How to Build a Raised Garden Bed on a Slope

[@BenjaminHibbler]

I know this video is three yr old, but it gave me just the right info I needed to do the project for my summer gardens. Thanks so much!

[@Woodified]

Glad it was helpful!

[@joelfuller5825]

Thanks for the video great advice!

[@youtuuba]

From my own experiences, using regular pine (or spruce) boards in outdoor locations that are also in contact with the ground will likely result in early rot. Maybe not after one year, but way sooner than desirable. If you can get pressure treated lumber, that would be better. Cedar boards are what is usually used for raised gardens, and I have gotten at least a decade out of my cedar raised gardens before I decide to replace them....and it is not due to rot, but to gradual warping of the boards that pulls the joints apart. You have some very hefty looking boards in this video, but then use those anemic corner reinforcing pieces. I very much doubt that those provide much real strength.....when those big boards warp or otherwise deform, those wimpy pieces will just tear or disintegrate, or the screws will pull right through them. The other thing I have both experienced and read about, is that on these raised bed gardens, it is best to not expose end grain to the elements. On mine, after joining the main boards at the corners, I add two more short boards, joined in an "L" shape, that are oriented so their grain is vertical, then put a few screws through to hold those over the main corners (where end grain of one board is exposed), then put some sort of cap over the whole corner to cover the end grain of those protective pieces. I usually use aluminum sheet metal, tacked down to the boards with screws or nails, and the edges folded over. This way, there is no place where end grain is directly exposed to the elements.

[@Woodified]

I agree that pine and spruce are not as good as cedar. However in my neck of the woods cedar needs to be shipped in so it's really expensive wood. If I was not eating the berries from the garden pressure treated would have been a good reasonably priced lumber. I expect the inside corner pieces to be the first to rot. So far the beds have not visual signs of rot. I was worried that the winter freeze would split the the beds apart but they have not moved.

[@semanticsamuel936]

Interesting - thanks for this. I've got this awkward strip of ground directly outside my house and the fence up to the neighbour's garden. It's about 2.5 m wide total, with 1 m being the concrete path to my door. The rest of it slopes down, fairly steeply, towards the fence. It's also the sunniest part of my garden so would be ideal for fruit and veg, and it's fairly long so it's quite a lot of space that I'm currently wasting. I'm planning on using some old boards of laminate flooring that will just go to waste otherwise. They're fairly strong, but not quite sure how they'll respond to having screws through them. They also an absolute pain to cut (with a regular handsaw, which is all I've got) because they're plastic and sort of melt, which makes them very hard work.

[@Woodified]

It will be interesting to see how well the flooring holds up to the elements. Pre-drilling the screw holes should make screwing them together easier. Good Luck!

[@ESCAGEDOWOODWORKING]

Great project! I dig the stacking idea!

[@Woodified]

Thanks Eloy! Now I need to learn to grow something other than weeds, lol

[@kimmom7785]

Hoping I get my guy to make my boxes for next year !

[@Woodified]

It's nice to see lumber prices coming back to Earth.

[@mamabearssheshedtracykeato6941]

Thank you for sharing that. That's a really cool set up! I have no idea how I would do something like that only because my backyard is nothing but Hills. This might be an option for me though. Thank you very much for the inspiration. Thank you again for sharing!

[@Woodified]

The hardest part was avoiding the bugs, LOL! Good luck if you decide to build some.

[@stjm94]

Cool 😎

[@Woodified]

Thank you!!

[@drakthorzodin-son3643]

I need to make it on a wide slope. Just going to rely on a circular saw i think. seems simple enough. Although i was just going to get compost ready in them to get some nice worms going in the beds and get some good naturally fertilized crops going.

[@Woodified]

Absolutely! A circular saw will do the job. Happy gardening.

[@drakthorzodin-son3643]

@@Woodified Still have not gotten around to it due to snow. Although im also contemplating a koi pond ducks(assists with pest control) and maybe catfish in the koi pond to see if i can create a nice little eco system in the backyard

[@circle4922]

If you use this method and want to apply some landscape fabric, I guess the best way to do it would be to line the whole box with a layer from the top once the box is built and finished? Otherwise, if just laid on the ground below the box, theres lots of gaps in the sides/rocks at the bottom for pests/bugs and weeds to get in? What do you think?

[@Woodified]

I didn't used any weed barrier as the soil in the box is deep enough to block the weeds from growing up. Any weeds will be from seeds that get in the new soil. I'm into the second growing season and so far I've hard no weed problems. Although I've had the soil covered with straw since planting my raspberries. Here's what the raised beds look like after one year kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3jKgJWOlpufnNE

[@circle4922]

@@Woodified Cool, nice one. Thanks.

[@shriyaskuttyfarm]

Awesome.Good video.Result of hard work. Give your valuable comments to improve our channel thank you. Stay connected and stay blessed

[@Woodified]

thanks 4 watching

[@maryjaneburnett2114]

Can you do this with above ground garden boxes? I guess I would need to place something under the legs to make up for the slant. I did notice you have rocks in your yard. I would like to do that next to my brick wall fence to keep the mold/mildew from growing. How did you select the rocks you used?

[@Woodified]

The rocks are what the local landscaper had. Local granite rocks.

[@lizdfroner]

I have big hill in my backyard , Im starding study english for make the same in my yard.

[@Woodified]

If you have any questions I'll try my best to answer them for you.

[@ahnnhi8433]

Do you need to do a layer of stones to help with drainage or put stones on the lower sloped end to help drainage but keep the soil in place?

[@Woodified]

I didn't use any stones for drainage. I used all soil. With the beds being raised there is no surface water running into the beds.

[@mikewright902]

Nice video but would love an emphasis on leveling since you were leveling a box🤣!! And that in the title!! But altogether very basic good video thank you

[@Woodified]

HI Mike I appreciate the constructive feedback. thank you.

[@Woodified]

Hey Mike. You asked for a emphasis on leveling. I found some footage that I cut the first time round. Enjoy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYmtkmitibWNsJo

[@tracyreid1230]

I want to turn my front sloped yard into two rows of raised garden beds with a strip of lawn in the middle. It is a pretty steep slope. I will need to tier them. When I do that, should I start at the highest point on the hill or the lowest point? In other words, do I start at the bottom or top of the hill? Thanks!

[@Woodified]

I would start at the bottom of the slope and work up. Dig out the soil for the first raised bed until the box is level. If it's a big job you might want to get a landscaper to do a design for you.

[@robreke]

so basically dig the ground away...what I've been doing . I was on here looking for an easier way instead of digging half a day haha.

[@Woodified]

Pretty much, LOL!

[@blaccdzcalexas7552]

Crap, was trying to avoid digging that much , I have a HUGE yard

[@Woodified]

@@blaccdzcalexas7552 If you have a big job it might make sense to rent a mini excavator--That would be fun!

[@simsim5919]

Why is it on an angle, ? I thought you wanted it level?

[@Woodified]

The bed is level. The ground is sloped.

[@rileyesposito3043]

Wish I can find someone do this for me.

[@Woodified]

Check with a local landscaping company. They should be able to build a garden for you. I think you could do it yourself. Good luck

[@rileyesposito3043]

Thanks, will try

[@LuisGarcia-uk5rn]

Did you use treated lumber? If not, I'm curious how it's held up with the weather.

[@Woodified]

No. The lumber is not treated. I got rough cut lumber from a local saw mill. I wanted to get Hemlock but they didn't have enough boards so I got spruce. Cedar would have been the best but there is not a lot of cedar where I live so its very expensive. I was out on the weekend inspecting the beds as the snow has started to melt. The beds are in still in good shape on the outside. No signs of rot after one year. The wood will probably last 7-10 years before it needs to be replaced.

[@richmarxist]

Hello. Do you anchor the boxes to the ground somehow or do you just set it down? Thanks

[@Woodified]

I leveled the ground where the garden boxes were being placed, as best I could, then I just set the boxes on the ground.

[@richmarxist]

@@Woodified Thanks! In your experience is there any real need to anchor them?

[@Woodified]

@@richmarxist I don't think so as you're leveling the ground where the box is sitting. I made 3 garden boxes on a steeper slope in my backyard and the have not moved yet. You can see those at this point in the video kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX3QhqGEptOCiNE