I’m a huge fan of vegetable gardening – or any gardening for that matter – in raised beds. There are many reasons raised beds are great for gardens like being able to garden nearly anywhere (even on rocky ground), controlling the soil, or planting more plants in a smaller space but what actually makes a good raised bed? The best raised beds give you all the advantages I just mentioned and can be made of many different kinds of materials. Here are just some of the best materials for raised beds.
The Best Materials for Raised Beds
In my mind the best raised bed materials are those that will last for a long time, are low on care or maintenance, and provide a healthy environment for plants and the people who eat them.
Natural Rocks
Natural rock raised beds definitely give you form and function – especially if you like the rustic/natural look (I’m a fan).
- Advantages: Solid, no maintenance, can be made into multiple shapes and forms.
- Disadvantages: Can be heavy to move around, may need mortared together to gain bed height.
Bricks
Reclaimed bricks make excellent raised bed materials.
- Advantages: Solid, no maintenance, can be made into multiple shapes and forms.
- Disadvantages: Can be expensive in large quantities, if small may need mortared together to gain bed height.
Concrete Blocks
Concrete blocks made for construction are very economical.
- Advantages: Solid, no maintenance, fairly inexpensive
- Disadvantages: Very heavy to move around, may not look as nice as other options.
Cedar or Redwood
Durable wood materials that naturally resist rot.
- Advantages: Resist rot and will last several years. Easy to assemble.
- Disadvantages: Can be expensive, will eventually need replaced
Metal Raised Beds
Metal raised beds are durable and sturdy. Their best feature is their longevity. Raised beds can last for many years before they begin to have issues. Wood will rot in a just few years even pressure treated lumber, raised beds last so much longer! There are two downsides to raised beds: the materials can be harder to work with and the tend to be more expensive. The cost can be offset because of the longevity benefits. When building a raised bed you can opt for materials that are close to the size and shape you are looking for and make it a little easier to build.
Two Metal Raised Bed Options
Below are two metal options. One is a DIY version I built several years ago. It uses pressure treated lumber on the exterior for structure and metal roofing. The second option is a raised bed that can be purchased.
Olle® Raised Bed Garden is easy to assemble and very well made. Here is an affiliate link to it on Amazon if you are interested in learning more. Olle® Raised Garden Bed
Pots for Planting Vegetables
Believe it or not pots are great raised beds for vegetable gardening.
- Advantages: You control the soil, can move the pots into the best locations or indoors if there is danger of frost. Pots can be grown on decks, patios, in formal gardening areas, or anywhere you have space.
- Disadvantages: Dry out fast and need frequent watering, need to find the right vegetables for the pots (determinant, dwarf, or bush type plants)
Good Raised Bed Materials
Good raised beds offer the function of a raised bed vegetable garden but may require some maintenance or repairs over time. They can be very functional yet attractive at the same time.
Untreated wood
Untreated beds will last only a couple years but are inexpensive and easy to put together.
- Advantages: Untreated wood raised beds are generally inexpensive and easy to assemble into basic shapes. The wood is natural and doesn’t have chemicals.
- Disadvantages: Will need replaced within 2-3 years, could attract termites – don’t put too close to your home. It will break down over time but the wood material will contribute to the enrichment of the surrounding soil.
Mounded Beds
Mounding is a good way to do a raised bed garden without sides for retaining soil. Mounding is where you create a taller soil mound toward the middle of your raised beds. With mounding you don’t need to have sides on the raised bed.
- Advantages: Inexpensive, easy to build. Mounded raised beds do not have materials that will break down over time.
- Disadvantages: Lack of barriers for soil retention may cause erosion of the bed over time.
Poured Concrete
- Advantages: Will last a long time, very solid, looks good and can be stained/painted
- Disadvantages: It takes a lot of labor and time to set up. Can’t be moved easily – fairly permanent.
Neutral Raised Beds
Pressure Treated Lumber
Older pressure treated lumber should be avoided. The treating process used to use arsenic but that is no longer the case. New pressure treated lumber is probably fine although I won’t use it for edibles (I’m paranoid). Today’s pressure treated lumber contains copper which probably won’t leach into your soil in significant enough quantities to cause any harm.
- Advantages: Resists rot and will last several years.
- Disadvantages: Depending on the type pressure treated wood its toxicity may be in question. (with modern pressure treating this may no longer be an issue.)
Poor and Bad Raised Bed Materials
Old Tires
- Advantages: Easy to come by and easy to assemble
- Disadvantages: Will eventually degrade and release toxic chemical into the soil – not good for vegetables! May not be very aesthetically pleasing – I’m not a fan.
Once you have figured out what the best materials for raised beds are you need to know how to design your garden layout. If you are putting together a new raised bed garden this year you may want to look at this post: Designing a Raised Bed Vegetable Garden 11 Things to Think About.
I’m very partial to using stone and bricks as raised bed even though most of mine are built from cheap, readily available untreated pine. What materials do you like best for your raised beds?
How Deep do Raised Garden Beds Need To Be?
Raised beds are a great option for gardeners but how deep do they really need to be? The depth of a raised garden bed is an important factor to consider because it can greatly impact the health and productivity of your plants. The true answer to How deep do raised gardens need to be really is it depends! What the…
Raised Bed Garden Ideas (Planning for the New Garden)
Pretty soon we’ll be relocating to our new home. Our family is very excited about this but it also means starting the garden all over again. Everything including raised beds, sheds, and arbors will have to be rebuilt. While this is a tremendous amount of work I think it’s a great opportunity to start again and redevelop our garden with…
Discover more from Growing The Home Garden
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
One of best gardening friends (Geri) told me the best advice she ever received when she moved here was to build raised beds. Such a simple answer to a difficult soil situation as many gardeners have in Tennessee.
I'm switching out PTL for Cinder blocks. Planting the voids with flowers or maybe something to make a "shrub" border.
I have begun recycling beer and wine bottles(neck end buried).
I've been using cedar. It's a little pricey but easy to work with, resists rot, and doesn't contain treatment chemicals. Also it looks cool when it fades to grey!
Ive been weighing my options…both in price and materials. Aside from the recycling get creative option. Concrete is actually the cheapest material. Although probably the most difficult option, if your handy or experienced in building, its actually rather easy. Ive put together a design to build reusable molds in different shapes to pour w/ concrete. They can be carried around and interlocked to make the beds. Straight pieces, curves. Ive yet to try it w/ raised bed forms, but have used recycled glass gravel in addition to the gravel in mixing the concrete- during cure time brush and rise of the surface to show the glass and gravel. All the wooden beds Ive made over the years were nice and worked well, but even cedar and redwood rot and attract termites- and neither are cheap especially replacing every so many years. If I decide to do a more permanent straight one piece concrete raised beds, it will actually be easier.
I'm starting my first garden ever! I'm so excited to build raised beds in my small space. Your post was very informative! I think I'll try the concrete blocks. I know it will be a lot of work but I'm sure it will be worth it (and I'll get a bonus workout).
Thank you!
For the past three years, I've used links of guttering to contain my raised beds. I either put bricks every couple of feet in them to hold them in place until they are filled with dirt or I've used concrete in them. At any rate, edging with weedeaters doesn't damage them, they remain white (or the color you choose) for a long period of time and do not rot. I have one now that I've added another round of gutters to (two gutters high). At the ends I either shape the gutter on the end to fit the side gutter or I put a square post painted white.
When you say "guttering" what do you mean? Is there another term for the same thing? Your solution sounds interesting and I would like to check it out.
-Verna
Don't forget corrugated iron (at least that's what we call it in Australia. It needs to have a little wood to frame it and make it less dangerous (cuts and such) but it quite cheap (even free) and effective.
I am considering using the 4 x 4 plastic political campaign signs from previous campaigns
Would composite material or polypropylene leach chemicals into the soil?