Raised Garden Bed Kit Menards (2024)

FAQs

Is it cheaper to build or buy a raised bed? ›

If you want to save money, time, and headaches, buying a premade raised bed is more feasible. The larger-scale sourcing and manufacturing of these beds ensures you get a competitive price on materials that may cost more at your local hardware store.

Depending on your budget and gardening goals, you can line the bottom of your raised garden beds with wide-mesh hardware cloth, stainless steel mesh, landscape fabric, burlap sack, or newspaper/cardboard.

To start, lay down sheets of cardboard or newspaper for weed suppression and then fill the raised bed structure halfway up with alternating layers of nitrogen-rich materials (like kitchen scraps and grass clippings) and carbon-rich materials (like wood chips and dried autumn leaves).

Gravel or Rocks: A layer of gravel or rocks can provide excellent drainage for your raised garden bed. This will prevent water from sitting at the bottom of your garden bed, which can lead to root rot and other issues. Gravel or rocks can also help prevent erosion and soil compaction.

The cons of raised beds

Use rot-resistant wood if you go with boards and figure even those eventually will have to be replaced. The soil mix also can be a significant, albeit one-time, expense. Raised beds need water more often since the soil is more exposed to air and dries quicker.

The minimum required depth depends on the plant. But on average, a raised garden bed should accommodate about 20 inches of soil for the roots of flowers and vegetables.

You Can Use a Layer of Cardboard at the Bottom of Raised Beds to Prevent Weeds. If your budget doesn't allow for weed barrier cloth, you can add several layers of cardboard to the bottom of your raised bed before filling it with soil. The cardboard will decompose in about 4 to 6 months.

A 40 qt bag is 1.3(and some) cu ft. 4'x8'x[height] is the volume of your bed. If you assume the height is 1', your volume is 32 cu ft. Divide by 1.3 per bag, and I think you need 24.6 40qt bags, so 25 bags.

Whether deep or shallow, raised beds give a gardener a way to create ideal soil conditions on an even larger scale. While potting mix alone is too light for use in raised beds, creating a 50:50 blend of potting mix and Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Garden Soil will give just the right balance.

So, next time you come across a pile of pallets, don't hesitate to grab them and start building your own raised garden bed. Pallets are a cheap and easy way to create a raised garden bed. You can usually find them for free or for a low price. Just stack them on top of each other, and fill them with soil.

How often should I change the soil in a raised bed? ›

Topdress once a year with compost.

With raised beds, as with any container garden, soil will settle and lose its key minerals over time. You can prevent this by adding an inch or two of compost layers or composted manure once a year.

Beds off the ground and supported by legs are built or manufactured with a bottom. We recommend lining this space with a permeable material (like a weed mat or landscape fabric) to help preserve the structure and prevent soil loss when watering.

Root vegetables—radishes, carrots, turnips, onions, shallots, garlic—grow best in loose, partially sandy soil, which makes them ideal candidates for raised beds, where the soil is usually much less compacted in the absence of foot traffic.

Raised-Bed Garden Cost per Square Foot

If you're DIY'ing your garden installation, expect to spend anywhere from $25 to $50 per square foot of garden space for wood raised beds. Stone, brick, and steel will be more expensive.

Is it cheaper to build your own bed frame? Yes, it is more cost-effective to build your own bed frame. Not only will you cut costs by building your own, you will also be able completely customize your bed frame from the size to the materials.

So which option is the best option: Building Up, Down, or Out? In summary: The best option for those looking to save money is building up. The best option for those who live in areas subject to inclement weather is building down.