How to build a raised vegetable bed
Discover how to build a simple raised bed for growing your own vegetables in just three steps.
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Raised beds are ideal for fruit and vegetable growing because maintenance is easier, as you don't need to dig, and the soil doesn't get walked on and compacted.
A robust raised bed can be constructed from interlocking scaffolding boards, which look attractive and are inexpensive. Simply remove the metal banding from each end of the planks and cut them to size using a hand saw – a good rule of thumb is to cut two planks to 2.3m and two to 1.6m length, to make a good rectangular shape, but the dimensions can be altered to fit your site.
Our raised vegetable bed shopping list
You might already have what you need to get started on making your raised vegetable bed. If you don't, we've done the hard work for you with our handy shopping list.- Scaffolding Board - 13ft (3.9m) | from £29.16 at Tubeclampsdirect
- SupaGrow Topsoil Sealed Bags 25L | from £3.86 at TravisPerkins
- RocketGro Organic, Peat Free Mulch | from £10.00 at ashridgetrees
- Stanley 3 Piece Plier Set, Slip Joint/Long Nose/Diagonal Cutting | from £12.79 at Amazon
- Forge Steel 9tpi Wood Hand Saw 20“ (500MM) | £5.99 from Screwfix
- Bosch PST 500W 240V Corded Jigsaw PST650 | from £42.00 at B&Q
- Stanley 1-30-696 5M/16ft Tape | from £3.69 at Zoro tools
You Will Need
- Scaffolding planks (two, 3.9m long, 3.7cm thick)
- Soil
- Organic matter
- Pliers
- Hand saw
- Jigsaw
- Tape measure
- Ruler
Total time: 15 minutes
Step 1
Mark out the vertical slots. On the long edge, measure 8cm from the end and draw a line down to the exact centre of the plank, parallel to the short edge. Draw a second parallel line a further 3.7cm (the thickness of the board) from the first, and join up the two lines. Repeat this step at the opposite end, along the same edge, on each plank.
Step 2
Using a hand saw, cut along the two parallel lines the centre line. Then get the jigsaw and position it two-thirds of the way along the first cut and saw diagonally towards the centre line, turning the jigsaw as you go. Once the main portion of wood has been removed, go back and straighten up the shorter line.
Step 3
Slot the planks together to form the bed. This is easier to do with two pairs of hands, as you need to keep the boards level so that they drop into place. Fill the bed with soil and organic matter, ready for early-spring planting.
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