Creative Raised Garden Bed Ideas for Your Yard
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With gardening skyrocketing in popularity, more and more people are interested in effective gardening techniques. Raised beds are an obvious choice for anyone wanting to plant a vegetable garden above ground, and they have additional benefits.
From raised bed kits to creative DIY projects to surprisingly inexpensive solutions, discover which above-ground design styles are best for your space. There are many raised garden bed ideas to try, some that you might not have heard of yet!
Why I Like Gardening in Raised Beds
Gardening is contagious. Some people are born into it, and some have gardening thrust upon them, but now more than ever, people are discovering a love of gardening all their own.
As someone who is passionate about their plants, there is nothing better than hearing someone say, "I could never grow that," and then seeing them succeed. Raised beds offer so many benefits to the gardener that increase the likelihood of success.
I want you to actually enjoy your garden and fall in love with gardening. Whether you choose container gardening, raised garden beds, in-ground gardening, or a combination of each, I want to give you top-notch gardening advice that helps you grow big!
Benefits of Raised Bed Gardening
Raised beds give gardeners a definite advantage and help solve many common gardening problems. Higher yields are possible in raised beds because all of these factors combine to create the perfect environment for plants to thrive.
Easier on the Knees and Back - Raised beds can make gardening more accessible for anyone, and more enjoyable for everyone, eliminating the need to bend over, kneel, or crouch.
Improved Soil Quality - Raised beds are great for maintaining premium soil quality because they allow more control over soil conditions. You get to choose the soil you start with, and it is easier to keep it loose, aerated, and fertile.
Efficient Space Utilization - Raised beds can take up less space than traditional in-ground gardens while still producing equal or higher yields. Add raised beds to landscaping and other places where you might not want a traditional garden.
Decreased Weeds - Using high-intensity plant spacing in a raised bed can almost eliminate the problem of overwhelming weeds. Closely planted crops in nutrient-rich soil will start to crowd out the weeds on their own. Weed just long enough to allow your plants to have a head start on growing.
Maximize Planting Ability - With loose, quality soil and reduced weed pressure comes the ability to optimize productivity by growing more plants in less space.
Better Drainage - Raised beds also allow for better drainage to take place, helping prevent root rot.
Soil Temperature - Raised beds will warm up faster in the spring, allowing for earlier planting. I have even built heated raised beds to grow cold hardy vegetables through the winter!
Best (and Worst) Materials to Make Raised Beds
I am often asked, “What materials are best for making raised beds?” The answer is not cut and dry because the best material for your climate may differ from mine.
Here are the pros and cons of some common materials for making strong and useful raised beds.
Material |
Traits |
Galvanized Steel |
Galvanized steel raised beds are lightweight and easy to install; they last forever and don’t rust. You may have heard that metal will burn the roots of plants, but that is inaccurate. Galvanized steel reflects heat, actually keeping the soil cooler. |
Raw Lumber |
Lumber is readily available, easy to work with, and makes attractive raised beds. Using wood to build beds allows you the flexibility to make them exactly the size and shape you want, even L-shaped beds and multi-tiered raised beds. |
Treated Lumber |
Treated lumber is durable and long-lasting but can be cost-prohibitive. A word of caution about using treated lumber: Old treated lumber from the early 2000s and before was treated with copper arsenate, a dangerous chemical that contains arsenic. Pro-Tip: Modern-day treated lumber is pressure-treated with safe chemicals that shouldn’t be harmful if they leach into your soil. |
Reclaimed/Recycled Wood |
Recycled wood is great for raised beds. It's often cheap or even free and adds a cool look to your garden. Repurposed wood, such as pallets, old fences, or reclaimed lumber, reduces initial costs and waste but may not last as long as new wood. |
Strawbales |
Bales of straw are cheaper than a typical raised bed but usually only last one growing season. They keep costs down further because they don’t require soil. The bales of straw themselves are transformed into the growing medium. Using strawbales requires a lot of water to keep the growing medium moist, yet mold can become a problem if it stays too wet. |
Cinder Blocks |
Cinder blocks are sturdy and have the potential to be long-lasting for someone who lives in a drier climate. The porous cinder block will hold onto air and moisture, acting as an insulator to keep the soil cooler. In the climate here in Michigan, the porous structure of cinder blocks holds moisture, which freezes and expands over the winter season. As a result, I end up with broken cinder blocks that need replacing in just one or two years. Pro-Tip: Cinder blocks may leach lime into the soil, raising its pH. If you choose to use this material for raised beds, I recommend regularly testing the soil pH and adjusting it when necessary. |
Repurposed Items |
You can turn just about anything sturdy enough to hold soil into a raised bed. Make sure that it is non-toxic and safe to use around edible plants. Look for sturdy items that are strong enough to hold the soil, and make sure to allow for water drainage. |
Tires |
Don’t use tires, especially if you are planting edibles in them. While tires look cool as raised beds, tires can leach heavy metals and harmful chemicals into the soil when they heat up in the sun. That is the last thing I want in my soil and around my edible plants. |
Railroad Ties |
Avoid railroad ties. They are treated with a chemical called creosote, which is a probable human carcinogen that I wouldn’t want around my food. |
Raised Garden Bed Ideas
Building a raised garden bed doesn't have to cost a lot. You can use cheap and green materials to garden on a budget.
Let's explore different raised bed styles and their unique advantages.
Wooden Raised Beds
Lumber is a popular choice for building raised beds, and for good reason. I used untreated pine to build DIY wooden raised garden beds for our garden.
My untreated pine raised beds are 7 years old and still working great. Pro-Tip: Increase the life expectancy of untreated wood beds by coating them with Boiled Linseed Oil before you fill them with soil. Then, coat the outside of the bed with more linseed oil each year afterward. Linseed Oil is all-natural and penetrates into the wood, helping to protect it.
If you live in an area with a lot of rainfall, untreated cedar may be a better option than pine. Although it may cost more initially, the natural oils in cedar cause it to last longer, even with higher precipitation, and it has the bonus of naturally deterring some pests. These cedar raised bed kits are a great product and require no tools for assembly.
Galvanized Steel Raised Beds
Galvanized steel raised beds really couldn’t be simpler. They are my favorite type of raised beds to grow in. Because they come preassembled, they require no build time and can be set in place for an instant raised bed garden.
I like them so much that I decided to start selling high-quality galvanized steel raised bed kits that are guaranteed for life. These raised beds are deep enough to grow all types of vegetables and even some small fruit trees, such as figs or citrus trees.
You can also buy a galvanized steel fire ring from a local hardware store and put it in your garden today for the world’s fastest raised garden bed setup. These galvanized fire rings are common at campgrounds, backyards, and patios, and they can be a game changer for growing more food easily.
Straw Bale Raised Beds
Strawbale raised beds are an unusual but effective choice. Preparing the bales for growing takes about two weeks.
Each bale should be prepped by watering in a nitrogen-rich fertilizer every day leading up to planting. Once the bales are decomposed, switch to a regular fertilizer and begin planting once the bale's interior temperature is back to normal.
Pro-Tip: There is a potential that straw has been sprayed with herbicides that will inhibit plant growth. I suggest only using unsprayed strawbales for raised bed gardening.
Raised Row Beds
If you have the space for an in-ground garden but lack healthy soil, raised row garden beds may be perfect. Raised rows will save you the time, money, and energy you might have spent creating and building raised beds while giving you similar results.
To make raised row beds, build up mounds of nutrient-rich growing medium like compost and then plant away to your heart's content. The runoff from this method will eventually benefit the rest of the previously low-quality soil underneath.
Nutrients from the elevated row beds will become part of the soil. Learn how to make them with this video on the raised row method.
Repurposed or Recycled Raised Beds
Recycled or repurposed items like furniture, plastic totes, animal troughs, and wooden fruit crates can make inexpensive raised beds. Some of these options work even if you are in a high-rise building, an apartment, or just have a small space to grow food.
Get creative and have some fun with items you have on hand or can source inexpensively.
Tips for Gardening in Raised Beds
I often hear gardeners say that raised beds aren’t the most expensive thing; the soil that goes in them is the most expensive. Depending on your mentality and creativity, growing a garden can be inexpensive or very expensive.
I don’t want anyone to avoid gardening because it is cost-prohibitive. Here are some cost-cutting measures that you can implement to save money on soil, plus other tips for raised bed gardening.
Don’t Fill Beds to the Top - You don’t have to fill the entire bed with soil at first, especially if your beds are tall. (Less than 8 inches of soil is too shallow.) You need about 12 to 17 inches of soil to grow even deep-rooted vegetables like tomatoes, asparagus, and carrots. Use that much soil the first year and spread the cost out by adding more soil each year afterward.
Bury the Beds - You may want to bury the beds a few inches into the soil to reduce the overall height you need to fill with new soil. I only recommend this if the soil below is good quality and you don’t have a lot of weeds.
Add Debris First - Put things that break down slowly at the bottom of the raised bed before adding the soil, such as compost, leaves, last year’s plants, or wood. Pro-Tip: Don’t add things to your raised beds that don’t break down at all, like tires, styrofoam, or plastic.
Don’t Spend Money Unnecessarily - Don’t spend more money than you need to! Store-bought potting mix and raised bed soil mix can be cost-prohibitive. Plus, potting mix is for containers, and it has expensive additives like perlite or vermiculite that are unnecessary for raised beds. Instead, make your own soil mix with compost.
Don’t Go Too Deep - Pick a raised bed height that is deep enough for plants to grow in but not so deep that you cause yourself more work and expense.
Don’t Cut Corners on Soil Quality - Fill the raised beds with good-quality soil. The benefit-to-cost ratio will pay off and save you money in the long run.
Don’t Force It - If you cannot afford any of these raised garden bed ideas right now, just remember, you don’t have to grow in raised beds. Nothing says that you can’t grow right in the ground outside your door.
I really hope that this post saved you some money and gave you some great raised garden bed ideas for your home garden. Grow bigger!
FAQ
What are raised garden beds?
A raised garden bed is a built-up garden space above the ground. It usually consists of a frame made from wood, metal, or repurposed materials and filled with soil.
What are the benefits of raised garden beds?
Raised garden beds improve soil quality and drainage. They are easy to maintain and can make gardening easier for the gardener.
How do raised beds help with soil quality?
Raised beds let me choose the best soil for my plants. It's also easier to control the soil's pH and nutrients.
What inexpensive materials can I use to build raised beds?
You can use recycled wood, straw bales, raised row beds, or other repurposed materials that are cheap and easy to find.
How does a raised garden bed improve the aesthetics of my yard?
Raised beds add beauty, organization, and structure to your yard. You can design them to match your home, turning your yard into a beautiful and welcoming place.
What's the difference between in-ground gardens and raised beds?
Raised garden beds are built-up garden spaces above the ground, while in-ground gardens are often bigger and, just like the name suggests, planted directly into the ground.
How can I design a DIY raised vegetable garden?
Plan your garden based on the size of your yard and the amount of sunlight. Choose aesthetic locations for your raised beds. Then, choose plants according to the size of the raised bed and the amount of sunlight received in that location.
What types of wood are best for building raised beds?
Cedar and pine are good choices, depending on your climate.
What tips do you have for soil preparation in raised beds?
Mix topsoil, compost, and organic materials for rich soil. Add compost and organic fertilizers often to keep the soil healthy.
How do I choose the right plants for my raised beds?
Think about sunlight, soil depth, and space in your beds. Choose plants that do well in your area and your soil.
How do I replace wooden raised beds once they rot?
Wooden raised beds get old and eventually need to be replaced. Watch this video on how to replace raised beds to learn how.
