A “raised bed garden” is exactly what it sounds like, a garden that is raised up above the ground. Planning an organic raised bed vegetable, fruit or herb garden is similar to planning a regular garden that you would normally plant into the existing soil. You first need to find a location in your yard that gets a good amount of sun and has relatively good drainage. An area with a slight slope is ideal.
 
Raised beds are flexible to the space you have available and can be created to take up very little space, if that is all you have or can manage. They can even be built right over a concrete patio.
 
One of the benefits of planting in a raised bed garden includes the ability to get a head start on the growing season. As the soil in raised beds warm up more quickly in spring, you can put your plants or seeds in earlier.
 
A 12"-deep bed provides ample room for most vegetable roots. Avoid building them on any wooden structures as the water seepage can cause structural damage and be unsafe. If the bed is narrow, 3' or less, there will be no need to step on the soil and thus it prevents compaction, making it much easier for plants to root and grow in the loose soil.
 
Since you will be adding soil and compost to fill the bed, the quality of the base soil is not that critical, so planning on top of existing grass areas are fine. It's a good idea to have some distance from trees if possible, as their deep roots can compete with your plants for water and nutrients, even though your garden bed is somewhat raised.
 
Next, decide how much you want your garden to be raised. Generally, raised garden beds are at least a foot higher than the surrounding soil, but you can also build a system to completely raise the garden off the ground by using containers. If that's the case, it can be as high as you want or need, but the soil should be a foot or two deep to allow for deep rooting of the plants.
 
Materials and Construction
 
There are many different choices available at lawn and garden centers for constructing your raised bed framework, from simple plastic edging to wood products, or if you are handy, you can build your own out of wood or scrap wood; stone, brick and cinderblocks also work well. Avoid pressure treated wood to avoid any possible leaching of chemicals into your garden from the wood. Whichever material you choose, you will need enough to at build your bed at least 12" deep.
 
Mark out the size of your garden using simple rope or even a garden hose; lay it out in the desired size shape. Measure the sides to determine how much edging material you will need.
 
You will need enough soil to fill your bed completely and hopefully have some homemade compost already on hand to mix in with the soil to condition it, if not, you can check with your local garden stores for organic bagged soil and compost to get your started.
 
Once you have your supplies ready, remove the grass, if applicable, from the area you have marked off and construct the boxes.
 
Line the bottom of the box with chicken wire attached along the inside edges of the bottom to prevent burrowing pests like rabbits, moles and gophers from making it their new home.
 
Fill your bed almost to the top of your bed with your soil/compost blend, mixed well before planting.
 
Planting your Raised Bed Garden
 
Here's how to plant a raised bed: 

1. Fill the bed with good-quality potting soil or compost, and rake the surface smooth and level. Remove any rocks or debris.
2. Plants in raised beds may be spaced a little closer together because fertilizer and manure can be concentrated in the small gardening area.
3. Plant lettuce by poking holes in the soil with your finger at 6" intervals, and sprinkle a few seeds into each hole. Once the seeds germinate, thin them to one seedling per hole.
4. You can also sprinkle seeds over the surface of the raised bed. If you plant carrots, apply fine-textured potting soil over the top of the seeds. Carrots add the extra benefit of attracting some species of butterflies to your garden.
5. Stake plants such as tomatoes, beans and cucumbers to grow vertically and plant smaller plants under them, you'll maximize your growing options.
6. Water the garden well immediately after planting.
7. Be patient and watch your garden grow!

Linda Bowen

Green Consultant

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Linda Bowen is a nutritionist, passionate environmental advocate, and mother of six. She has 25+ years in the natural health industry, including radio show host, health correspondent for TV news, writer, speaker, sales rep for a major nutritional company, and owns her own successful organic cotton clothing company. Linda’s passion is the impact our environment and lifestyle have on our health. She worked with an organic cotton farming cooperative in India, assisted in projects to bring running water and septic systems to small village schools outside Delhi, and she's dedicated to fair trade and social initiatives. As a green consultant, she helps individuals and corporations find solutions that support our health and the future of our planet. Linda can be heard on Tues and Thursdays on her radio show, One Green Planet or you can follow her on Facebook or Twitter at onegreenplanet.