Skip to main content

5 amazing raised garden bed ideas any beginner can DIY

It can be challenging to know how to get started as a beginner gardener. However, one thing is pretty clear, even for novice growers. Raised garden beds are possibly the best and easiest way to start and grow your own food and flowers. They are the perfect weekend project and ideal for beginner DIYers. Here we’ll go over everything you need to know about creating raised garden beds on your property. 

Raised garden beds

Benefits of raised garden beds

You might wonder why raised garden beds are better than simply growing directly in the ground. After all, big growing companies grow enormous amounts of crops by raising them right from the soil. While this works for their needs, raised garden beds are a much better option for home gardeners, and here’s why. 

  1. You’ll fight fewer weeds as you grow your plants. Since you add soil to the raised beds, there isn’t as likely a chance that weeds will get through and choke out your plants.
  2. If you live in a climate with sandy soil, raised garden beds allow you to have better water retention.
  3. Alternatively, for clay-heavy earth, raised beds have better drainage and reduce the risk of your plants drowning.
  4. When you grow in the ground, the soil around the plants gets stepped on a lot. Raised beds avoid compacting the soil, keep it light and fluffy, and provide the plants with soft soil for easy growing. 
  5. Raised beds keep the soil warmer earlier in the season and for longer into the season, so you can grow plants for an extended time.
  6. Since you decide what goes into the raised beds, the pH levels are much more controlled. This means you can customize the pH level for whatever type of growing you want to do.
  7. When spring rainstorms roll through, you’ll be glad to have raised beds, since they reduce soil erosion.
  8. Filling the beds and amending them each year means you don’t have to till the soil, which isn’t good for the soil or the organisms that live in it.
  9. Your knees and back will thank you! Raised beds are higher up, so working in the beds is easier on your body. 
  10. If you care about the aesthetic of your garden, raised beds are clean and organized in appearance. Or try hanging garden beds instead.
  11. It’s easier to add things like trellises and covers since you have something to attach them to.
Recommended Videos

The best DIY raised garden bed ideas

The best raised garden bed is the one you’ll use, but here are some easy-to-build raised garden beds ideas. These won’t take you more than a weekend to make.

Raised wooden boxes

This type of raised bed is probably the most popular. You can even buy kits where the wood is pre-cut, and you’re provided with all the supplies you need to build the boxes. However, it’s cheaper to buy the materials you need and cut and make it yourself. You can use whatever type of wood you like, but we recommend using cedar, as it’s naturally rot-resistant and holds up for years in the garden. However, it is a more expensive option, so be aware of that.

Elevated wooden boxes

To cut down on the amount of bending over you have to do, you can build box garden beds with legs. You can customize how tall they are to suit your specific height and garden with a straight back! Add wheels to the bottom of the legs and make it super easy to move the garden beds around your deck or patio to make this even more convenient.

Raised stone beds

If you don’t want wooden boards for your garden beds, you might want to try stone. Stone lasts much longer than any wood and comes with a unique aesthetic. Unfortunately, this is more expensive than wooden beds. 

Galvanized metal raised beds

Even more expensive than stone is galvanized metal beds. While these are very aesthetically pleasing and bring the bed higher with less material, they are harder to put together. But they are great for deep bed gardening and hold up well over time. 

Trough raised beds

This type of raised bed might be the easiest to DIY and is more like a form of container gardening. All you have to do is purchase the troughs, fill them with soil, and you’re good to go! Just remember that troughs are not cheap, and they may not be an excellent option if you’re looking to build an expansive garden.

Raised garden beds

Common raised garden bed questions

When investing in more expensive things like raised garden beds, it’s essential to have all your questions answered before you get started. So here are the most commonly asked questions about raised garden beds.

What should a raised garden bed sit on?

Typically, a raised garden bed sits on the ground. It’s best to try to level it as well as possible, but there’s no need to make any unique platform for the bed to sit on.

What’s the cheapest way to make raised beds?

Wooden planks and screws. While not all wood is as rot-resistant as cedar, it’s cheaper and lasts you at least a few years before you need to replace the beds. 

How deep should a raised bed garden be?

You can make it as deep as you want, but the minimum is about 8 to 12 inches.

What do I put on the bottom of a raised garden bed?

You can rest the beds directly onto grass, or you can put down cardboard to help kill off any weeds. However, when you put all that soil on top of the ground, all plants under it will die off.

As a beginner DIY gardener, no matter what type of raised garden beds you decide to build and what type of plants you grow, it’s an enjoyable experience to build and grow things with your own hands. 

Rebecca Wolken
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rebecca's has written for Bob Villa and a Cincinnati based remodeling company. When she's not writing about home remodeling…
Gardening 101: Grow tropical plants in any climate year-round
Easy-to-care-for tropical houseplants
A potted pothos plant on a table

Succulents might get all the buzz for being low-maintenance plants, but don't count out tropical plants. Beloved for their lush leaves and beautiful variegation, tropical houseplants have a reputation for being finicky. While it's true that some require extra humidity and water, many are beginner friendly. Tropical plant care can actually be incredibly simple, especially if you start with one of these 6 tropical houseplants! No matter what experience level, personal taste, or budget, one of these tropical houseplants is sure to be a good fit for you.

Basics of tropical plant care
Many houseplants come from tropical regions all over the world. In nature, they usually grow beneath tree canopies in warm, humid environments. Because of how they naturally grow, these plants appreciate bright indirect light indoors or partial shade outside. Natural light will do, but grow lights can also supplement their needs. As long as the temperature is comfortable for you, it should be sufficient for a tropical plant. When it rains, snows, or gets too cold, bring your plants inside. When it's warm during the growing season, feed them a balanced fertilizer regularly and repot them with well-draining soil if necessary.

Read more
Get festive with these houseplant “holidadecoration” ideas
Give your indoor jungle a jolly makeover this Christmas
A small potted pine tree wrapped in Christmas decorations next to a tiny snowman figurine

As you decorate for the holidays, don't forget your plants! Incorporating your houseplants into your holiday celebrations and decor is a great way to brighten up your home. Christmas may be one of the most common holidays for decorations, so don't forget that plants can be useful for other holiday festivities as well. No matter what you're celebrating this winter season, this guide has something for everyone! For tips on how to make your plants festive for the holiday season, follow this simple guide to houseplant holiday decorations.

Add ornaments and lights to your houseplants
Here’s a simple holiday plant idea: Furnish your houseplants with ornaments, tinsel, and string lights. If you’re doing this in lieu of a Christmas tree, it’ll very likely be much cheaper than furnishing a 6-foot-tall tree, as you can buy most of the mini decorations at your local dollar store! Money trees, corn plants, and rubber trees are just a few houseplants with strong central stems that can handle minor weight from lights and ornaments. If you want to avoid placing anything onto your plants, create holiday stakes with cut-out Santas, snowflakes, ornaments, and more.

Read more
These are the 18 best gardening shows to stream right now
No matter your streaming service, there's a gardening show just for you
Family sitting on a couch watching tv.

Whether you're an expert or novice gardener, you might find yourself in need of inspiration to get your green thumb into shape come next gardening season. As it turns out, sometimes the best way to get your gardening mojo back is to watch TV shows that showcase extraordinary gardening.

Finding the right show can be daunting, though. There are so many options across every streaming platform and channel, how do you know where to start? We've compiled our favorite gardening shows from across the internet, so that you can sit back, relax, and get inspired! No matter what type of gardening show you're looking for, there's something on this list for everyone.

Read more