DIY - Raised Garden Beds - 06/05/2009

Many people are taking advantage of making a garden bed for home grown produce. The satisfaction of being able to walk outside, pluck your own fresh vegies from your garden, knowing that it's something you have grown yourself, and then enjoy the full rich flavours is second to none.

There are many advantages of growing your vegetables / fruits or herbs in a raised garden bed, because no matter what your condition your current soil is in, you get to out your plants into new, nutrient rich soil.

What are the Benefits of Raised Garden Beds?
Easier Control of Soil. As you are making this bed on top of your current ground, most people get a soil mix appropriate for vegetables, and then boost it with nutrients, composting and fertilisers. Fantastic if your soil is heavy with clay.
Easy on your back. You can raise the bed to a level that suits you so you don't have to bend over constantly to retrieve your produce, or to till the soil for the next season.
Fewer Drainage Concerns. A raised bed allows the water to flow through it more freely, heavy rains drain off better and your plants don't end up waterlogged.
You can Grow more Produce. As you don't need to allow space for walking between the plants all the space you have is for planting.

How to Make a Raised Garden Bed
Choose the materials you want to build your bed from. A great way to do it is to purchase a kit which will have everything you need in the one pack. Centenary Landscaping's Herb and Vegie Garden Kit is a great choice.

Once you have the materials you want, find a place in your garden, perferably in the full sun for best results.

Clear your land to the right size, and if you do want to line your bed, use a material that breathes and allows water to flow through like a weed mat or geo-fabric. Once you have built your framework, place the lining and fill with soil and nutrients.

Be sure to mulch your new garden!
It will keep out weeds and lower the amount of mantainence required as well as keeping the temperature consistent for your plants.

If you are looking for another way to build a raised bed, the humble Besser Block can be used with fantastic results.

Keith and Sharyn from their blog prettyessential.blogspot.com have built for their family a raised garden bed out of besser blocks, they managed to build it in a weekend, and having placed it just outside the kitchen door, it's only a few steps to the harvest. Below are a few images of how they put their garden bed together.

Laying out the first course

They decided to make it 2 courses high, and finish with capping.

For a great finish they rendering the blocks, then planted and watered.

Thanks for sharing your Raised Garden Bed with us Keith and Sharyn. What a great weekend project that will provide long term benefits for the whole family.

Happy Landscaping!
Karen Francis
Marketing and Design
Centenary Landscaping Supplies

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