Build A Raised Bed Garden ~ Our Fairfield Home & Garden

by Barb Rosen

Ever since I made two raised garden beds out of my neighbor’s cast-off shutters, I have wanted more! But, unfortunately, materials to repurpose were just not coming my way.
Then I saw an inspiration post on Pinterest and figured out I could make the raised bed I wanted from lumber and corrugated metal roofing for only $68! I was sold.
Here's how I did it:

build a raised bed garden our fairfield home garden, diy, gardening, how to, raised garden beds, woodworking projects, Detail of raised bed garden corners

Detail of raised bed garden corners.

Cut sides to the lengths desired. For a rectangular bed, 4 ft by 8ft is standard. Mine is 8 ft by 8ft, but you can size them to fit your needs.

Inside corner detail

Lowe's carries many sizes of the corrugated metal roofing. This fit my construction perfectly! Add the metal roofing to the inside with screws.

Filling the raised bed garden.

I filled the raised bed garden halfway with mulched leaves, grass clipping ad yard trimmings, then filled the top half with soil. This will save on the cost of soil. As it settles over time, you will need to add some more.

See more pictures, detailed directions and the inspiration piece on my blog linked below.

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Frequently asked questions

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2 questions

Kim on Jul 03, 2016
Has it rusted through yet? I was afraid to do this! But now might ...

1
Duane on Jul 11, 2016
Galvanized sheets will eventually rust & break down somewhat. I would never use creosote covered railway ties or treated wood for anything to do with food whether for humans or animals. So, how safe is using galvanized metal when the zinc or other coatings leach out into the dirt then into food ??

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3 of 29 comments

Elizabeth Sagarminaga on Dec 31, 2015
If you are a DIY enthusiast, definitely this project will surely be a boon for you and will definitely add a lot to your ideas...Really, this is an awesome idea. I would love to try it out soon.Thanks for sharing the idea for making the raised bed garden in such easy steps. I visited the link that you shared, it was a nice visit.

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Courtney Reid Thoreson on Mar 11, 2017

When we moved in 30 years ago I made the mistake of making my raised beds too wide. You should not step on the soil because it packs it down and ruins the tilth. Better to make your beds long and wide (8x3) so you can reach in from both sides to weed, plant and harvest. Also, if you have moles, put down a few layers of weed barrier or chick wire to keep them from coming into the bed to get the worms. And in the fall, shred your leaves with the mower and throw them on top of the raised bed to protect the soil and add nutrients for the next year.

4 Reply
- Barb Rosen on Mar 11, 2017
  Good advice, Courtney!
  
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