This is hands down my favorite way to build a garden bed quickly. No drilling, no sawing, nothing fancy. Home Depot & Lowes started carrying these amazing corner brick blocks a few years ago that make the job so easy. Just stack them up and drop the 2×6’s down into the slots. I made a video of it so you can see them in action, just adjust the lumber to whatever size garden bed you would like!
Scroll to bottom for the materials I used for this small 2′ x 4′ bed in the video.
EDIT regarding weedblock:
You can use cardboard or other biodegradable materials underneath that will breakdown in the coming years instead of weed block. I myself am cursed with a backyard full of Bermuda Grass, which if you’re not familiar with, just count yourself lucky and skip the weed block! For my raised beds, I use weed block because the Bermuda grass WILL make it’s way up thru anything and everything and take over. Even beds that are 2′ high, it will find a way. I already battle the Bermuda in my in-ground beds, and it’s not a fight I care to multiply every time I add a raised bed. Maybe someday I will be blessed with the energy and desire to attempt removing it a small section at a time, but today is not that day.
I add lots of worms and compost to my raised beds to keep my raised beds healthy and happy. So it’s up to you and your existing yard what kind of weed block you want to use – or none at all. Happy gardening!
Materials List:
4 x Common Lumber 2″ x 6″ x 4′
4 x Common Lumber 2″ x 6″ x 2′
8 x Planter Block from Home Depot or Lowe’s
5 feet Professional Grade Weedblock (you can skip this, but it’s what I used in the video)
2 Bags Garden Soil (3 cu feet each)
1 Bag Chicken Compost (1 cu feet)
1 Bag Steer Manure (1 cu feet)
Leveling Dirt: This will depend on your space and how uneven it is. I used about 1.5 – 2 bags of cheap top soil.
That’s it! Here are a few extra tips:
1. Level the ground! Do not skip this step or you’ll be sorry, I promise.
2. Make sure the weedblock goes all the way under the walls & blocks. You can trim it down after.
3. The soil / compost mix doesn’t have to be exact, it depends on your veggies and what is available in your area.
Just make sure to add compost in the beginning and your plants will be healthier. Worms are a great addition, too.
4. Pick a nice sunny spot for most veggies! They will need full sun to be better producers.
5. The blocks are perfect little spots to set flower pots filled with pollinator plants that will attract beneficial insects, while leaving your bed wide open for all the veggies.
Above all else – just have fun with it! Gardening is therapy, on both the easy days and the hard days.