Watching plants blossom through your tender care is good for the soul and the body. Discover some of the best raised garden bed kits as you start your gardening journey. We have researched raised bed gardens from some of the top brands that will be a great fit for your gardening journey.
Grab your shovels and let’s dig in!
“A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.”
- Gertrude Jekyll -
As a garden planter, having a raised garden bed comes with a lot of benefits especially if you have limited space and want to grow a variety of things simultaneously.
For sure, gardening is one of those activities that is not only good for the soul, but is also a perfect way to nurture something from scratch and watch it blossom through your tender care. Spring is here, and it’s time to get our raised garden beds ready for a beautiful season full of splendor.
In simple terms, a raised bed garden, or popularly known as a raised bed, is a large container of typically about 3 to 4 feet in width where the soil is raised a few inches off the ground, and the sides are reinforced using a wooden frame or rocks. The length of a raised bed can vary, but the width is designed to easily reach to your plants.
For those that love DIY activities, building a raised garden bed can be a fun and interesting way to spend an afternoon. However, building one from scratch can be a bit complicated if you don’t have the skills to design it, or the proper tools to cut all the materials.
This is where raised bed garden kits and elevated container gardens can be a life saver for a garden planter.
Not only do they come with everything you need for easy assembly in as little as half an hour, some are completely ready to go in just a few minutes.
Further down, we will discuss the benefits of a raised garden and things to consider when choosing the location of your raised bed and tips for success.
Building a raised bed garden is easy to do when you have a plan or use a kit!
Quick Links - Raised Bed Gardening FAQS
In this article we hope to answer the most frequently asked questions about gardening in a raised bed. Want to go directly to a question? Click the link.
Top 10 Raised Garden Bed Kits — Our Picks
Before we get to our reviews, which include links to retailers who carry the products, here's a quick preview of which ones we chose based on quality, overall customer satisfaction and value for the money, along with the our rating.
Best Raised Garden Kits 2022 Amazon Prices
Table shows products in order from high to low at the time of our research. Since prices frequently change, the order may not be exact when you view it.
Please Note: Links in this chart go to Amazon. To see our reviews, continue reading.
COVID-19 Inventory and Supply Chain Update
Unfortunately many of the items we have reviewed are currently unavailable for shipping. In order to assist your shopping, we did some research and found products that are similar to the ones we reviewed if those are out of stock.
Let's look at some of the most popular raised garden kits available on the market and see what they have to offer.
Best Raised Bed 2022 Reviews
Having a raised garden bed comes with a lot of benefits especially if you have limited space and want to grow a variety of things simultaneously.
In simple terms, a raised bed garden, or popularly known as a raised bed, is a large container of typically about 3 to 4 feet in width where the soil is raised a few inches off the ground, and the sides are reinforced using a wooden frame or rocks. The length of a raised bed can vary, but the width is designed to easily reach to your plants.
There are a wide variety of DIY plans available to make your own, but not everyone has the time, skills or tools to make their own.
Video: Basic instructions for building a raised garden bed
Tutorial: How to Build a Raised Bed Garden Frame | Courtesy of HGTV
This is why many people choose to go for kits that include everything you need to build them — and some come ready to plant (just add garden soil of course and also consider the soil level you add)!
Let's take a look, shall we?
By the way, when we were doing our research for this article, we came across a really interesting automated indoor vegetable and herb garden that has a built in lighting and watering system called Click and Grow.
We'll be ordering one and testing it out soon!
Giantex Natural Cedar Elevated Planter Review
One thing we love about this Giantex Raised Garden Bed is the fact that its frame is made of 100% natural cedar — free from any additives making it great for small scale organic farming.
Its natural look will blend in with your outdoor setting and will be a beauty to behold as vegetables, herbs and flowers grow in it. The solid wooden frame has been sturdily constructed and expertly crafted, giving it a rough sawn look that adds to this bed’s elegance.
This container of this bed sits on solid legs that raise it off of the ground about 18.5 inches, providing comfortable access without bending over — a good solution for gardeners with back problems.
The compact design makes it the perfect choice for yards without a lot of space, and it would be a wonderful addition to any balcony, porch, or patio. It would also look lovely for a flower garden alongside your pool deck. Love fresh herbs? The size of this elevated garden bed makes it an ideal choice for all of your favorites!
Durability is a key feature in choosing a raised bed kit – and Giantex had this in mind with this elevated design. Since staying outside for too long can subject items to harsh weather elements, this raised bed has been built to resist wear and tear due to strong sun, heavy rainfall and extreme cold during the off-season. The durable rectangular bed is also resistant to corrosion.
Space has been factored into the design of this easy to assemble elevated bed.
The top container measures 47.2" X 21.6" X 10.8" which allows you to grow several plants at the same time. Giantex enhanced the stability of the container by using wood with a thickness of 0.8 inches which is adequate to support the weight of the plants and soil. There’s even a decorative touch with mitered corner caps.
With a depth of 9.2 inches, this raised bed is deep enough for you to add a good amount of soil that will support the healthy plant growth of your plants.
While the three drain holes at the bottom are useful to allow drainage, they may cause some loss of soil at some point. Solution? Place a piece of broken clay pot over the drainage holes to allow water to drain, but keep the garden soil in.
Our Rating: 4 out of 5
Pros
Cons
Giantex Raised Garden Bed Kit Elevated Planter Box Natural Cedar
Yaheetech 3 Tier Wooden Elevated Raised Bed Review
Not only is this Yaheetech Planter Box beautiful to look at, but it also comes in a functional design that will make every second of your gardening fun and efficient.
Made of 100% natural fir wood, this raised bed has no chemical additives which make it a great fit for organic gardening.
Unlike usual raised beds that come in one large box, this planter box has three tiers which allow total utilization of space by planting a variety of flowers, vegetables or herbs in each box. The 3-tier design will also help classify your plants according to root depth so that they don’t affect each other.
You don’t have to worry about durability and stability since YaheeTech has expertly crafted this raised bed using solid wood that will last a long time.
The base is flat with four legs strong enough to support the three plant beds without caving in. The natural fir wood construction will blend in with your outdoors and can also be placed in indoor patios or porches.
The simple dovetail design makes assembling this raised bed a walk in the park — all you need is to do is drill in the screws.
Due to the 3-tier construction, the moisture retention in this elevated bed is on another level saving you from constantly watering the plants. For a gardener you have to take into consideration the soil compaction.
Soil compaction occurs when soil particles are compressed together, minimizing pore space between them. it minimizes the rate of water drainage and infiltration.
As much as the 3-tier construction allows you to plant crops of varying depths, the fact that there are three boxes means that a lot of soil is needed to fill all of them. However, once you are done filling the soil, you will be blown away by the amazing functionality of this elevated bed.
Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros
Cons
Yaheetech 3 Tier Wooden Raised Garden Bed Elevated Planter Box Kit
Vegepod Raised Garden Bed Kit (Self Watering) Review
The first thing that comes to mind when you see this Vegepod Raised Garden Bed is that it looks like a miniature greenhouse. Each of these vegetable planter boxes is equipped with a Vegecover to shield your plants from harsh sun rays, frost, strong winds, and even bugs.
Additionally, the protective cover creates a micro-climate just like in a greenhouse which ensures superior plant growth rates for the plants.
If you are starting on your gardening techniques journey, or don’t have a lot of space, the Vegepod garden bed is available in three sizes — small (Small 39.4in x 19.7in), medium (39.4in x 39.4in) or large (78.7in x 39.4in).
While this raised bed is marketed for veggies, it will also work with herbs and look good for a flower garden — so choose the size that works best for you.
This compact design allows for placement on a table (inside or out), on the ground, balcony, patio or deck, or you can choose to elevate it with the optional stand which will raise the garden bed 39 inches from the ground. There’s even an option for a trolley stand with wheels for easy portability.
With the greenhouse style design of this container garden, you don’t have to worry about watering your plants every second of the day since it comes with innovative self-watering technology, with a wicking system that pulls water upwards.
It also has a large reservoir that holds water with an overflow hole to prevent water spillage.
The potting area has adequate depth of eleven inches which is designed to accommodate deep-rooted plants. For quality control, the manufacturer gives a ten-year warranty due to its durable construction. In terms of assembly, the whole Vegepod kit comes together quickly and easily.
Because of it’s innovative, almost maintenance free design, this container style raised bed is the perfect option for introducing children to the love of gardening — and to get them to eat their veggies!
Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros
Cons
Vegepod Raised Garden Bed Kit - Self Watering Container Garden
Greenes Fences Value Raised Garden Bed Review
This raised garden bed is from Greenes Fences’ Best Value Line, comes unsanded and is thinner compared to the Original and Premium Lines — giving you Greenes' quality without high Premium prices.
The cedar wood frame on this beautiful planter box is naturally grown and untreated to ensure that the plants grown in it are free from any chemicals. This best-selling model is an open-bottom raised bed designed to provide support to your garden.
In terms of assembly, the box utilizes interlocking joints which effortlessly come together creating an elegant, functional garden. Each of the boards slides easily into the corner posts forming a secure garden box frame. Each of the corners is designed to assemble and come apart for quick expansion. Better yet, you can use a screwdriver to add a decorative top to each of these posts.
Another great feature of the brand’s Value Line is that it can be easily stacked together with other beds creating a larger space for your plants — allowing you the option to expand your raised bed area garden over time.
You will get to enjoy prolonged service from this gardening box since Cedar is resistant to rot and insects. Without treatment, the box will weather nicely over time turning into a beautiful silver grey color. However, if necessary you may use a “plant friendly” seal or stain to preserve the cedar wood frame.
That said, the brand’s Value Line has been facing a problem with competing with the quality of the Greenes Fences Premium Lines with some complaints of the wooden frame being too thin — but if you are on a budget, or just getting started, it's a great option.
Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros
Cons
Greenes Fence Best Value Cedar Raised Garden Bed Planter
If this particular model is not available, Greens Fences has many other options.
Victory 8 Garden EZ-Gro Instant Raised Bed Review
If you’re looking for a fast way to set up a raised garden bed in your patio, deck or backyard, then Victory 8 EZ-Gro Instant Garden is the way to go.
This soft fabric garden bed requires no assembly, and all you have to do is unfold it, place it where you want, fill with soil and start growing your favorite vegetables, plants, flowers or herbs. Through this, there’s increased evaporation and condensation while the roots get increased oxygen supply.
Made in USA, the "Big Green Growing Machine" is a ready-to-go garden box comes in six different sizes ranging from 2 feet by 2 feet for the smallest, to 4 feet by 8 feet for the largest size.
To adequately measure the amount of soil needed for each box, the approximate figure is that for each 1’ by 1’ cube, you will need one cubic foot or 7.5 gallons of soil.
It’s made using an innovative AeroFlow fabric with great breathability properties for your plants. The fabric is also strong with extended durability and resistance to harsh weather elements such as UV rays.
Due to the breathable fabric used to make this easy to assemble raised garden bed, the root crops system easily develops since the soil is well drained resulting in a bumper harvest
Victory 8 has built this raised bed with its proprietary DekProTek technology which raises the bed off the ground — a perfect choice for places with poor natural soil, or placement on hard surfaces.
The DekProTek feature protects your deck from moisture and improves drainage in the raised bed. While this garden bed can be placed on virtually any surface, it doesn’t come with a stand which makes gardening a bit of a problem for those with back problems. However, you can place it on a flat table and minimize any bending as you work in your garden.
You can also purchase Victory 8 Garden's DekProTek Aeration Pads to give your container a bit of a lift, to protect surfaces below, and increase the oxygen supply to your plants.
Our Rating: 5 out of 5
Pros
Cons
EZ-GRO "Big Green Growing Machine" Raised Bed Garden
Due to high demand, Victory 8 Garden sells their E-Z Grow raised beds quickly. However, we discovered another brand, Pannow, that also makes quality fabric raised planting beds which come highly recommended.
Mr. Stacky High-Grade Metal Raised Garden Bed Review
With a depth of 12 inches, the Mr Stacky Metal Raised Garden Bed will provide you with high walls that allow good drainage and better breathe-ability, helping your crops thrive and blossom.
This garden box is made of painted steel that has been coated to prevent rusting or chipping. During manufacture, the steel has been passed through an extreme heating process giving it superb tensile strength.
The garden box comes in an easy to assemble design that doesn’t require any tools.
This easy to assemble raised bed garden from Mr. Stacky is 4 feet long and 3 feet wide which gives you enough room to plant a variety of crops such as vegetables, flowers, herbs, and fruits. To fill it up, you will need 11 cubic feet of soil which may take time to do but once finished you will be ready to get down to your gardening.
You can choose either a slate gray or beige high-grade metal raised bed.
While the construction looks good and lasts long, it may not be ideal for organic farming since it’s coated with paint that may have some chemicals. There may be a concern that over time, the paint will get into the soil in insignificant quantities — although there has not been any demonstrated effect on the food grown.
The base of the raised garden bed is flat and doesn’t have a stand which will mean bending over when tending to your crops. All in all, this beautiful and sturdy garden box will blend in well with your backyard and allow you to enjoy a nice, healthy garden.
Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros
Cons
Mr. Stacky High-Grade Metal Raised Garden Bed Kit - Elevated Planter Box
If you can't find this one, Kingbird also makes some best selling metal raised beds.
Giantex Elevated Garden Bed with 2 Side Platforms Review
Giantex is a reputable name in the world of outdoor décor and is popular for creating beautiful masterpieces that are elegant and functional.
Such craftsmanship is evident on this wooden elevated garden bed whose wide space of 72 inches by 48 inches will allow you to plant a wide variety of plants. The sides are supported by a strong triangular frame and are a good way to display your potted plants.
This raised bed comes with two side platforms that create more space for your crops and can be used as a work station to place your garden tools as you carry out your tasks.
Assembling this raised garden bed is a walk in the park since it comes with clear instructions that are easy to understand and quick to implement. Even better, all the parts are clearly labeled to make assembly easier. Made of fir wood, this elevated garden bed is all natural and ideal for organic farming.
One of our team members built this elevated bed next to her DIY raised bed and uses it for herbs, storage and to hold her tools, harvest baskets and coffee cup!
Elevated raised bed with platforms built by team member in the middle of her larger raised garden.
The wooden legs are sturdily built to provide adequate support to the garden’s weight.
Raised to a bed height of 27 inches, the garden box allows you to plant and carry out other maintenance without bending — making it ideal for people with back or knee problems.
This elevated bed is designed with sloping bottom platform in order to accommodate plants with deeper root system in the on one side and in the middle, and shallower ones on the other side.
To clean any mess, you simply need to wipe it off with a damp cloth.
Our Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Pros
Cons
Giantex Raised Bed Elevated Gardening Planter w/ 2 Side Platforms
If not available, click here to see similar raised beds from other brands.
T4U Plastic Elevated Raised Garden Bed Review
Are you looking for a garden box to plant flowers and short shrubs such as cactus and aloe vera? Then the T4U Raised Garden Bed is a great item to have and can be used outdoors or indoors.
It's also good for growing herbs and vegetables like tomatoes and peppers on the deck or patio. You can purchase this in a set of 3 so you can plant a wide variety of plants, or you can opt for just one if that’s all you need.
Each garden box measures 19.75 by 19.75 inches with an adequate depth of 15.75 inches. Leg extensions are available to raise the box higher from the ground.
This espresso brown elevated garden box is made from reinforced PP plastic that is sturdily constructed to ensure longevity. The material used is environmentally friendly and is weather resistant making it a great fit for your back yard, deck or home.
The bed’s design has incorporated a self-watering disk which helps with water management around the garden. The disks provide extra space to store any excess water and help the circulating water to reach the roots and prevent them from rotting.
T4U offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee with a free return or exchange within 120-days.
The bed has a decorative look with a texture that looks like real rattan which will reflect your classic style and add an elegant touch to your space.
The container box comes with four sturdily built legs that provide stability and support for the raised bed, although they are not designed to be moved around a lot. It also has an advanced assembly system with a convenient procedure.
However, the inbuilt drainage system works best outside and may not be ideal for indoor use without some precautions to catch the water.
Our Rating: 4 out of 5
Pros
Cons
T4U Plastic Elevated Raised Garden Bed Kits for Flowers and Vegetables
Out of stock? You may like the VIVOHOME Elevated Plastic Raised Garden Planter
Sunnydaze Galvanized Steel Raised Garden Bed Kit Review
This sturdy metal raised garden box from Sunnydaze Decor (a flagship brand of Serenity Health & Home Decor) will provide you with a solid yet lightweight raised container garden. Its galvanized steel construction will provide you years of service since the box is weather resistant and isn’t prone to rust.
You have the option of 3 shapes — square, rectangle or hexagon — all of which are 16" deep. The edges are reinforced, and the corners flattened to ensure stability.
The container-style garden box has a sturdy look which will bring elegance to your yard. Compared to wood or plastic, a metallic garden box lasts longer.
To improve drainage, the box’s bottom is open to allow water to drain easily. For this reason, this raised garden bed isn’t suitable for indoor use, wooden decks or balconies (without something under it), or if you want to be able to move your container garden around.
This is a wonderful way to show off your favorite flowers, grow herbs or plant some of your favorite vegetables if you don't have room for a larger raised bed garden.
For easy assembly, the product comes with the necessary set of tools to put every part in place. Just ensure that you screw the corner brackets into place since they will hold everything together.
Due to the expert craftsmanship on this planter box, you will not need a lot of soil to fill it. There have been no complaints of soil contamination by harmful elements as is the case with other metallic garden beds.
That said, it may not be ideal for areas where temperatures get high since the sides may get extremely hot and may affect the quality of your crops. Changing soil temperature may greatly affect the nutrient and water uptake.
Our Rating: 5 out of 5
Pros
Cons
Sunnydaze Raised Metal Garden Bed Kit - Galvanized Steel Planter
In addition to Sunnydaze, we found several quality galvanized steel garden planters available in a variety of shapes and sizes.
New England Arbors Vinyl Raised Garden Box Review
Get the most out of your gardening experience with this container-style raised bed from New England Arbors, designed to make gardening easy and enjoyable.
Putting together this planter box only takes a few minutes and you are set to start planting. Made of BPA free polymer material, the box is of food grade quality and allows you to grow all types of vegetables and fruits fit for consumption by your family.
Unlike wooden planter boxes, this one doesn’t rot when placed on the ground since it’s made of quality PVC that’s BPA and phthalate free.
We chose this as our "top pick" due to the fact that for people looking for a combination of simplicity and longevity, this raised bed frame has them both — at a reasonable price point considering what you get.
For colors, you can go with the Hudson Garden Box in white or choose Chelsea which has natural cedar look to it. This is a “bottomless” raised bed frame, so it’s meant to be placed on the ground – but that’s a plus for raised bed gardeners. You can opt to till the surface below for longer rooted plants before filling, or simply fill it with quality soil.
You will not need to stain or paint it to keep it looking new since it doesn’t peel, crack or chip. It has a special coating which helps protect it from harmful UV rays and also makes cleaning the garden box a breeze. You just need to spray it with your garden hose and the dirt falls off.
Better yet, the manufacturer provides a 20-year warranty on this garden box which means you can enjoy season after season of quality gardening.
Measuring 48 inches by 48 inches, this square garden box is large enough to hold a considerable number of vegetables and flowers that will add value to your outdoor space.
In the event this raised bed isn’t large enough for your needs, New England Arbors offers extension kits (sold separately). They also offer trellises — perfect for supporting vining flowers and vegetable garden — as well as smaller options if this one is too large.
Our Rating: 5 out of 5
Pros
Cons
New England Arbors Vinyl Raised Garden Bed
Best Raised Garden Beds 2022 - Buying Guide for Raised Bed Gardening
Raised Bed Patio Container Garden | Photo by Eduard Militaru from Unsplash
Let’s admit it – we all love our backyards and want to make the best out of them during spring and summer when the sun is out, and the weather is good.
One of the easiest and most affordable ways to aesthetically enhance your yard is through gardening. Growing crops in your kitchen garden, yard, patio or deck will bring life to your outdoors while providing you with a ton of other benefits.
When most people think of gardening, the idea of thousands of acres full of crops may cross their minds. However, even with a small space, you can grow a wide variety of plants on a raised garden bed and still enjoy a bounty harvest.
Together, we'll look at the benefits of raised bed gardening and help you choose the best raised bed for your needs!
What’s a Raised Garden Bed?
There are many names used to describe a raised garden bed such as a raised bed, elevated garden or elevated planter box. This type of container garden usually resembles a box that can be rectangular or square and the sides are reinforced using wood, metal or synthetic materials. Inside, it’s filled with soil or potting mix which provides a fertile ground to plant your crops.
Unlike a greenhouse, a raised garden bed is often not covered and is elevated just a few feet off the ground. A standard planter box measures about 4 by 3 feet which won’t eat up space in your yard. Due to the small size, you can have many boxes in your backyard. If you love fresh vegetables, fruits, and even flowers, but don't have the room or time for a large, traditional garden, then a raised garden bed is a must.
Types of Raised Beds
Plentiful Harvest from Raised Bed Gardening | Photo by Stella de Smit on Unsplash
Raised Ground Bed
The simplest form of a raised garden bed is an elevated ground bed which is formed by molding soil into a plateau-like shape usually 6 to 8 inches high. The beds usually have pathways on the sides which should at least be 24 inches wide. While this type of garden is the most economical to make since it doesn’t require any other material other than soil, it’s not the best since the sides aren’t reinforced which means the soil may crumble away when there’s a heavy downpour.
Supported Raised Beds
These are the most common and efficient raised garden beds out there. The edges are often reinforced to create a barrier between the bed and the rest of your yard. Such a barrier helps prevent soil erosion and penetration of weeds into your garden which is one of the biggest headaches when farming. Reinforced garden boxes usually have wood, steel or heavy plastic on the sides which adds to the elegance of your back yard.
Containerized Raised Beds and Planters
To plant flowers along paved walkways where there’s heavy traffic, landscapers often opt for container style garden beds.
Here, the walls are between 10 to 12 inches high which is adequate to protect the crops without much maintenance.
Containerized planter are common in urban areas along the streets and pavements. They are also great for decks and patios.
One main benefit of container gardens is that as long as they are not too big, they can be move around and brought inside when the weather gets too cold for plants to survive.
Why Should a Gardener Have a Raised Garden Bed?
Raised Bed Urban Gardening | Photo by Alois G. Auinger on Pixabay
For anyone who loves gardening and watching plants come to life, having one of these planter boxes is fulfilling. The popularity of raised garden beds has grown as the population in urban areas grows, and the space available for gardening decreases. You will often spot such garden beds in balcony apartments, patios around the estate and in most backyards.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of choosing this type of gardening.
Versatility
A raised garden box can be placed anywhere. Unlike a traditional garden, they don’t need a lot of space and can be placed along the edge of your driveway, in the corner of your yard, on the sides of the house, on the balcony, the deck, and the patio. Most landscapers are now advising homeowners to use this type of outdoor décor to beautify their spaces.
If you are using a community garden, a raised bed is great at marking boundaries and keeping each one’s allotted space neat and tidy. Better yet, you can opt for whatever size you desire which depends on the amount of space you have (plus you can expand your raised bed garden area easily from year to year).
Accessibility
Since the garden bed is raised, it’s readily accessible to gardeners with back problems or those who can’t kneel due to an injury. Ideally, a standard raised garden bed should be about ten inches high, but it’s possible to keep elevating it to a bed height that you find most comfortable.
To improve accessibility, some garden boxes come with legs or stands to help raise the bed so that even someone with a wheelchair can comfortably tender to the crops. Smaller container box gardens can be placed on tables.
Video: Landscape contractor Roger Cook builds a wheelchair accessible raised garden
How to Build a Wheelchair-Accessible Raised Garden Bed | Coutesy of This Old House
Soil Quality
One of the greatest strengths of opting for a raised garden bed as a gardener is that you have ultimate control over the quality of the soil that you use for your crops. Once the box is set up, you get a chance to pour in the best soil that will guarantee you a bounty harvest.
Having the ability to choose the soil is great especially when you live in areas where the soil may not be the best for farming or when your backyard is paved or filled with gravel. Planting your crops on a hard surface of on clay soil may lead to low-quality yield due to poor drainage and underdeveloped plant roots.
Therefore, make sure you you highly consider the soil conditions when doing the bed installations.
AD: While you're at it, consider building your own shed to store all your supplies!
Soil Temperature
During spring, the soil on a raised garden bed warms up faster than in a traditional low-lying garden. Consequently, you can start planting crops that love cool weather such as peas as soon as spring starts. You can also prolong your farming season even after winter sets in by surrounding the soil with a cold frame.
Pest Control
One of the biggest headaches of a traditional garden is the presence of pests and small rodents that nibble away the roots of your precious crop. As much as it’s almost impossible to eliminate pests from your raised garden bed totally, you can ensure that it’s high enough to prevent bunnies and hogs from nibbling away your crops. You can also cover the crops with a net to prevent insects and bugs from damaging the crops.
Crop Rotation
Most of the crops grown on a garden bed are vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. The best thing with this type of gardening is that you can mix all these crops up in one box or have a couple of these boxes where you can easily rotate the crops each season.
Increased Yield
Since most of the elements are within your control such as the type of soil to use and ensuring good drainage, you are almost guaranteed a bounty harvest. All you need to do is carry out the necessary gardening routines and maintenance, add any value adding nutrients and wait for your yield. A common practice for maximizing harvest is to use principles of square foot gardening with raised beds.
Want to learn even more about the benefits of gardening, such as reduced stress, quality family time and improved overall health, plus find out how to attract pollinators to your raised vegetable garden for a better harvest?
Check out our post on how to create a flower bed garden. It also includes some additional tips for building the perfect raised bed — whether it's for vegetables, herbs or flowers!
Factors to Keep In Mind When Buying a Raised Bed Kit or Building Your Own
Before embarking on a shopping spree for a raised garden bed, there are several things that you need to consider to pick the ideal product for your space.
Let’s explore a number of these key considerations:
Considerations for a Raised Bed Garden
Size
One of the single most important factors that will go a long way to getting maximum value and satisfaction from your garden bed is the size that you pick. The ideal size for a raised bed is determined by various factors such as the space available in your yard, the amount of time you have to spare for gardening and even the amount of crops you want to plant.
While you can easily reduce the attention needed by your garden through mulching to preserve water and having flowers for adequate pollination, you will still need to spend time tending to your crops. Go for a size that won’t take too much of your time but still offer you an amazing gardening experience and a bountiful harvest. Additionally, if you are a beginner, it’s advisable to start with a small raised bed and move to bigger boxes as you learn the ins and outs of of gardening.
Location
Before drawing up your gardening plan, you need to survey your yard to determine the perfect spot to set up your garden box. If your yard has uneven terrain, you may need to pick a spot and flatten it for better placement of your planter box.
You also need to ensure that you pick an ideal spot that will offer your crops a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight. If the spot you pick is full of rocks or is a hard pavement, you may need to go for a raised or elevated garden bed with good depth to allow your roots enough space to push downwards. The location is also critical in determining the drainage of the bed which will ultimately influence the quality and quantity of your yield.
Maintenance
In gardening, you will find that you need to spend time setting up the garden box, filling it up with soil and planting the crops. There’s also the nurturing aspect in gardening through activities such as watering and weeding.
On the positive side, because of the container style construction, raised beds are good at holding water in for longer periods of time than traditional gardening — which also can be a negative if you over-water or don’t have proper drainage, so be careful. There are planter boxes that come with a self-watering system that will keep things going so that you don’t have to spend too much time watering.
Materials
The most common material used to make the frame of a raised bed is wood due to its natural qualities. The best wood for raised garden beds is cedar which doesn’t rot or warp easily and is “pest-resistant”. Raw, untreated wood is best for reinforcing garden boxes since it doesn’t contain any chemical additives that may be harmful for human consumption. Using natural materials is of great importance since it allows organic farming of vegetables and fruits in your small space.
Other than wood, garden boxes are also made of metal especially steel which is coated with paint to keep rust and corrosion away. However, some shy away from such planter boxes since they believe that some harmful elements may chip away from the metal and sip into the soil interfering with the quality of food.
Some raised garden beds are also made of synthetic materials such as BPA free heavy plastic that is strong and doesn’t cave in under the weight of the soil. You will also come across raised beds made of fabric which has great breath-ability and ensures that the soil is well drained.
For a kid-friendly raised garden bed you can even up-cycle old sandboxes or play toys they’ve outgrown — encouraging them to develop a passion for gardening young. There are even several cheap sandboxes you can get brand new that make great raised beds. One of our community members uses this cedar sandbox for her salad greens.
Tips for a Successful Raised Garden Bed Experience
Video: This Old House contractor Roger Cook shows how to properly plant an elevated garden.
Tutorial: How to Plant a Raised Bed Garden | Courtesy of This Old House
Before we wrap up this review, let’s provide you with a few tips that will help you get the best results from your raised kitchen garden.
A Few Final Words...
“Gardens are not made by singing 'Oh, how beautiful,' and sitting in the shade.”
- Rudyard Kipling -
Woah! We have come to the end of our comprehensive review on raised beds and hope we have fed you with useful information that will help you enjoy your gardening experience.
Hopefully, you are now better informed on the best raised garden beds for your outdoor space that will help you cultivate beautiful vegetables and fruits to feed your family.
Remember, gardening is a journey that calls for a lot of patience and nurturing skills — but the results makes every second worth the effort.
