposure and air circulation. A garden that runs east to west tends to get too shaded from the crops growing in the preceding row.

Grid lines drawn at 45 degrees can be used as a guideline to design the garden. Rectangular themes are the most popular and widely used. They are adapted to give a formal look to the garden. Long or narrow gardens can be easily divided into even sections using this particular theme.

Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi can stunt the growth of your tomato plant because they out-compete them for the same nutrients. These vegetables are in the brassica family.

Where to place vegetables in a raised garden bed? ›

A north-south orientation is best for low-growing crops, allowing direct sunlight to reach both sides of the bed. For taller crops such as pole beans, peas and tomatoes an east west orientation works best. Leave enough space in between beds to easily maneuver around.

The 4-inch spacing is for bush beans and spinach. A 6-inch spacing is needed for Swiss chard, leaf lettuce and parsley. A whole 12-inch square is required for each broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, eggplant, muskmelon and pepper plant.

So to put it all together, the best type of wood for raised beds is untreated, FSC-certified pine. Or untreated, FSC-certified cedar or redwood if you want something a bit longer-lasting. You do, however, have other options for your raised beds.

On average, a DIY raised bed constructed from wood will cost $25 to $50 per square foot. To have a wooden raised bed constructed and installed for you, budget for at least $100 per square foot. (Find a kitchen garden company in your area.)

A depth of 8 – 12 inches will suffice for most gardening situations. Because of the excellent drainage properties of raised beds, it is possible to grow an abundance of vegetables in a limited amount of space.

Add a mixture of compost and purchased topsoil in a 1:2 or 1:1 ratio, to the top of the bed. There are vendors who sell topsoil mixed with compost. Alternatively, fill the bed with compost and a soilless growing mix in a 1:1 ratio.