How to build a raised vegetable garden

1. Tools and materials
 
To make sure that your materials have the capacity and capability to last long, you need to consider using the regular pressure-treated lumber which will be of great help.
 
You can as well decide to use the cedar and while it is somehow expensive, it prevents rotting and they are much more durable.
 
Even better, you can still use thicker boards, concrete blocks or even bricks which can easily be found locally. The boards should be at least 2 inches thick.

2. Plan and design

• Before you start to build your raised garden, you need to first select the location that is level for your garden and which has the correct amount of sunlight for your crops.


• Your bed should be about four feet in terms of the width. This will enable you to work on your garden easily without stepping into it.


• The length of the garden is not of very much importance though. This will definitely depend on the size of your farm and also on the choice of the garden you want to have.


• The depth of the garden normally varies from one person and/or area to another. However, the standard depth should be at least six inches which are good enough since plants require 6-12 inches for rooting. However, the ideal depth should be 12 inches.


• You must break up the soil on your site so as to make it loose. Compact soils are not ideal for root penetration. You can use the garden fork to dig about 6 to 8 inches deep which will help you to mix the top layer of the soil with the bottom layer.

3. Building the raised garden

• You can support the timbers of your bed by placing the wooden stakes at each and every corner of your garden. If your bed is very long, then you need to consider placing other stakes a few feet along your bed.


• Use a hammer or any other tool to drive the stakes about 2 feet, which will be approximately 60% of the stake into the ground and leave the other 40% of it above the ground.


• To ensure that you achieve an even kind of bed, make sure that your stakes have the same level above the ground


• You can now set your lowest boards a couple of inches below the ground. You should check and make sure that they are on the same level.


• You will have to use either the galvanized nails or screws to fix your boards on the stakes. This will ensure that the boards remain intact.


• Finally, you can add more rows of the boards and fix them to the stakes too.

4. Soil for the garden:
 
You can fill your garden with a mixture of topsoil, compost, and other organic materials like manure that will supply nutrients.
 
In a nutshell, the raised garden can be maintained by frequent sprinkling with enough water. The most common plants that are grown here are mainly vegetables, although other plants like shrubs, fruits, and even trees can be planted as well. However, consider what you plant here since certain plants can easily destroy your garden.