How to Build a Raised Garden Bed (Part One)

Step 1: Pick a spot in your yard that you would like to build the garden beds.

We picked an area at the end of our driveway. There were a few dead trees that I had been contemplating removing, so I convinced Jason that this area would be great for the vegetable gardens we have wanted to build.

Our driveway.

Dead trees.

Step 2: Remove any obstacles.

For us, this entailed removing the dead trees.

First I clipped all of the branches. This process only took about 20 minutes. Those limbs would practically just snap off.

Dead trees - branch free.

Step 4: Pick a design for your garden bed.

We researched several designs, but chose one that would entail using untreated redwood or cedar 2"x12"s anchored by 4"x4"s.

Step 5: Determine and locate materials.

Since we had a drill and the bits we needed, all we had to purchase was the lumber and bolts. After calling several lumber yards that only had pressure treated lumber, we found a place in the Heights that carried the lumber we were looking for.

Step 6: Break your windshield while loading your materials.

Feel free to skip this step if you so desire.

Awesome.

We originally wanted to use 10' foot boards. We folded the back seats down and laid the lumber all the way from the trunk to the windshield.

After this happened, we replaced the 10' boards with 9' boards so they would fit in the Civic.

Step 7: Pay for your materials.

So after the whole broken windshield debacle, I headed inside with the sales clerk. He rang up our 3 2"x12"x9' and 1 4"x4"x8' redwood boards. I sat there thinking that I really hoped it cost around $50 and that $100 would be a bit expensive. Before he even told me the total, I glanced at the screen. It was over $1,000. That's a one with three zeros. I checked the date on my phone to make sure it wasn't April 1 and this was some sort of bizarre joke. Oh no, that's what they really cost. Apparently we had chosen some fancy shmancy wood that was fit for a palace.

I consulted with the clerk for a bit about our wood options. The only wood that would come even close to the $100 price tag would be pressure treated pine. Everything we read had told us not to use pressure treated lumber because the chemicals could transfer to the food.

Step 8: Flag down your husband and remove the materials from your car. Carefully.

Jason thought I was mad for flagging him down and telling him to carefully remove all wood from his car as if it was our first-born child. I didn't want to take any chances damaging it and having to buy it.

We left the store empty handed with a broken windshield.

Step 9: Rethink your whole design.

Repeat steps 4, 5, & 7. Avoid step 6.

So obviously, fancy shmancy redwood was out and we still didn't want to use pressure treated wood. We headed to our good ole' local Home Depot store to check out their options. Once again, we were told that while they had untreated pine, it wouldn't last long. I had heard of using cement blocks instead of wood, so we headed outside to their garden section.

We found some cement blocks that we thought would work. Our only concern was about the weight in Jason's car, but it worked out okay. We bought 14 cement blocks for roughly $30. We put our savings from buying cement instead of wood in Jason's replacement windshield fund.

Step 10: Fix yourself a margarita.

Because, after all, at this point in the process you deserve it.

Step 11: Finish preparing the area you are going to put your garden bed.

We had to remove the stumps and roots from the area.

Jason removing the stumps. He requested that I do not post shirtless pictures of him on the blog, so I designed him nice replacements shirts. While he removed the stumps, I removed the old bricks that had outlined the area.

We had to stash the dead trees behind our garage for the time being. Tree limb pickup day isn't for another three weeks.

Step 12: Cultivate the soil.

I removed all of the weeds, and Jason turned the soil.

Step 13: Build the garden bed.

Lining up the bricks.

We had to slightly modify our design to get around the 4"x4" fence post. Ghetto? Yes, but functional.

Step 14: Run in the garage to avoid the rain and admire your work.

So this is where we left it today.

Tomorrow should bring soil and seeds (weather permitting.)