Elevate your garden with these raised bed garden kits that vary from super easy to install and requiring no tools to more intermediate setup. See which one is right for you from the lineup below.

Vioscapes^® Raised Garden Beds

This simple garden can be constructed in minutes almost anywhere, which makes it a great beginner kit. The interlocking composite planks are made of 40% reclaimed ocean plastics and 60% natural fibers, such as coffee husks. Compostable packaging is made with soy-based ink printing and eco-safe glues so you can use it to line the bottom and suppress weeds the first year. Choose from seven square or rectangle configurations in three color options.

Assembly tools: No tools required
Height options: 5 and 10 inches
Price: Kits start at $49
Source: Vioscapes, vioscapes.com

Vego^™ Garden Classic Collection Modular Metal Raised Garden Bed

Made of long-lasting coated steel, this raised bed will look great for years. It’s finished with food-grade paint, with seven colors to choose from. Panels can be assembled in under an hour into circles, rectangles or customizable shapes, such as a horseshoe.

Assembly tools: Cordless screwdriver and wrench
Height options: 11, 17 and 32 inches
Accessories: Extension panels, solar lights, trellis systems, pest covers, in-ground composter, irrigation systems
Price: Kits start at $99.95
Source: Vego^™ Garden, vegogarden.com or Amazon

Frame It All^™ Garden Bed Kit

Customize a raised bed to fit your needs with this system. Choose from simple rectangle kits to curved, multi-level beds, or go to the company’s website and design your own. Food-grade recycled plastic/hardwood fiber panels come in five colors. Hollow panel centers add insulation from cold and heat. Predrilled panels are secured to corner hinges with snap-in plugs — no hardware needed. The stackable panels interlock so they won’t bow or allow soil to sift between panels.

Assembly tools: Hammer or rubber mallet
Height options: 5½, 11, 16½ and 22 inches
Accessories: Animal barrier panels, trellis systems, cold frame kits
Price: Kits start at $44.99
Source: Frame It All, frameitall.com or Amazon

Lifetime Raised Bed Corners and Connectors

To customize your own bed size and shape, simply fasten milled boards of your choice into these predrilled, powder-coated aluminum right-angle corner brackets. Add inline three-way connectors to extend beds longer than one board allows. Purchase as a set of four or six to build a square or rectangle bed, or in pairs to customize the shape of the bed. Dark brown brackets are available in seven heights you can mix and match to create tiered beds.

Assembly tools: Cordless screwdriver, hardware included with brackets
Height options: 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 23 and 35 inches
Accessories: Inline three-way connectors
Price: Corner pairs start at $31.99
Source: Gardener’s Supply Company, gardeners.com or Amazon

If you’ve ever forgotten an unused bag of premixed concrete outdoors for several days or even weeks, you may already know how quickly it can soak up moisture and harden. What if you could put that tendency to use in a few clever and easy-to-create garden projects? Turns out, you can. All you need to do is set a bag of premixed, ready-to-use concrete in place and wet it down. It will harden in a matter of days. Scroll down to see three easy projects we made from concrete bags.

Tips from the concrete pros

Whatever your project, here are some tips from the folks at QUIKRETE® for success using premixed, ready-to-use concrete bags.

• Use mix in biodegradable bags, not the kind with a plastic lining.
  
• Poke holes in the top of the bag for better saturation when wetting the concrete.
  
• Keep the bags wet by misting or covering with plastic for four days to cure before removing the paper.
  
• Check temperatures before doing your project — do not let the wet bags freeze (below 32 degrees F), or the concrete may crack.
  
• Remove the paper by peeling, pressure washing or burning it off carefully with a torch. Or leave it to degrade on its own.
  

You Might Also Like:
DIY Garden Poles
DIY Firepit
How to Build A Keyhole Garden Bed

Create a raised bed with concrete bags

A raised bed wall is as easy as stacking bags on top of each other and wetting them down. To make a raised bed like the one above, start by choosing which product you’d like to use — bags of pre-mixed, ready-to-use cement/ sand blend, such as QUIKRETE® Sand Mix #1103, come in different sizes and weights. Once you know the bag size, measure the outline of the bed and calculate the number of bags you’ll need. Each block will be the same size as the bag the material comes in.

Tips for building a concrete bag raised bed

Lay out the first row, water it thoroughly, then lay out the second row, staggering each bag over the seams of the previous row and patting them flat (in case the material inside the bag has shifted to one side or another) to fit together more snugly.

For a raised bed less than 2 feet tall, you can simply stack the bags, with no need for reinforcement, though that will make the wall more secure. Walls taller than 2 feet need reinforcement, and since this one was 3 feet tall, it has ½-inch rebar driven through all the layers and into the ground about 8 inches deep. This is easier to do while the material is dry, but also can be done quickly after wetting but before the concrete sets.

Before filling the bed with soil, let the concrete cure for four days by covering it with plastic or wetting it periodically. Once the concrete is cured, you can remove the paper or let it fade naturally as the season goes on. It will eventually deteriorate.

DIY Butterfly puddler

A single bag of premixed concrete is all you need to make the butterfly feeding and watering station in the photo above. Set it in place in the garden and tape the edges of the bag with packing tape to help the bag hold its shape. Cut open the bag face from corner to corner with a box cutter, and peel back the paper, leaving an open rectangle so you can press indentations into the exposed dry concrete mix with a pair of bowls. With the bowls in position to keep the shape, use the mister hose nozzle setting to saturate the mix until it looks like water will seep out if you add more. Twist and loosen the bowls to ensure they won’t stick. After the concrete has cured for four days, peel the bag off.

To fill your butterfly puddler, put a mix of half sand, half compost in one indentation and dampen it for butterflies to get moisture and minerals. Place food sources like overripe bananas or oranges in the other indentation.

See more project details

To find more specific how-to steps for this butterfly puddler made out of a concrete bag, read the full article here!

Create a bench from a concrete bag

On a sheet of plastic, wet a single bag of premixed concrete and let it cure, peel off the paper bag remnants, then simply set it atop two solid concrete blocks to make a rustic bench as in the photo above. It will weather into a natural-looking spot to sit and contemplate your next concrete bag project.

You Might Also Like:
Watch Our Garden Project Videos on YouTube
Best Flowers for Butterflies
Shop the Butterfly Collection

Fix up your wooden garden bench

Outdoor furniture may be all the rage right now, but it’s not a new concept. You’ve probably been using wooden furniture in your yard for years. And if that’s the case, it may be showing the effects of time. Take a look — is your wooden bench gray and mossy? They may not look great, but that doesn’t mean you need to throw them away and buy new. In a single weekend, you can get your old garden bench looking as good as (or better than!) new. Here’s how we took a weathered redwood bench and brought it back to its former glory.

New look for your wooden garden bench

Whether your outdoor furniture is made of teak, redwood or cedar, it’s going to weather if you leave it outside. If you prefer the bright new-wood look, read on! We’ll show you how to get it back with wood brightener and an oil finish.

Materials and tools

• Wooden bench, chair, table or other piece of furniture
• Wood brightening solution (we used Penofin® wood brightener)
• Penetrating oil finish
• Garden hose
• Pump sprayer
• Pressure washer (available for rent at many hardware stores)
• Scrub brush
• Paint brush
• Medium-grit (150) sandpaper
• Sheet of plastic
• Rubber gloves
• Tack cloth

Step 1: Prep area to refresh bench

Prep work is important in this project. Wood brightening solutions contain acid that could bleach your driveway or street while they bleach your wooden furniture, so work on a lawn. The sheet of plastic you see in the photo just adds another layer of protection for the lawn. If you don’t have plastic sheeting, wet down the surrounding grass and plants, so they’re less likely to absorb any solution that gets on them. It’s also a good idea to wear rubber gloves while you work — the wood brightener won’t necessarily hurt you, but it’s best not to get it on your skin. Finally, go ahead and mix up your wood brightening solution in the pump sprayer, according to package directions.

Step 2: Spray down bench with wood brightener

Once you’re set up, spray down your piece of furniture with with water from a garden hose to get rid of any surface debris. Then, using the pump sprayer, spray a fine mist of wood brightening solution over the furniture. Notice how we’re making sure to get solution in all the hard-to-reach areas, such as between slats, down the back and on the underside of the seat. When the bench is fully covered, let the solution sit for 15 minutes. If you see spots start to dry out during that time, spray on a little more solution so the bench stays wet.

Step 3: Scrub garden bench to remove dirt & debris

After 15 minutes, take the scrub brush and lightly scrub dirt and debris (and in our case, moss and lichen) off the wood. You can see it’s hard to get between the slats with the brush. Don’t worry too much about that. The power washer will take care of most of these spots in the next step.

You Might Also Like:
Woodworking Project Plans
How to Build a Wood Raised Garden Bed
Garden Project Ideas

Step 4: Power wash the garden bench

Once you’ve scrubbed down your furniture, use the pressure washer to blast the rest of the brightening solution away. Power washers are available for rent at many hardware stores. Adjust the end nozzle so you have a strong stream of water rather than a fine mist. This is where you’ll see the dramatic results. Isn’t this bench looking like new already? The water pressure may cause the wood to become rough or splintered, but that’s not a big deal — you’ll be able to sand that down later. Just be sure to keep it moving so you don’t end up with deep gouges. When you’ve power washed away all the old gray color, put your furniture somewhere dry and protected, and let it dry. Unless the weather’s humid, overnight should be enough.

Step 5: Sand wood bench smooth

The power washer may leave your furniture rough, but a light sanding with 150-grit sandpaper should smooth things out. You can also use a random orbital sander on the flat spots, but some areas, like this bench’s arms, are easier to finesse with hand sanding. Once your furniture is smooth, wipe away the dust with a tack cloth.

You Might Also Like:
Upcycled Vertical Pallet Planter
Create Your Own Stone Mosaic Stepper
Helpful Gardening Videos on YouTube

Step 6: Apply the finish to your wooden garden bench

We used a transparent penetrating oil finish because we liked the natural color of the wood, but you can find stained oils, too. Brush on a thick coat of oil all over your furniture, adding a little extra to the end grain, where wood really soaks oil up. (See how dark the oil finish looks in the photo? It will dry lighter.) Let the oil soak in for 20 minutes, then wipe down the piece to get off any extra oil. Let your furniture dry overnight. CAUTION: Penetrating oil is very flammable, so hang up rags and paintbrushes to dry overnight so they don’t start a fire in your trash. (They’re safe to toss when dry.) Once the bench is dry, put it back outside and enjoy!

Create your own stone mosaic

A beautiful stone mosaic can be a work of art for your garden. Tuck one into a seating area, make it the focal point of a path… the possibilities are endless! We decided a large circle mosaic would make the perfect start to a shady sideyard path at our test garden. Watch the video above to see how Carrie created this stone mosaic design in our test garden. Find what materials and tools you’ll need to make your own and scroll on for helpful step-by-step instructions.

Materials

• .5-cu.-ft. bag paver base or turkey grit (4)
• Flexible plastic lawn edging with stakes (We used 107 in. of edging for this mosaic)
• .5-cu.-ft. bag paver sand (2)
• 30-lb. bag of 1- to 5-in.-diameter Mexican beach pebbles (1)
• 30-lb. bag of large egg rock Caribbean beach pebbles (1)
• 40-lb. bag of polymeric paver sand (also called paver locking sand) (1)

Tools

• Hula Hoop of desired size (We used 34-in.-diameter hoop for this mosaic)
• Sand or flour for marking
• Shovel - Garden rake
• Tamper
• Plywood scrap
• Rubber mallet
• Level
• Broom
• Wooden board
• Garden hose nozzle with mist setting

Stone mosaic layers cutaway

There are a few important layers of material that need to be in place to create a successful stone mosaic. The diagram above shows a cutaway view of the different materials and proper layering of the paver base, paver sand, decorative stones, and polymeric paver sand for assembly.

Prepare the space

A 34-inch Hula Hoop^® makes an easy template for this circular project. Once you’ve found the perfect spot for your stone mosaic, lay the Hula Hoop down and mark the perimeter with sand or flour. This is an easy way to mark a template for digging that shows up well against the soil. Excavate 4 ½ inches of soil inside the circle.

Level paver base for the stone mosaic

Pour a 3-inch layer of paver base into the excavated circle and level it with a garden rake. Use a tamper to compact.

Next, to provide support for the shape of the design, lay out flexible plastic lawn edging outside the circle and cut to fit. Anchor it in place with the provided stakes. The Hula Hoop helps maintain a perfect round shape while measuring and setting the lawn edging. The top of the lawn edging should be at or just barely above soil level. Finally, add a 1 ½-inch layer of fine-textured paver sand and tamp it down.

You Might Also Like:
Patio Design Ideas
DIY Potting Bench
How to Create a Backyard Retreat

Design your stone mosaic

Various sizes of Mexican beach pebbles and large egg rock Caribbean beach pebbles offer the black-and-white contrast for this mosaic. We sketched several patterns out on paper first and chose the one above because it was simple and symmetrical, but there are so many possibilities. Scroll down to see three inspiring path designs featuring Mexican beach pebbles.

Do a dry run

Play with different design ideas by laying out the stones inside a Hula Hoop centered on a scrap of plywood ahead of time to see how the pebbles will fit. This will save you time later when installing the stones. Then use a garden cart to roll the design near the work area.

Set the stones in place

Start in the center and transfer the pebbles to the mosaic site, pressing each into the paver sand by hand. Tap larger stones in deeper with a rubber mallet so the tops are all at the same level and it is safe to walk on. Smaller pebbles around the perimeter are spaced 1⁄8-inch apart.

Make sure it's level

Make sure to level the tops of all stones to avoid creating a tripping hazard along the path. The 4-foot-long 1×6 board we used above was just the right length to level the design before we set the stone mosaic with polymeric paver sand.

You Might Also Like:
DIY Sandcast Birdbath
Dreamy Cottage Garden in Maine
Our Most Popular Gardening Videos on YouTube

Set the stone mosaic

Once the design is complete, set the mosaic by pouring polymeric paver sand (also called paver locking sand) over the entire surface and sweep into all crevices. Make sure no polymeric sand particles are on the rock as it will harden there, ruining the smooth surface of the design.

To set the stone, use a garden hose nozzle with a mist setting to lightly spray the surface with water. Saturate the polymeric sand according to package directions so water permeates and activates the polymer to harden the sand. __Let it dry completely (about two days) before stepping on the design. __

More stone mosaic inspiration

Mexican beach pebbles are a popular material for using in paths because of their smooth surfaces. Each of these designs shows off this distinctive stone.

A) Pebbles
Mexican beach pebbles closely positioned on their edge create interesting patterns in a path. The design flows organically, like running water.

B) Pebbles + Gravel
The fine texture of pea gravel alternates with smooth Mexican beach pebbles, anchored by metal edging for eye-catching contrast. The metal edging keeps the stones contained and creates a chevron pattern that adds movement, pointing the way for visitors to walk.

C) Pebbles + Gravel + Pavers
Centering square pavers on point within each pebble and gravel block creates a contrast of textures as well as support to each step. Pavers used between materials and along the edges keep the smaller stones anchored in place.

You Might Also Like:
Shop Garden Plans and Woodworking Projects
Colorful Shade Garden Plant Combinations
Before & After: Side Yard Makeover

Pin this Project for later!

Build your own garden poles

These DIY garden poles have a simple design, can be made from supplies you may have on hand (or are inexpensive to buy), and are fun to personalize. The poles in this project are made from a series of stacked 3-1/2-inch square blocks and 3-inch diameter river rocks. I used a chop saw to cut a 4×4 wood post (which are actually 3-1/2 × 3-1/2 inches) into blocks. If you don’t have one, you can ask your lumber source to cut them for you. Watch the video above to see how to make these unique ornaments.

Materials

• 4×4 treated wood post (6-foot length)
• 1/2-inch rebar (two 1-foot lengths)
• 1/4-inch dowel pins (24)
• 1/4-inch aluminum rod (two 3-foot lengths)
• 1-inch painter’s tape
• Exterior wood glue or epoxy
• Semi-transparent stain and brush (I used Cabot® Evergreen and Chesapeake)
• Mexican river rock
• Drill with 1/4- and 1/2-inch drill bits, sandpaper (80-120 grit), metal ruler, chop saw, wood-burning tool, rubber mallet, 1/4-inch dowel centers, hacksaw

Decide on the garden pole design

You can create whatever design you want on the blocks (or leave them plain — wood grain can be beautiful, too!). For efficiency, I did this process first, then cut my 6-foot-long wood posts into blocks, but you could decorate each block individually. I’ll show you how I decorated my blocks in “Block Decor” below. Once the blocks are cut, stack them in different combinations until you find a design that appeals to your taste.

Block Decor

Prep surfaces by lightly sanding with 80-120 grit sandpaper. To get these stripes, I ran a strip of painter’s tape along opposite sides of the post, applied the green semi-transparent stain on all four sides and let it dry. Then I peeled the tape off, masked the edges of the unstained stripes and stained the stripes light blue.

Get creative

I chose to emphasize the stripes with a wood-burned line on each side using its groove tip. You could also use a black or dark brown paint marker to achieve a similar look.

Prestaining saved me time and after cutting the lumber into the blocks, it was easy to play with the arrangement and see the final pattern appear.

Once the blocks were cut, I stained the exposed sides light blue.

Start constructing at the bottom

These poles stand around 32 inches tall, each using seven blocks along with one or two stacks of river rocks. To start assembling, drill a 2-inch-deep hole with a 1/2-inch drill bit in the bottom center of the base block. Insert a 12-inch length of rebar in the hole as in the photo above. This will allow you to leave the remaining 10 inches of rebar to push into the ground and secure the garden pole in place.

Connect the blocks

For a more stable garden pole, I connected my blocks with dowel pins. Drill two 1/2-inch-deep holes in two corners 1-1/4 inches in from the edge on the top of the base block with a 1/4-inch drill bit. The photo above shows how to use dowel centers to transfer the location of one set of dowel holes to the corresponding place in the block above it. Repeat this on each pair of connecting blocks and lock them together with the dowel pins (a little bit of exterior wood glue or epoxy will make it even stronger).

Add river rocks

I like the mixed materials look, so I used 1/4-inch aluminum rods to create a cage for stacked river rocks within each garden pole. With a hacksaw, I cut each rod 2 inches longer than the stack was tall. See how those fit in the pole in the photo above.

Top off the garden pole

I used a block cut at a 20-degree angle as a decorative topper for these garden poles, but you could also use 4×4 post caps from the home center for a finishing touch. That’s what I love about these garden poles: Once you have the basic process down, you can mix and match materials to fit your style easily!

You Might Also Like:
Bird-Feeding Obelisk
DIY Spiral Topiary
How to Make Wine Bottle Garden Lights

Keyhole garden beds

What could be easier than gardening in a raised bed? How about composting at the same time? Let me introduce you to the keyhole garden. A keyhole garden is a round raised bed with a pie-slice cutout for access to a composting basket in the center. The bed is filled with rocks, yard waste, decomposable plant material, and a thick layer of soil/compost on the top for planting. The center basket collects kitchen waste and other biodegradables. Watering into the basket disperses moisture and nutrients throughout the keyhole. This efficient raised bed method of gardening is often used in areas with poor soil unsuitable for growing vegetables.

How to build a keyhole garden

Before you get started constructing your keyhole garden, you will want to prepare the area. Clear enough area to make the garden no more than 6 feet across, so you can easily reach to the middle of the bed. Make sure the area is level so your bed will not be uneven.

Step 1: Lay out the bed

Drive a stake in the center of the bed-to-be. Attach a length of twine loosely to the stake, measure 3 feet out from the center and mark that point on the twine with a knot.

Next, slide a stake or screwdriver through the knot and scratch a circle into the soil to mark out the bed like you see above.

Mark the outline of the keyhole bed and compost basket

Sprinkle sand or flour into the scratched line so you can easily see the outline of the raised bed as you work.

Use the same stake and twine and make an 18-inch-diameter circle in the center to place the composting basket, or use a pot as I did here — an 18-in. nursery pot slipped over the center stake makes a perfect pattern for the composting basket.

Add an access point to the compost basket

Next, draw a wedge to the center of the bed large enough for you to get to the composting basket. Aim this keyhole to the north, the shadiest side of the bed, to keep the sunnier spots for growing.

You Might Also Like:
Garden Gate's Favorite Gardening Products
Why Should You Have a Garden Holding Bed
DIY Cold Frame
Potting Bench Project

Step 2: Construct the side walls

Form the first layer of the outer wall on the marked line. Stack bricks, stones, landscaping blocks, logs — any number of new or repurposed items can form the sides of your keyhole garden.

I used concrete block to make my keyhole garden. Notches in these concrete blocks fitted tight together help prevent them from shifting, as you see in the inset photo above, plus I drove rebar stakes through the center of every other block to help stabilize the wall. I topped it off with cap blocks to cover the holes.

Customize the height of your keyhole garden bed

Build the walls to your desired height — whatever is comfortable for you and easy to access the plants. You can always start lower and add height later. It is easier to build the center composting basket before you get the outer wall of the keyhole garden too high.

Step 3: Construct the composting basket

The sides of the 18-inch-wide center composting basket should be porous so water and nutrients can flow into the keyhole garden. I made mine with a cylinder of hardware cloth, held in place with two rebar stakes. Chicken wire, thatching, even a row of bamboo stakes are good materials to form the basket. You may want to build in a removable block or panel at the bottom of the keyhole's composting basket so you can scoop out finished compost during the growing season. Mine does not have that, but I think it would have made composting easier.

It's not a bad idea to put pavers, block, gravel or even a layer of mulch in the keyhole wedge so it doesn't get muddy as you access the compost basket. Here I used leftover cap blocks and broken pieces of concrete block to create a tidy a place to step.

Step 4: Fill the keyhole bed

Probably the hardest part of the construction is filling the bed. It does take a lot of soil! The top 18 inches of your raised bed should be a good quality soil/compost mixture for planting. The bottom can be filler. Where keyhole gardens are common, cans, rocks, clay pots, branches and all sorts of debris may be tossed in first to fill space, followed by layers of soil, plant matter, wood ash, manure and other biodegradable materials that will become rich compost over time.

I filled mine with the end of the year’s debris and leaves from my garden cleanup on the bottom, then compost, some horse manure, and soil from 3 short raised beds I had deconstructed (and the source of my concrete block) layered in on top.

Top it off

This bed was constructed in the fall so a winter of freezing and thawing would settle the soil and fill holes deep in the bed. If you use a lot of plant debris in the bottom like I did, you may need to add more soil in the spring since the lower layers will break down and the bed will sink a couple of inches.

Don't forget to water the compost basket

Slope the soil layers down and away from the composting basket to the side wall so water will radiate out through the garden. When watering the bed, be sure to water into the compost basket to keep it moist. The water will also pick up nutrients from the developing compost and leach them into the soil of the keyhole garden.

Step 5: Add plants to your keyhole garden bed

Since a keyhole garden is usually more utilitarian than beautiful, it works best for growing vegetables, though there's no reason not to add some trailing nasturtiums or petunias for a pretty touch. Soil warms up faster in spring in a raised bed like this, so you can get a jump on planting cool-weather veggies like peas, broccoli and lettuce. Erect a trellis over the composting basket to grow vining cucumbers or pole beans. And the best part is, there's minimal bending while you weed and harvest!

You Might Also Like:
Cool-Season Vegetables
6 Organic Products to Use in Your Garden
Different Types of Garden Hoses
Best Way to Water Perennials

Compost is a bonus of the keyhole garden

The composting basket is a handy way to get rid of kitchen scraps and weeds, with the bonus of nutrients added effortlessly to the soil as those materials decompose. If the compost basket attracts insects or starts to smell, stir the compost and sprinkle soil over the top, or add a layer of straw, leaves, shredded cardboard or dried grass clippings to the top. In the spring when the basket contents are all broken down and the basket is full, you can remove the compost to mix into the planting layer of the bed. A potato fork works well to pull compost out of the basket.

Stir it up

You can stir the compost with a compost turner occasionally throughout the growing season like you see above, but you can also simply allow debris in the basket to passively compost. In other words, don't mix it up and the bottom layer will will break down and you can scoop it out with a small shovel from the bottom as it composts. If you do it this way, it's easiest to leave a space or a removable panel at the bottom of the basket that opens in the wedge to access the compost.

Try a keyhole bed in your garden!

So if you think you don’t have the right soil to grow vegetables or enough space to compost, try building a keyhole garden. You’ll be amazed at what you can do in a 6-foot circle.

Wood raised garden beds

A wooden raised bed is a classic choice in the garden, relatively inexpensive, and easy to get started with. Untreated cedar, fir, and pine are common choices for wood raised beds. Here’s how to create a 4-ft.-wide, 6-ft.-long, 2-ft.-tall raised bed:

Materials for a wood raised garden bed:

Keep in mind that the lengths of boards can be adjusted based on your desired bed size.

• (4) 4×4 posts cut to the desired height of your garden bed (here we have used 21-in.-tall posts)
• (6) 4-ft.-long 2×8 pieces of lumber
• (6) 6-ft.-long 2×8 pieces of lumber
• 3-in. deck screws

Choosing the right lumber

Make sure to use untreated lumber if you are building the raised bed for vegetables. Treated lumber is OK if using for flowers or ornamental plants. Try to use sustainably sourced, local or regionally produced woods to be more ecologically friendly. A FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification indicates a sustainable choice.

Untreated wood may last five years or so, depending on your climate. Pressure-treated wood has about twice the lifespan but some research suggests the chemicals may not be safe for vegetables. Line the inside of your wood raised bed with plastic if you’re concerned.

Extend the life of your raised bed

To help your wood raised bed have a longer life in the garden, apply a coating of raw linseed oil or tung oil to the inside bed walls to help waterproof untreated wood. Water sealants and latex paints are also okay to use, but be sure to research what chemicals are used in them to be sure they are safe for edibles. Also, don't paint just the outside walls or the wood will take up water and have no way to dry out. Wood side walls need to "breathe" to be able to dry and keep from rotting.

You Might Also Like:
DIY Pallet Raised Garden Bed
Why You Should Have a Garden Holding Bed
Straw Bale Gardening
How to Grow Vegetables in a Galvanized Raised Garden Bed

How to build a wood raised garden bed

Reference the exploded view illustration above and follow the simple steps outlined below to create a simple garden bed out of wood that you can easily customize to fit your needs.

Step 1. Find the right spot for your garden bed

Decide placement of your raised bed and mark with marking spray or a line of flour or sand. Leveling the ground first makes it easier to build your raised bed and keeps it in good shape longer because there’s less stress on the wood.

Step 2. Determine the height of your raised bed

Start with four 4×4 posts cut to the desired height of your raised bed. These are about 21 in. tall. It’s easiest to simply set your anchor posts on top of the soil with the frame; sinking them in the ground isn’t necessary.

Step 3. Build the wood raised garden bed frame

• Build the frame by attaching a 4-ft.-long 2×8 piece of lumber with 3-in. deck screws to the sides of two of the 4×4 posts.
• Repeat with the other 4-ft. 2×8 and two 4×4 posts.
• Next, attach the two ends with the 6-ft.-long 2×8s.

Step 4. Attach the rest of the boards

Now that your bed frame is in place, repeat step 3 two more times, stacking the 2×8s vertically.

Step 5. Fill your raised bed with soil

Next, fill the box with a mix of half regular topsoil and half compost. Use your own compost, well-aged manure, bagged compost, or bulk compost from a reliable source. Soil may settle the first season, so water it in thoroughly and give it a couple weeks before planting if you can, then top off if you need to. Now you’re ready to plant!

Reinforce the corners

If you want an even sturdier wood raised garden bed, consider fastening metal corner brackets to each corner with 3-in. deck screws to reinforce the corner seams and keep them from popping open or developing a crack where soil can escape. You can find decorative corner brackets to dress up your raised garden bed, or some that allow you to eliminate the corner post and simply fit your side wall boards into the corner bracket for quick and easy construction.

Make your own stepping stones in 4 easy steps

Using the materials below you can make your own unique stepping stone that's more like a piece of garden art to spruce up your patio or path. Create a unique tabletop to set your drink on as you relax on the patio or one-of-a-kind steppers that make getting around the garden easier and more elegant.

Tools & materials

• Pizza box
• Plastic bag
• Ready-to-use concrete mix
• Leaves from the garden
• Disposable gloves
• Scissors
• Duct tape
• Stiff bristled brush

How to make a concrete stepping stone

Step 1: Make a form for the stepping stone

Cut the lid off the pizza box and reinforce each corner with duct tape. Then cut the bottom and side seam of a kitchen garbage bag to fit and secure it with tape to the box. This keeps the concrete from sticking to the cardboard.

You Might Also Like:
How To Make a Sand-Cast Birdbath
DIY Privacy Screen
Side Yard Makeover
Patio Design Ideas

Step 2: Mix the concrete

Mix fast-drying concrete with water, according to package directions, until it’s the consistency of a thick brownie mix. Fill the pizza box with the mix, making sure to push it into the corners.

Step 3: Start decorating the stepping stone

Press the leaves into the wet concrete surface. You may need to weigh part of a leaf down here and there with small stones to get the leaf to make contact with the concrete. Water may rise to the surface of the stepper, but don’t worry — it will evaporate.

Step 4: Cure and clean up the stepping stone

When the concrete has cured, or hardened, gently take it out of the box and pull out the leaves. Curing time can vary depending on the weather — ours took a couple of days. If a leaf sticks, you can scrub it out with a toothbrush or stiff bristled brush, otherwise you can let it wear away with time. Now your DIY stepping stone is ready to be placed out in the garden to enjoy! They also make great gifts for garden friends.

You Might Also Like:
How to Plant a Terrarium
DIY Upcycled Potting Bench
How to Make a Kokedama
Home Grown Lavender Sugar Scrub

Get creative with your DIY stepping stone

If you don't have a path in need of stepping stones you can use the same process and a 16 inch pizza box to create a decorative table top for your deck or patio. We gave this wrought iron table with a glass top a seasonal look by placing the stepper on top. Adding rubber stoppers on the corners of the concrete help protect the glass and keep the stepper from moving around.

Are you tired of using the picnic table for potting up seedlings? Do you repot houseplants on top of the dining room table? If so, then this DIY potting bench is guaranteed to make your life easier. We found this drop-leaf table at a flea market for $25 and transformed it into a great-looking upcycled potting bench that you can customize to suit your garden needs and sensibilities. Watch the video above or follow our step-by-step instructions below to find out how we did it.

Make a sturdy potting bench

Many of the ready-made potting benches are made with thin boards and can be wobbly to work on. And the potting benches that are sturdier and better built come with a hefty price tag. Repurposing an unused table solves both issues. Look for a table with sturdy legs and one that’s large enough to provide adequate work space as a potting bench. Keep in mind the size of the drop leaves, as that will determine the size of your final work surface.

You Might Also Like:
Upcycled pallet planter
DIY garden chandelier
7 ways to upcycle plastic bottles in the garden
DIY privacy screen

Add stylish and handy features

We added a shelf and cut a hole for a built-in and removable enamelware bowl as a sink, a handy feature for mixing up potting soil, for cleaning tools or for catching plant trimmings. The colors for the table are a neutral gray (for the surface and backboard), light gray (for the legs) and black (for the trim) for an on-trend and elegant color scheme.

Customize your potting bench

The best part about making a DIY potting bench is that you get to customize the design to suit your style and gardening needs. We added lots of fun details like vintage faucet knobs as tool hooks and a wire basket to hold miscellaneous items like garden tools or gloves.

How to make your own DIY potting bench

Check out the materials and tools list to see what you will need. Then click through the slideshow below to see how we created this one-of-a-kind potting bench.

Materials

• Drop leaf table
• Enamelware bowl or galvanized tub
• Wooden garden tool handles or dowels for shelf legs (at least 1¼ inch diameter)
• (3) 1½×1½-in. black corner braces (L brackets)
• (12) #7 galvanized Phillips flathead screws
• (5) 8×1½-in. GRK fasteners or deck screws (2 for shelf legs, 3 for backboard)
• Shelf 4 in. shorter than the width of the table (ours was a 6-in.-wide piece of 1-in.-thick plywood with a decorative routed edge)
• Semi-gloss exterior paint
• 4 black rubber tips (for legs)

Tools

• Drill
• Jigsaw with downcut blade
• 5⁄16, 1⁄8 and 3⁄32-in. wood drill bits
• Masking tape
• Permanent marker
• Sandpaper

Trellis for pole beans

Here’s a design perfect for pole beans. This method makes fall cleanup a snap.

Materials

• (2) 1-ft.-long 2×2s
• (2) 5-ft.-long 2×2s
• Galvanized screws
• (6) eye screws
• Approx. 27 ft. of 16-gauge galvanized steel wire
• Twine

How to build the trellis for pole beans

• Using galvanized screws, attach a 1-ft.-long 2×2 (A) to the top of a 5-ft.-long 2×2 (B) to form a “T” post. Make a second “T” post the same way.
• On the inside of each horizontal crossover (A), drill two small holes 3½ in. from the ends. Insert eye screws into these holes to hold the two top wires (C).
• About 16 in. from the bottom of each vertical 2×2 (B), drill another hole and insert an eye screw facing the same direction as the eye screws in the horizontal crossover (A).
• Space the posts 8 ft. apart and sink them 1 ft. into the ground. Connect the eye screws from one post to the other with 16-gauge galvanized steel wire (two on top; one on bottom).
• Run twine from one top wire, under the lone bottom wire, and up to the other top wire, forming a narrow “V.” Just tie it in place.
• At the end of the season, just cut down the twine and vines still hanging in place.

You Might Also Like:
Vegetable Garden with Curb Appeal
7 Easy Plants to Start from Seed
Growing Vegetables in Galvanized Raised Garden Beds

Make a trellis with branches

This structure is highly flexible, so its final size is up to you. It's perfect for pole beans and peas.

Materials

• (5) 5-ft. branches
• (8) 4-ft. branches
• (2) 2-ft. branches

How to make a trellis with branches

• Cross two 5-ft. branches (A) to form a long-legged “X” and tie them together where they intersect. Take a 2-ft. branch (B) and tie it near the bottom of the “X” to form a triangle with legs.
• Make another triangle just like the first.
• Position the two triangles about 4 ft. apart and sink the legs into the ground. Lay a 5-ft. branch (C) on top of the two triangles, leaving the ends sticking out.
• Tie the 4-ft. branches (D) so they hang from the 5-ft. branch (C) and touch the ground.
• Train your vegetables up these 4-ft. sticks

Make a hoop trellis

It doesn’t get simpler than this design. Use the hoops to grow pole beans (four plants per leg), and fill the area underneath with an early crop of peas or spinach.

Materials

• (2) 12-ft.-long, ½-in.-diameter black poly pipes
• (4) 2-ft.-long metal or wooden rods, ⅜ in. in diameter
• Twine

How to make a hoop trellis

• Sink two rods into the ground about 6 ft. apart. Leave 6 in. exposed.
• Connect the rods with an arching 12-ft.-long section of black-poly pipe
• Make another hoop this same way, binding the two with twine where they cross.

You Might Also Like:
Woodworking Projects for the Garden
Upcycled Trellis Idea
DIY Potting Bench How To
Quick-Growing Annual Vines

Sturdy trellis

This design is perfect for vegetables that need a little sturdier structure. Squash, cucumbers, melons and even tomatoes are good candidates. It could also be replicated just by leaning a construction pallet or ladder against a fence and training plants on it. The final size of this structure will depend on the height of your fence or wall.

Materials

• (2) 2×4s (A) about a third longer than the height of what they’re leaning against
• Several pieces of ¾ × ½-in. wood, 3 to 4 ft. long
• Nails

How to make a sturdy trellis

• Cut the tops and bottoms of both 2×4s at a 45-degree angle.
• Using paneling nails, attach rungs of ¾ × ½-in. wood (B) every few inches.
• For lightweight vegetables, simply lean the legs against the fence. With heavier produce, you may need extra support, such as concrete pavers, to set ends into.