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How do you Build a Raised Landscape Bed?

Answer:
For many homeowners, creating a backyard flower or vegetable garden can

be challenging because of poor soil quality or limited access to tillers and other heavy duty garden tools.

A solution to this problem could be a raised landscape bed, an enclosed box installed over the existing ground and filled with high quality topsoil. Here's how to build a raised landscape bed suitable for creating a flower or vegetable garden without tilling, plowing or amending the existing soil.

The first step is to determine what building material to use for the frame of the raised landscape bed. Some gardeners prefer to use a natural material such as wooden planks to construct a rough box. Others may choose railroad ties, although chemically treated wood may not be appropriate for vegetable gardens.

Cement or cinder blocks can also be used to form a box, with or without mortar to hold it in place. There are also recycled plastic planks which are designed to snap together in a four-sided configuration. The idea is to form a frame at least 4 feet long, 3 feet wide and 1-2 feet tall in order to make the entire raised garden easily accessible. Once the frame material has been obtained, the next step is to prepare the ground.

A rough outline of the raised landscape bed can be mapped out with strings and pegs or a temporary spray paint and straight edge. Use a shovel or other blade to carve out a border within the lines and remove approximately 2 inches of soil in order to embed the first layer of the frame for security. Once the first row has been established, continue to build up until a suitable frame has been built. For additional security, stakes may be pounded into the ground at strategic points along the outside of the frame. This will keep the box from bowing out when the top soil is added.

The next step is to place a section of landscaping or gardening cloth on the bottom of the bed. This will help prevent invasion from burrowing animals and insects. The raised bed should be filled with a generous supply of high quality topsoil and organic compost material until a mound forms.

The soil should eventually settle into the raised bed after a few months, which means the fall or winter season is an ideal time to construct the frame and fill it with soil. By the time spring planting season arrives, the soil should be much more compact and settled. Plant flower or vegetable seeds in the same way you would plant a traditional in-ground garden and you should see some good results within weeks.