Landscape Addiction ~ How To build a raised planter bed

How to build a raised planter bed

	How to build a raised planter bed
	TOOLS THAT YOU WILL NEED TO COMPLETE THIS JOB:
	Saw 5 1/2" x 3/8" carriage bolts (4 per plank) 3/8" washers (8 per plank) 3/8" nuts (4 per plank) 4x4" post (1 per corner) Building material (see step#2 ) Carpenter's square Pencil Tape measure Level Hammer Ratchet w/ 3/8" head Adjustable wrench Safety goggles Landscape fabric Potting soil Plants
	Various raised flower bed “kits” are available for purchase online. Landscape addicts can pay from $50.00 to $1000 for these “DIY” kits and then they must proceed to assemble them at home. A way to save money is to purchase the materials at a local hardware store, and design and build the planter yourself. There are several advantages to a raised flower bed. No more stooping, bending. Weeds are less intrusive, and since you are adding soil, flowers can be more plentiful than dealing with soil that happens to be in your backyard. Not all backyard soil is created equal, and a lot of homes have soil complete with rocks, lack of nutrients, and drainage issues. Raised beds can take on any formation. Squares, rectangles, L-shapes, boat shapes, octagons, hexagons are popular; imagine which would look best in your yard space. A planter bed can have more than one layer, be planted along the side or center of the yard as well. Many landscape addicts plant these along the perimeter fence to create interest.

1.	Measure and mark the area where you desire the bed.
2.	Purchase your materials, including your framing material-- planks, railroad ties, landscaping timbers are commonly used. Note: Just remember to not buy pretreated wood, these chemicals will seep into the soil and ruin your plantings. Cut the 4x4 into 4 identical height pieces—these will serve as the supports to attach your planks to. You decide the height based on how deep you desire your planting bed.
3.	Cut your wood to fit the measurements of your bed, and use wood screws to attach. We recommend lining the bottom of your planter bed with a breathable landscape fabric. Purchase this at the hardware store where you get your wood.
4.	Drill two bolt holes on each plank, using a drill with a 3/8” bit. Attach with the carriage bolt. Be sure to offset the location of the holes on each side for a proper fit.
5.	Place carriage bolts into your holes around the planter bed, use a washer on the head of the bolt and the nut. Hand-tighten and check all sides to make sure the bed is level. Using your ratchet and adjustable wrench, tighten all sides again. Now, your box is assembled.
6.	We recommend a deep box has some sand or pebbles to help with drainage. Landscape fabric needs to be placed immediately after this step.
7.	Fill the box with dirt. If you are going to use Perlite, mix it with the soil. Top this with your potting mix, compost, or organic soil. Fill until it is close to the top, by a few inches. Remember, soil settles, especially after the first watering.
	Note:Place your plants. We recommend selecting your plants based on the size of your planter bed, soil type, sun/shade exposure, and growing zone. Look to the size of plants and height at maturity to determine placement. The taller plants should be in the back, shorter plants in the front. Color should also play into your decision. Bright red flowers contrast nicely with purple and yellow. Pink and white contrast nicely. You can mix plants without blooms, like Hosta, for contrast along with the flowering plants. Visually, a bed with a diverse texture and size creates more interest, and is more visually appealing. Keep in mind, a raised bed gives you the ability to select cascading plants. These can dangle over the edge of your planter box.
8.	Feed plants with a synthetic or organic plant food, then give a generous watering.
9.	Enjoy!!!