Click photo for complete instructions ;)Raised beds make gardening easy. Filled with soil mix, they provide the excellent drainage needed to grow picture-perfect vegetables and flowers.
You can build the basic raised bed pictured above in a few hours, then add versatility by mounting PVC pipes inside to hold hoops that elevate bird netting or row covers over your crops. Orient your bed north-south for maximum sun exposure.
Use redwood or cedar ― both are beautiful and rot-resistant. You’ll need a table or power saw to cut the wood; after cutting, paint the wood on all sides with an oil-based sealer. An electric drill is helpful, though not required.
** Estimate on cost** Our total cost: $187.
DESIGN: David C. Becker
Materials
One 6-foot-long 4-by-4 ($15)
Six 8-foot-long 2-by-6s ($75)
One 10-foot-long 1-inch PVC pipe ($3)
Two 10-foot-long ½-inch PVC pipes ($6)
½ gallon semitransparent exterior oil stain ($15)
32 3½-inch #14 wood screws and 16 ½-inch #8 wood screws ($29)
One 4- by 10-foot roll of ¼-inch-mesh hardware cloth ($15)
Eight 1-inch galvanized tube straps (semicircular brackets; $3.60)
32 cubic feet (1 1/5 cu. yd.) planting mix ($25 in bulk or $100 in bags)
2 comments:
That is exactly what we used to make our three raised beds a few years ago! That building plan from Sunset was very easy to follow and to build. My husband and I built each of ours in just a few hours.
An electric drill is definitely helpful. I can't imagine driving all those long screws by hand...ouch!
Just a note to anyone thinking of making this project...the cost estimates listed in the plans are not current. We found this project 3 years ago and it was not new then.
We did use cedar boards and posts which alone cost about $150 for each bed. Then add in the stain, pvc (which by the way is fabulous if you want to net your garden to keep the birds out), screws, hardware cloth, and then of course the soil.
My husband jokes that our tomatoes are the most expensive in town! But for the satisfaction we all get from planting and growing and harvesting our own food, it is well worth the cost and the effort. Great project for children to be involved in too! My little Gracie (4 yrs old) can't wait to eat that first tomato right off the vine. And Sean (6) grows the most delicious carrots in the world! Really!
Nice of you to share this project with your readers. It's a great one!
MGM
Very nice. If I want to grow anything here that is what I would have to do. Our yard is nothing but sand.
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