How To Install A Raised Planter Bed

Step 1: You will need

Step 2: Good Dirt

The best tasting vegetables come from great soil and before choosing the right soil mix, position your planter bed where it will receive maximum sunlight and access to a watering source. It's a good idea to fill your raised planter bed with one half dirt and one half mulch to maximize the potential of your garden. Figure out how many cubic yards of soil and mulch you'll need by measuring out the width, depth and height of your planter bed. Most home improvement stores will carry bagged dirt and mulch, but you can save a few extra bucks by seeing if you can get it bulk from a local supplier.

Put down a layer of soil first, and then start dumping in your mulch. Use your shovel or hoe to thoroughly mix the two layers together. This will ensure you have a great organic mixture and will provide your garden with proper drainage. If you want, you can use a plastic liner on the walls of your planter bed to keep moisture off the wood, but it's not necessary.

Step 3: Fill Your Garden

With the planter properly filled with nutrient rich, organic soil and mulch, you're finally ready to test out your green thumb. You'll be happy to know raised planter gardens require a lot less maintenance than other gardens and can produce twice as much produce. A raised planter bed allows you to plant vegetables closer together than a traditional garden. The biggest factor in deciding what to plant in your garden is the depth of the roots. If you have a shallow bed, you might be limited to certain types of herbs and veggies.