Many gardeners prefer raised garden beds over traditional in-ground gardens because they provide numerous advantages. They provide better drainage, soil quality, and allow for easier access to plants. However, before you start planting, it's essential to prepare the foundation of your raised garden bed.
In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at what should be placed at the base of a raised garden bed and why it's so important.
Why is the Base of a Raised Garden Bed Important?
The foundation of your raised garden bed is crucial for the health and productivity of your plants. Without a solid base, your garden bed could suffer from several issues, such as poor drainage, erosion, or soil compaction. This can lead to root rot, disease, and a decrease in plant growth.
Therefore, it's essential to create a strong, stable, and well-draining base for your raised garden bed. The materials you use will depend on the location, size, and design of your garden bed.
What Materials Can Be Used at the Base of a Raised Garden Bed?
1. Gravel or Rocks: A layer of gravel or rocks can provide excellent drainage for your raised garden bed. This will prevent water from sitting at the bottom of your garden bed, which can lead to root rot and other issues. Gravel or rocks can also help prevent erosion and soil compaction.
2. Landscape Fabric: A layer of landscape fabric can help prevent weeds from growing up into your raised garden bed. This is especially important if you're building your garden bed on top of grass or other vegetation. Landscape fabric will also help to prevent soil from washing away or becoming compacted.
3. Sand: A layer of sand can help improve drainage and prevent soil compaction. However, it's important to use the right type of sand. Avoid using beach sand, as it can contain salt and other minerals that can harm your plants. Instead, use horticultural sand, which is specially designed for gardening.
4. Compost: Adding a layer of compost to the bottom of your raised garden bed can help improve soil quality and provide nutrients for your plants. This is especially important if you're building your garden bed on top of poor-quality soil.
5. Cardboard: A layer of cardboard can help suppress weeds and prevent soil from washing away. It will also break down over time, providing additional organic matter for your plants.
6. Soil: If you're building your raised garden bed on top of poor-quality soil, you may want to add a layer of topsoil or other high-quality soil to the bottom. This will help improve soil quality and provide a good growing environment for your plants.
A strong and stable base is essential for the health and productivity of your raised garden bed. By using the right materials, such as gravel, landscape fabric, sand, compost, cardboard, or soil, you can create a well-draining and nutrient-rich foundation for your plants. Take the time to prepare the base of your garden bed correctly, and you'll be rewarded with a bountiful and healthy harvest.
FAQs
Cardboard or newspaper: Cardboard is a great option if you are on a budget. You can line the bottom of your raised garden bed with cardboard and newspaper to deter pests and weeds.
What should I put at the bottom of my raised garden bed? ›
Start with a layer of landscape fabric to prevent soil from washing out. Above this, a layer of gravel or small stones can aid in drainage. Then, fill the bed with a mix of topsoil, compost, and other organic matter. This layered approach ensures good drainage while providing a nutrient-rich environment for plants.
Should I put sand at the bottom of my raised bed? ›
Avoid using beach sand, as it can contain salt and other minerals that can harm your plants. Instead, use horticultural sand, which is specially designed for gardening. 4. Compost: Adding a layer of compost to the bottom of your raised garden bed can help improve soil quality and provide nutrients for your plants.
Should I put landscape fabric under a raised bed? ›
Landscape fabric is beneficial for raised garden beds, here are just a few of the many reasons why you should use landscape fabric for raised bed gardening: Prevents soil erosion in a raised bed: As a liner, landscape fabric lets water drain away from the soil while leaving the soil intact.
What is the foundation for a raised bed? ›
Lay a concrete foundation 150mm deep using 1 part cement to 2½ parts sand, 3½ parts gravel. Lay three courses of bricks, two bricks wide, in the centre of the trench. The mortar mix is 1 part cement to 3 parts sand. You have now reached ground level.
What is the best base layer for a raised garden bed? ›
Cardboard or newspaper: Cardboard is a great option if you are on a budget. You can line the bottom of your raised garden bed with cardboard and newspaper to deter pests and weeds.
What are three mistakes to avoid when gardening with raised beds? ›
Seven Beginner Raised Bed Gardening Mistakes to Avoid
- Picking The Wrong Spot.
- Not Thinking About The Water Source.
- Raised Beds Placed Too Close Together.
Newspaper or Cardboard
Even simple, cheap materials can block weed growth from below your garden beds. You can simply lay them on the ground before setting your garden beds on top of them.
Why put cardboard in raised beds? ›
It acts as a physical barrier to block out pernicious weeds. Usually, 2 – 3 layers of cardboard will suffice, though you may want layers in more weed-prone areas. The damp environment created by the cardboard is conducive to earthworms and other beneficial soil microorganisms.
What is the best liner for raised beds? ›
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.
Use the Lasagna Garden Method
To start, lay down sheets of cardboard or newspaper for weed suppression and then fill the raised bed structure halfway up with alternating layers of nitrogen-rich materials (like kitchen scraps and grass clippings) and carbon-rich materials (like wood chips and dried autumn leaves).
How deep should a raised bed be? ›
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.
Should raised beds have a base? ›
Most raised beds can be built on any surface and there is no need for foundations or cement, build them directly on soil, grass, paving, tarmac, concrete or even sloped gardens, just make sure that you are building on a solid and level surface.
Do you need to put anything at the bottom of a raised bed? ›
Any beds deeper than six inches should, ideally, have a layer of protection between the raised bed soil and the ground. ' Lining the bottom of a raised garden bed can also help to protect your soil from extreme temperatures and keep your soil in the bed rather than allowing it to drain out with excess water.
What do you lay raised beds on? ›
If you are putting your raised bed garden on top of weeds or grass, I highly recommend putting down cardboard and then a layer of durable landscape fabric like this. A good landscape fabric will block weeds from growing through but still allow water to drain. The cardboard layer will help smother and kill the weeds.
What should you line raised beds with? ›
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 cardboard in the bottom of my raised bed? ›
The answer is yes. You can line the bottom of your raised garden bed with cardboard and newspaper to block out weeds or act as a barrier against rhizomatous, weedy or invasive plants. While some may opt for landscape fabric, cardboard is a more cost-effective option.
What not to fill a raised garden bed with? ›
Large Branches or Logs: Refrain from incorporating large branches or logs into your raised garden bed, as they can take a long time to decompose and may compete with your plants for nutrients and water.
