How to Build an Organic Raised Vegetable Garden

If you are considering planting an organic vegetable garden but aren't sure where to begin, then a raised bed may be the perfect solution to getting started. A simple raised bed is typically a 4-by-8-foot rectangle. This size allows for a good amount of vegetables to be grown for your kitchen and still not take up too much space. Using cedar boards to enclose your garden bed means your vegetable garden will last for quite a few years and cedar is a natural insect repellent. With little effort and maximum benefit, an organic vegetable garden can provide enjoyment and nourishment for an entire season.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Small stakes or sticks
• String
• Square-end shovel
• Four 2-by-2 inch stakes, 10 inches long (with a point on one end)
• Two 1-by-6 inch cedar boards, 4 feet long
• Two 1-by-6 inch cedar boards, 8 feet long
• Hammer and nails
• Rubber mallet
• Organic soil
• Organic seeds or seedlings

Instructions

1. Choose the location of your raised bed based on the ease of access for maintenance, and the amount of sunlight the bed will receive, as well as the distance water may need to be carried if an irrigation system is not used.

2. Measure your area to 4 by 8 feet and stake the corners of the bed area with a stick or marker. Run a string around the edges of the garden area to mark it off.

3. Remove the sod, or top layer of grass and roots, from the bed area with a square end shovel. Turn the remaining soil to loosen and prepare the bed. Dig a shallow 2-inch trench along the edges of the bed area. Approximately 2 inches of the side boards will sit in the trench, while approximately 4 inches will create the raised part of the bed.

4. Line up your 4-foot, 1-by-6 inch cedar boards with the edges of your corner stakes. If the ends of your stakes are pointed, be sure to align your boards with the smooth end of the stake. Nail a stake to each end of the 4-foot boards.

5. Align the 4-foot boards with corner stakes to the 8-foot long cedar boards to create a rectangle, keeping the stakes on the inside of the bed. Nail to secure.

6. Plant your corner edges by digging a hole to set them in, or use a mallet and drive the corners into the ground. Approximately 6 inches of the stake should be underground, while the other 4 inches remain above.

7. Fill the bed with organic garden soil up to 1 inch from the top of the boards. Complete your garden with organic seeds or buy seedlings from your local greenhouse or nursery. You can buy organic seeds at most major home improvement stores or online.

Tips & Warnings

• Most raised beds are set up as squares or rectangles, but you may choose curves or any other shape you want. Keep the raised bed no wider than 4 feet, with access to the bed from either side. A 4-foot width will allow an arm's reach into the center of the garden for weeding, harvest and general care. Consider setting up a composter in your back yard to really be able to give your vegetable garden rich, organic soil created from your kitchen.

Resources

• Square Foot Gardening
• Ferry-Morse: A Source for Organic Seeds and Supplies