How to Build Raised Bed Vegetable Gardens in Texas

Raised beds can be a successful option for a Texas gardener struggling with poor soil conditions.

Raised bed vegetable gardens can help counteract many of the challenges that a gardener faces in Texas. Across the state, common obstacles to a successful vegetable garden include soil that is too sandy or has too much clay, is not well-aerated or is not well-drained. A raised bed keeps the roots of the vegetable plants free from the poor conditions and growing in soil designed to give plants optimal conditions. Raised beds are easier to keep weed-free, produce a better yield and are more convenient to maintain thanks to their height.

Things You'll Need

• Herbicide
• Plastic sheeting
• Landscape timbers
• Lumber
• Alternate border material
• Garden soil for vegetables
• Organic matter

Instructions

1. Choose a site for your raised bed vegetable garden that will receive enough sun. Most vegetable plants need at least six hours of sun per day. Morning sun is preferable to afternoon sun if all-day sun is not an option. The site should not be in a marshy area; water needs to be able to drain from the bed.

2. Remove plants and vegetation at the bed site. Dig out all remaining roots. Use a herbicide to kill weeds or cover the site with plastic for up to two months to kill all plants underneath. When all vegetation has been removed, till the soil.

3. Build the raised bed in a square or rectangle, 12 inches deep. A common size for a raised vegetable garden is 3 feet by 4 feet; this allows for easy access to plants and a productive yield. Choose a border that fits with your landscape's look and with your budget. You can use a simple border such as landscape timbers or a more formal border such as stacked stones. Prepared kits are available, but at a significantly higher price. Do not use wood treated with toxic materials, such as the creosote on railroad ties, as they can seep into the soil.

4. Add garden soil to the bed. Garden centers have soil specifically designed for vegetable gardens; choose regular vegetable garden soil or the slightly more expensive organic variety. Mix with organic matter such as rotted manure or peat moss, using three parts soil to one part organic matter.

Tips & Warnings

• If only shady sites are available for the bed, you can adjust your vegetable plant choices to include cooler-season plants like broccoli and lettuce.

References

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Building a Raised Bed Garden
• University of Missouri Extension: Raised Bed Gardening
• University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Vegetable Garden: Intensive Gardening Methods