Best Overall
Greenes Fence Cedar Raised Garden Bed
Best Bang for the Buck
City Pickers Patio Raised Garden Bed
Best with Cover
Vegepod Raised Garden Bed
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Raised garden bottom are popular choice for many backyards . They allow for user to put a gardenpractically anywhere , even if the yard is n’t suitable for install a traditional land - storey garden . Raised - bottom gardening is swash as a back saver , since these beds reduce the space the nurseryman needs to bend to be given to the plants . But how helpful are they , really ? Without personally testing the bottom , we could n’t differentiate whether they take quality material , were contrive for optimal plant growth , or if they would be overly challenge to assemble . So , we decided to try them .
We assembled most a XII raised garden beds ( no , they do n’t do assembled ) , and then we put them through a shelling of horticulture - specific test . Unfortunately , not all the levy garden seam survived our tight testing ; you may find out about one that did n’t make it just in advance .
We question other garden experts to get extra insight , and in general , we disclose that elicit beds extend several advantages . They ply better drainage than ground - levelgardening . They also are less prostrate to soil compression , but this depend on thesoil mixused to fill the raised bottom . Our top pickaxe , the Greenes Fence Cedar Raised Garden Bed , is sturdy and pest - resistant , making it idealistic for tiro and expert gardeners alike .
Since every garden can be unlike , there is no “ standard ” forraised garden beds . plunk the well raise garden bottom will bet on space limitations , forcible puff , conception , and industrial plant type . Keep reading to study how to pick the best prove garden beds for your backyard , and happen out why the follow model all earned a point in this batting order of some of the best raise garden bed for backyard plants .
Our Top Picks
The following models make pass our rigorous functioning tests to gain a smear in this lineup of some of the well raise garden bed . They had to be durable enough to support the weightiness of the soil mixture , and they had to be designed so that plant had both root infinite and adequate drainage . Each one also had to live up to the seller ’s claims , for the most part .
While the following bring up beds differ in sizing , material , and design , making some better suited for specific spring up situations , each one was a standout in our tests and has earn its place among the best raised bed garden uncommitted today .
We were excited to launch the box that the Greenes Fence cedar raised garden bed came in and put it together . Cedar is a of course weather condition - resistant wood , and there was no question that it was natural cedar — the unfermented aroma of the wood confirm it .
The side and end boards slide into the corner posts via dovetail - character slots . Most go in fair easily , although a few required rap with a hammer to get them to slide in the slot . Cedar caps added a courteous finishing touch to the top of the posts — and the screws are included — but we found they were slightly large and prone to carve up the wood , so we used # 8 ego - tapping screws to reduce the risk of exposure of the wood splitting .
The outfit features durable 11/16 - inch - duncical boards , which we line up to be about the right heaviness . We placed the 4 - foot - by-8 - foot Greenes garden bed on a degree section of the railyard and then filled it with potting territory . The seam held up well to the pressure of the soil even after we wet the soil , which increased its weight unit and lateral pressure .
Since this raised bed is open on the bottom , it drains freely , making it well suited for fruits , vegetables , and flowers that demand ample drainage . The side are 14 inches mellow , which is just about good for pulling an casual grass or picking a right green pepper without back variant . We were impressed with the character of this raise bed , and it looks sharp , too .
Get the Greenes Fence raised garden bed atLowe’s , The Home Depot , orTractor Supply Co.
The City Pickers Patio lift garden is design for growing a couple of tomatoes , a few gelt plants , or a handful of herb . Right off the bat , we loved the price , which is very affordable compare to the other beds we tested , and the design is well think out . Even practiced , there ’s minimal meeting place with this upgrade seam .
The City Pickers garden bed comes with a one - piece mold - polyethylene tub that go for a waste pipe rack in the bottom and has a spot for a watering tube on one inside recession ( single-foot and metro included ) . The only actual assembly involved attaching the castor wheels to the bottom , but a quick push and they were in place . They roll up smoothly , and it was simple to advertize this garden bed from one slur on the patio to another .
Photo: Glenda Taylor
Next , we filled it with pot soil and saturated it . The bottom of the vat holds 2 gallons of piddle , and the rack keeps the dirt mix from falling into the water supply source . At first , we were unsure whether the tub had drainage hollow , but then we see H2O trickle out the sides , near the bottom . The hollow are there — the tub figure just camouflages them .
The City Pickers tub is 2 feet long by 20 inches wide and 9.5 column inch deep . That ’s a scrap on the shallow side when growing plants that ask ample water ( because it can evaporate quickly ) , but the manufacturer forecast out a way to reduce evaporation — with a fibre - mulch lining that fits neatly over the top of the bathing tub and ties to secure it in place . The fiber maintain the soil from dry out out quickly , which is a big addition . While it ’s the least expensive of the models we examine , we were impressed by the level of point that go into designing the City Pickers garden bed .
Get the City Pickers raised garden bed atThe Home DepotorBuildClub .
Photo: Glenda Taylor
The Vegepod is more like a miniskirt - nursery than a simple raised bed . While it claims to be “ self - watering , ” it is n’t . At the bottom of the bed is a water man-made lake that is made to be filled with perlite . The perlite acts as a wick to transfer the weewee to the filth above , which is what the company mean by “ self - tearing . ” We were concerned about works getting “ crocked foundation ” due to sluggish soil at the bottom because the Vegepod does n’t drain well . We found only a pair of midget drain holes .
Assembly is relatively complex on this one . No tool are need , but the product comes in more than a XII sections that must be aligned and colligate . The instruction are fairly poor , so we had to use some trial and fault until we finally catch it right .
Buyers should know that the legs that get up the bed to waist elevation must be purchased separately — they were not included with the small model we tested . However , it ’s still a robust raised bottom , and with the protective book binding , it can easily extend the growing season .
Photo: lowes.com
The Vegepod is a high-pitched - conclusion raise bed that would be well suitable to growing late fall or early spring produce . However , we commend keep it under a protect patio book binding . We put it on an open department of the terrace , and it rain down . The perforated cover get quite a bit of the rain in , ensue in soppy wet territory that took hours to drain . We finish up drill a couple of drain hole along the side to help oneself the water drain out .
A handy feature on this model is a obscure hosiery that instal along the inside top of the concealment . We connected the misting hose to our garden hose , and when we turned it on , the mister equally spray the plant life inside . The Vegepod is 20 inch long , 13 column inch encompassing , and with the cover installed , stands 40 inches high . It weighs 22 pounds , which was toilsome enough to keep it from slide across the patio during a storm with mellow fart .
Get the Vegepod elicit garden layer atAmazon , The Home Depot(large size ) , orGardener ’s Supply Company .
Photo: homedepot.com
Best for Patio
Jumbl Raised Canadian Cedar Garden Bed
Our impression of the Jumbl erect garden bed are that it is made of strong , character cedar and is well designed . Some forum is required , and , unluckily , a couple of the bottom layer spline were slightly too retentive , so we had to shave off just a bit to get them to fit . All in all , though , this is a good - timber raised bed for the cost . Be aware that natural wood can well or contract more or less due to humidness change , and this is normal .
The legs are mill from a single billet of cedar tree , which eliminates articulatio between the bottom of the layer and the legs . This makes the unit sturdy and solid . We put it on the paved patio , and it did n’t wobble , not even a small bit . The Jumbl bed is 18 inches panoptic and is 34 column inch long . The inner bed depth is just under 9 inches , offering satisfactory room for root growth of herbaceous plant , many type of flowers , and leafy - eccentric veggies .
The bed descend with a fibre - mulch liner that helps retain the tiny bits of potting soil that would have otherwise washed out the bottom between the wood slats when the water by nature drains out . One of the prissy features is the dowel forum that holds the top Emily Post caps on . Without the need to infix jailer , there is less risk of the screws corroding and discoloring the cedar . The Jumbl layer is large enough to farm various small veggies or flowers , and it looks good enough to put out in the clear .
Photo: amazon.com
Get the Jumbl raise garden bottom atAmazon , Lowe ’s , orTarget .
Best Herb Garden
Kdgarden Raised Garden Bed Kit
The Kdgarden raised garden bed is slightly unlike from the other beds we test in that it ’s made from heavy - tariff white PVC , and all the while have been make up to fit together dead . Assembling this raise bed was refreshfully square .
The Kdgarden measuring 48 inches long by 48 inch wide-cut and stands 13.3 inches high , offering pot of room for bloom and veggie plant - root development . We position it on a horizontal surface surgical incision of ground , and superfluous water drained out without a stoppage from under the bottom side rails .
This farm bed could be used to acquire a large crop of lettuce or other vegetable , but we detect it better accommodate to growing smaller plants , such as herbs . It come with a control grid that fits along the top sharpness that provides 16 smaller rise space . The PVC material will not rot , and it ’s imperviable to insect infestations . The whitened color is rather brilliant and visually stands out in the grounds , but it would be right-hand at dwelling in the railway yard of a white house or a house with white trim .
Photo: amazon.com
Get the Kdgarden raised garden seam atAmazon .
Best for Beginners
Keter Urban Bloomer 12.7-Gallon Raised Garden Bed
One of the biggest challenges for newbie gardeners is memorise when and how much to water their plants . With some arouse beds , that can be an proceeds even for seasoned gardeners if they ca n’t set how much moisture is in the bottom of the bed .
The Keter Urban raise bottom hold all of the guess out of watering . It have a upright tubing that runs from the top of the bed to the bottom of the water tray . Inside the tube is a cute little formative flower that rises with the water stage . We found this to be an ingenious style of letting the nurseryman know when it is time to water or when the water man-made lake is full and needs draining . After we filled up the bed with pot soil , we watered , and , sure enough , the little charge plate blossom poke its oral sex out of the thermionic vacuum tube to let us know we could bar .
A drain plug is located on the bottom of the seam , which gain it easy to drain away excess water . Another ready to hand feature is the shape plastic germ - starting tray that can be filled with pot soil and then positioned on the top of the bottom .
Photo: amazon.com
The Keter Urban raise bed stands 30 in tall , is 32 inches long , and is 14 inches wide . Inside the bed are six 12 - inch - cryptic planting box that will keep roots from becoming entangled . Another nice feature is a wheel that sits under the layer and will hold an array of trowel and horticulture supplies . This short gem offers everything a new gardener need to get set about .
Get the Keter leaven garden bed atAmazon , Walmart , orBed Bath & Beyond .
Best with Wheels
Best Choice Products Raised Garden Bed
One word accurately report the Best Choice Products raised garden bed : tone . This is another woodwind bed that requires meeting place , but it ’s made from rot- and insect - insubordinate fir that ’s been carefully ignore and milled . All of the slats , side sections , and bottom rail were easy to put together , and they conform to like a glove ; no uneven wood here .
The Best Choice Products grow bottom is moderately large for an elevated wood seam and is a full 48 inch long by 23 inch wide by 32 inches improbable . The inside planting bed is about 9 inches inscrutable . At this size , it would be unmanageable to move the unit by hired man once it was fill with plants and pie-eyed soil . Fortunately , the manufacturers included quality locking wheel that rolled smoothly but locked firmly to keep the bed from switch .
The Best Choice Products bottom comes with a fibre - mulch line drive that help keep the potting dirt from trickling out from between the bottom slats . It ’s a great characteristic , but the liner probably would n’t be reusable after a few month . Buyers should design on buy more fiber mulch to cut and make new liners each season .
Photo: amazon.com
This is a well - direct raised layer , and it ’s made even handier by the inclusion of a wood wrack under the bottom . We used the wheel to hold horticulture tools and a large base of potting soil .
Get the Best Choice Products raised garden seam atAmazon , The Home Depot , Walmart , orTarget .
Best for Tall Spaces
Outland Living Vertical Raised Garden Bed
We did n’t know what to expect when we reach the Outland Living raised garden bed — the boxwood was full of steel leg and frame members and four enceinte - duty polythene containers .
The forum took more than 30 minutes on this one but only because we put the braces on wrong the first prison term and had to take them off and then reassemble them right . It would have saved us at least 10 minutes if we had studied the pedagogy . Assembly is n’t difficult ; it ’s a matter of attaching the steel legs and underframe members with stainless steel nuts , washer , and bolts ( all include ) .
Once put together , the Outland Living frame stands 50 inches tall , is 25 inch from side to side , and is 19 inches from front to back at the base . We enquire if the social unit would be sturdy enough , but we need not have . It ’s well balanced , and after a high - nothingness violent storm , it was still standing upright .
Photo: amazon.com
The four container fit firmly on the frame ’s side braces , and they ’re magnanimous enough to hold compact flowers and herb . One downside is that the containers do not come with drain holes , so we practise some in the bottom of each container after we find the plants floating in water espouse a rainstorm .
Minus the drain effect , the Outland Living raised perpendicular bed is a winner . It ’s attractive , and it allowed us to grow multiple small plant in a narrow spot .
Get the Outland Living raised garden bed atAmazonorWalmart .
Photo: amazon.com
Best for Backyards
Sunnydaze Raised Metal Garden Bed Kit
The Sunnydaze raised alloy garden bed is n’t go to come through any awards for its looks — in fact , it close resembles a galvanized livestock tank — but it is a front - runner when it issue forth to growing plant .
Although assembly was straightforward with this hexagonal metal bed , a number of fasteners — six bolts , nuts , and automatic washer — are necessary for every perpendicular support , so that bring up quite a bit of assemblage time . We spent probably 25 minutes putting it together . Once put together , the Sunnydaze is warm , bouncy , and made to last . The galvanized brand resists rust and corrosion , and the planter is 40 in across . Its 16 - inch astuteness makes it well suited for growing deep - rooted plants , such as Citrullus vulgaris or Cucurbita pepo .
We positioned the Sunnydaze on a floor incision of basis and fill it with potting soil . When we first water the bed , we saw some drain out of the side where the metallic element sections were tie to the support . We shoveled and tamped the growing mixing in those spots and watered again . We did n’t see the water run out from behind after that .
Photo: amazon.com
The Sunnydaze holds a well amount of pot soil , and drug user can easily grow three large vining plant or up to a dozen little , more compact plant . We set up that putting a pocket-size sprinkler in the very midriff of the bed was an optimal manner to piddle . We would head off sticking a hose in and just let the water system play freely to keep from creating a dug - out domain near one of the sides that would allow the urine to run out again .
Get the Sunnydaze heighten garden bed atAmazon , Lowe’s , Tractor Supply Co. ,The Home Depot , orTarget . Patiomore 3 - level Raised Garden Bed
ALSO TESTED
Patiomore 3 - Tier Raised Garden Bed
ab initio , we had gamy hopes for the Patiomore three - tier elevate garden bed . It was the only tiered bed we were try , and we imagine it would be staring for growing strawberry . unluckily , we were ill-timed . As we unpacked the box seat full of slat and corner posts , we notice they were thinner and flimsier than those of other Natalie Wood bed we ’d already meet . Plus , although the producer said the Grant Wood was fir , it looked a whole lot like true pine . But , hoping for the best , we assembled the layer . Once assembled , it was precarious just moving the Patiomore garden bed to the center of the grand so we could snap all of the arouse beds together — the bottom side slats maintain falling out . We finally figure out how to secure it with straps and get it tipped up on a script motortruck to move it . After the group photo , we pose it on a level section of ground and filled it up with potting soil . The bottom slats on the back ripe box started come out somewhat , but they held . We watered the potting soil and called it a day and planned to establish a few strawberries in the dawn . Morning came with an unwished-for surprise — the bottom slat on the back right street corner had blown out , seemingly due to the sidelong imperativeness from the sozzled pot ground . The Patiomore bed was a red , and we extinguish it from testing at that point .
Jump to Our Top Picks
How We Tested the Best Raised Garden Beds
We spoke to David Angelov , a master nurseryman and founder ofPlantParenthood , a gardening design and criminal maintenance serve based in Newton , Massachusetts . He urge springing for a robust twist such as hardwood : “ Other than longevity for the bed and sustainability of the materials , there ’s impact on the health of your crop and the power to eat your crop . This may be most often more expensive , but it ’s worth it in every case I ’ve used . ” He adds that “ if you use something like pressure - regale Sir Henry Wood loaded with chemicals , there is a risk of that seeping into the body of water that feeds your food . ” We take this advice in mind when choosing the products to test .
Our goal in test the raised garden bed was to trim back through the plug and determine each bed ’s real pros and cons so readers could take advantage of our results before buy .
We used a rubric and awarded point for each feature we tested on the garden beds . The single psychometric test admit noting the relaxation of assembly , judging the overall stability and caliber of the materials of each raised bed , filling the beds withpotting soil , and then testing to see how well they debilitate .
satiate them with soil and then irrigate them was of the essence because slopped soil is grievous and make a substantial amount of sidelong pressure . A flimsy raised bed is a permissive waste of our readers ’ money no matter how attractive it is . We bestow a few works here and there , primarily for photos , but we test the layer in late wintertime when nighttime temporary were still too inhuman to for good plant the beds .
We also analyze the figure of the bed and awarded spare points for helpful feature , such as the pee - storey indicator on theKeterraised bed that made it specially helpful for those who are newfangled to raised layer horticulture .
After the testing was thoroughgoing , we added the rafts and used the results to assign proportional honour for each mathematical product . We detailed both the pro and the con , so our readers would have a caput - up on what to bear if they buy one of these top - performing arouse garden beds .
What to Consider When Choosing a Raised Garden Bed
With so many options on the market , it can be tough to decide on the right nurture garden bed . Comparing some of the fundamental feature such as cloth , sizing , and assembly demand that most garden bed extend and considering your gardening goals , distance , and design dodging can make wading through the choice easy .
Types of Raised Garden Beds
While some of the designation can overlap , there are four basic types of elevate garden layer : raised ground bed , supported grow bed , containerize raised beds , and raise promote beds .
Materials
Traditionally , raise garden beds are made from rot - resistant timber such as cedar or true fir . today , raised beds are also made from stone , woven willow tree , plastic , and concrete . The textile chosen will count on personal preference .
However , for vegetable garden , it ’s recommended to avoid using imperativeness - treated baseball bat because it can percolate weighty metallic element into the territory . luckily , most easy - to - assemble raised beds lean to be made of food - safe , rot - resistant wood or plastic .
Size
When it comes to the duration and width of a raised bed , consider the space constraint . Length is limited by the sizing of the yard and the edifice material . Width , on the other script , is determined by how far the user can reach . Angelov apprise the pursuit : “ Keep in mind the height and depth of the bed to make certain you could actually access it . build a 10 fundament by 10 foot farm layer sounds squeamish with a wad of space , but it ’s a wasted surface area if you ca n’t accomplish it from the earth . ” gardener take to be capable to reach the shopping mall of the bottom from either side of the frame without take to abuse into the bed , which would press the soil . For most hoi polloi , the ideal breadth is 4 feet .
Most lift beds are between 6 and 12 column inch grandiloquent . layer height can go as high as 36 inch or more . Raised beds with taller sides will require more dirt , but they are easier on a user ’s back because there ’s no motive to bend down as far to turn over the plants .
Ease of Assembly
Assembly is where raised garden bed kits outshine DIY raised garden layer . Building one need shopping for materials and cutting them to size . However , stir garden layer kits come up with everything needed to put them together , and some can be ready to go in just a few minutes . depend on how much oeuvre is desire , there ’s a kit to match almost every skill level .
Some bring up garden bed require no special creature to assemble — they just slide and click together — while others want the use of acordless drillor screwdriver . Some take less than 15 minutes to discharge , but some can take as much as an 60 minutes or more .
Special Features
Raised garden bed can hail with infinite features . Some have bicycle for portability ; others have build - in trellises , removable greenhouse covers , reposition shelf , pegleg that elevate the bottom , or built - in irrigation systems .
Another unique feature is stackability . Some raised garden bed can be stacked to extend more depth or a unlike conformation . No matter the arise environment , there ’s a raised garden seam that will run for most every situation .
FAQs
Growing flowers , fruit , and vegetables is a home pastime , but for those who can not put in or be given a traditional garden , a raised garden bed may be a solvent . These beds allow growers to enjoy garden even if the only available space is on a terrace or balcony . For those count prove - bed horticulture , a few doubtfulness are likely . Below are answer to some of the most popular motion about raised garden beds .
Q. What type of raised garden bed is best for flowers?
One that offers at least 9 inches of soil depth to allow the flower root to originate to the full is best , and it ’s crucial to get one that drain well .
Q. What do I put on the bottom of a raised garden bed?
Placing potting soil at least 8 in deep will keep weeds in ground - stratum beds from coming up to contend with the desirable plant life , so nothing is demand for those . However , shallower raise beds will benefit from a stratum of cardboard or sometime newspapers that will act as a biodegradable weed barrier .
Q. How deep should a raised garden bed be?
A lift garden should be deep enough to appropriate plant root to develop freely . For compendious herbs and flower , that may be as little as 6 to 8 inches , while veg such as mad apple and sugar will do advantageously with dirt 12 to 18 in cryptic or deeper .
Meet the Tester
Glenda Taylor is a product tester and writer specializing in the construction , remodeling , and real estate industries . She and her husband own a oecumenical contracting company , and Taylor is experienced in both residential and commercial-grade edifice applications . She test a blanket range of power pecker as well as other family improvement , household , and lawn - and - garden Cartesian product .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
We ’ll help you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your terrace , a raised layer , or an in - earth plot out back — and take the good plant for your soil and region .
