How to Make a Garden Box

Even if you don't have a large yard, you can still enjoy your own fresh vegetables by building your own garden box. Your box can be as large or small as you like and can make gardening easy. This 4 foot x 8 foot box is just large enough for a personal garden full of tomatoes and squash. Read on to learn how to make a garden box.

Things You'll Need

• Two 4 foot X 1 foot sections of plywood
• Two 8 foot x 1 foot sections of plywood
• Four 1 foot 2 x 4 planks
• Nails
• Hammer
• Paint or wood varnish
• Plastic ground cover
• Potting soil
• Seedlings

Instructions

1. Nail two of the one foot 2 x 4 planks to one of the 8 foot sections of plywood. The 4-inch section should be flush against the plywood. Repeat with the remaining 8 foot section.

2. Nail the 4 foot section to the 2-inch section of the 2 x 4 that is attached to the 8 foot section of plywood to form a corner. The 2 x 4 should be inside the corner. Repeat for all four corners until you have a box.

3. Paint or stain the box and allow to dry. Do not skip this step. The moisture in the soil can cause untreated wood to warp and decay and can ruin your garden box.

4. Spread your plastic ground cover on a firm surface. If you place this on soil, it will prevent weeds from growing in your garden. If you place your box on a patio, this makes clean-up easier.

5. Place your completed box on the ground cover and add potting soil. The soil should reach a depth of at least 6 to 8 inches. Follow the instructions on your seedlings when placing them in your box. Give them plenty of room to grow to their full-size.

Tips & Warnings

• While box gardening uses clean potting soil, you can still have weeds. Remove them as you notice them.

• Harvest your vegetables as they ripen. Allowing them to remain on the vine will attract rodents and pests and can inhibit growth.