Grow Higher: Elevated Raised Garden Beds

Elevate the benefits of raised bed gardening to waist height

Elevated raised bedsElevated raised beds can be used to grow vegetables or flowers.

By growing in a raised bed, you can have a productive, abundant vegetable garden — even in just a few square feet. Even better, the elevated styles put the garden right at your fingertips for comfortable "no bend" gardening. Keep in mind that elevated gardens can dry out more rapidly, so you should monitor the bed every few days to check the moisture of the soil. Properly maintained wooden beds will last at least 5+ years and up to twice that or more. Metal beds will often last even longer (20 years plus). Raised beds do not need new soil every year, but the bed’s nutrients should be replenished yearly with our Raised Bed Booster Compost Mix Kit: Organic Compost Plus: Raised Bed Booster Kit | Gardener's Supply. 

Related Article: Everything You Need To Know About Gardening In Raised Beds

Here's how to make the most of your elevated raised bed:

Soil for raised bed

Use soil that's blended for planters.

Choosing Your Soil

  • Fill your bed with potting soil that's formulated for raised beds and planters, such as our potting mix. Don't use ordinary garden soil; It won't drain properly. To figure out how much soil you need, use the Soil Calculator. If it's a Gardener's Supply bed, you'll find the soil quantity listed with the product details.
  • When you're filling the beds, be sure to mix in some granular fertilizer, which will get the plants off to a good start. Follow up later in the season with regular applications of liquid fertilizer.
 
Best site to grow vegetablesChoose a sunny site.

Where to Place Your Elevated Raised Bed

  • Pick a sunny site; vegetables need at least eight hours of sun each day.3 A deck or patio is a great location for just about anything; a covered porch is best for shade-loving annuals.
  • Make sure you have easy access to water.
 
Best vegetables for compact gardensSelect compact varieties.

What to Plant

 

When to Plant

 
Watering techniques for raised bedsMonitor moisture levels every day.

Don't Forget to Water!

  • Use your finger to check moisture levels throughout the season. The soil should be moist but not water-logged.4 Allow it to dry out a bit between waterings.
  • Tiny seedlings require daily water — their root systems are too small and shallow!
  • To automate the process, install a timer and a watering system, such as Snip-n-Drip.
 
Accessories for gardening in raised bedsTrellises make use of vertical space.

Grow Vertically

  • Maximize your space by growing your vining plants vertically.1 Peas, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and squash will all benefit from a trellis or other type of plant support that will keep fruits up off the soil. Plant supports also increase air flow between plants, which helps to prevent disease.2
 
 
Need Help Choosing a Raised Bed? Visit our Raised Bed Buying Guide