A raised bed garden does not have to be expensive or a difficult build. In her book, Raised Bed Gardening, CaliKim offers basic step-by-step instructions for building a simple wood raised bed 4 feet wide by 8 feet long and 10 inches high.
“This design is the perfect starting point for a novice raised bed gardener,” she says. “It is small enough to grow a season’s worth of vegetables for a couple of people or a small family.”
The raised bed is made from three planks of wood 8 feet long, 2 inches thick and 10 inches high. One plank is cut in half for the short sides of the bed. Four 10-inch pieces of 2x4 are used for corner braces. A drill with a Phillips head screwdriver bit and at least sixteen 3-inch deck screens fastens it all together.
After the sides are all attached, line the bottom with cardboard to smother grass and weeds. Then fill with soil and start planting.
