Fact Sheet
Horticulture - 008
How to Build a Raised Bed Garden
Thralls, Edmund L., Extension Faculty, Urban Horticulture
Materials:
1. 2x8 treated pine lumber in any length that will make up the border of the bed
(Recommend no longer that 16-feet and no wider than 4-feet.) Two end
pieces, 4-feet long and 2-side pieces 4, 8, 12, or 16-feet long. If you are
uncomfortable with the belief that chemicals from the pressure treated
boards will leach into the garden then use untreated pine lumber, cedar or
cypress.
2. 20 coarse-threaded 3-inch galvanized deck screws.
3. Cordless drill (with charged battery).
4. Newspaper to cover the bottom of the raised bed 6 pages thick, or weed
fabric to cover the bottom of the raised bed frame.
5. Staple gun (if weed fabric is used).
6. Potting mix (2 cu ft bags) to fill the raised bed garden
(depends on size of bed).
4’x4’ - 6 bags 4’x8’ - 11 bags 4’x12’ - 16 bags 4’x16’ - 28 bags
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