Cedar Complete Raised Garden Bed Kit - 8' x 8' x 20" (2024)

FAQs

Is cedar good for a raised garden bed? ›

Cedar is often considered the golden standard for building raised beds, and it's my favorite option to use.

Most raised beds are constructed from lumber. Pine and other framing lumber will last about 4 to 5 years, while more expensive cedar will hang together for 8 to 10 years. Don't use redwood, which is an endangered species.

Cedar is a great outdoor wood and should hold up for many years. I made this 4′ x 8′ and 11-1/4″ deep. These dimensions are easy enough to keep all the math simple as you can simply cut three – 8′ boards in half. For the posts I used 4″ x 4″ cedar and whole thing is held together with 2 – 1/2″ screws.

Concrete blocks or bricks: These building materials can be arranged to form the walls of your raised bed. They are safe, sturdy, and long-lasting. Stone: Natural stone can be a beautiful, durable, and safe choice for a raised bed. Galvanized steel: Galvanized steel is another option.

Avoid using older types of wood treatments such as CCA, creosote, and Penta-treated lumber. Research from Oregon State University showed that pressure-treated lumber does increase soil copper concentrations by a minor amount, but only within 1 inch of the raised-bed edge.

A: You should avoid putting rocks in the bottom of your garden bed. A common myth is that this will improve drainage. Instead, this can actually increase water saturation levels as well as allow gravel to mix in with your soil, which can prove very difficult to remove later on.

Planters do not always need to be lined. However, lining a planter has lots of benefits for both your plants and the durability of your planter.

A 12-inch raised bed is a great minimum height for growing lots of delicious plants in the kitchen garden. If you want to grow larger vining plants like tomatoes, squash, or zucchini—plants that sprawl and tend to draw a lot of nutrients from the soil as they grow—you might move closer to an 18-inch raised bed.

Wood is typically the most affordable option for your raised bed material, even if you go with cedar. On average, a DIY raised bed constructed from wood will cost $25 to $50 per square foot. To have a wooden raised bed constructed and installed for you, budget for at least $100 per square foot.

The cons of raised beds

The soil mix also can be a significant, albeit one-time, expense. Raised beds need water more often since the soil is more exposed to air and dries quicker. Similar to growing in containers, the extra watering can leach nutrients out of the soil quicker than in-ground gardens.

What is the cheapest method for raised beds? ›

As a final reminder, avoid lining your garden beds with plastic. Doing so prevents drainage and could drown your plants' roots with too much water. If you have a weed and pest problem, consider installing a combination of metal mesh and fabric or hardware cloth and cardboard to address both issues simultaneously.

The Best Types of Wood for Raised Beds

It's best to use untreated wood to build your raised garden beds, preferably a type of wood that won't decay quickly, such as cedar, redwood, or hemlock. Both the type of wood that you might find for sale and its affordability will vary based on where you live.

Although wood mulches such as chipped hard and softwoods, cedar, cypress and pine bark aren't used much in vegetable gardens, they can be used around perennial vegetables such as asparagus or rhubarb. Cedar and cypress will last the longest because they are resistant to decay.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and I am building a free standing cedar flower box… Cedar wood naturally resists rot and decay, making it suitable for outdoor use without treatment. However, if you desire to prolong its lifespan, you can apply a protective sealant or stain. Ensure proper drainage for your flower box.

Layer the bottom with cardboard or newspaper as a weed barrier, which will decompose over time. Then, use a mix of yard waste, leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps layered with soil and compost.