Grow Herbs, Vegetables, Flowers, and More With a Raised Garden Bed—Here Are the Best Ones (2024)

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Cultivate a bountiful garden with these raised garden beds.

By

Renee Freemon Mulvihill

Grow Herbs, Vegetables, Flowers, and More With a Raised Garden Bed—Here Are the Best Ones (1)

Renee Freemon Mulvihill

Renee Freemon Mulvihill has been writing for Better Homes & Gardens for more than a year, where she has focused on gardening and outdoor products. Her work has also appeared in Secrets of Getting Organized, Dream Kitchens & Baths, Houseplants, Halloween Tricks & Treats, Living the Country Life, and several of the Real Simple Special Interest Publications.

Learn about BHG's Editorial Process

Updated on February 15, 2024

In This Article

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  • Our top picks
  • Reviews
  • The Bottom Line
  • What to Know Before Shopping
  • Your Questions, Answered
  • Who We Are

Grow Herbs, Vegetables, Flowers, and More With a Raised Garden Bed—Here Are the Best Ones (2)

Raised garden beds have numerous advantages over growing in the ground: they elevate the garden space so there’s less need for bending and they help the soil warm up faster in spring so you can get an early start on the gardening season.

They can also help keep weeds and pesky critters, like moles or deer, at bay. Plus, they allow you the opportunity to have decent soil, says Lindsay Miller, horticultural writer for Gardener’s Supply Company. “Since it’s not being compacted by foot traffic, raised bed soil stays fluffy and aerated, and it’s also much easier to amend the soil to meet your specific growing needs,” she says.

When you’re shopping for raised beds, Viveka Neveln, senior garden editor at Better Homes & Gardens, offers some advice. "You want something that allows you to easily reach all parts of the bed without having to step on the raised bed, but you also want it large enough for all the plants that you want to grow."

What We Researched

  • Durability: Raised garden beds are made of several different materials, such as wood and metal, which can affect how well they stand up to the elements and how long they will last.
  • Size: It’s important to consider how much space a raised garden bed will require—and how many plants you can grow in it. Also, you’ll want to make sure you can reach all areas of the garden bed easily.
  • Planting Depth: Raised garden beds vary in depth; this can be important if you plan to grow plants with long roots, or if the quality of soil below the garden bed is poor.
  • Ease of Assembly: Some raised beds are easy to set up, while others require tools and time for assembly.

Our Top Picks

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Best Overall

Vego Garden Raised Garden Bed Kit

Grow Herbs, Vegetables, Flowers, and More With a Raised Garden Bed—Here Are the Best Ones (3)

Why You Should Get It

  • You can put this raised garden bed together in nine different ways to fit your gardening space.

Keep in Mind

  • It’s not the cheapest option, especially if you purchase some of the optional accessories that can be used with the raised garden bed.

Our top overall pick for the best raised garden bed is the Vego Garden 9-in-1 Raised Garden Bed Kit because it can be configured nine different ways.

You can assemble all twelve pieces that come with the kit into a raised garden bed that is either 2 x 8 feet or 3.5 x 6.5 feet. You can also use some of the pieces to create smaller beds in a variety of shapes—simply choose the configuration that best suits your space.

This durable metal bed was designed by combining zinc, magnesium, and aluminum coated steel with a USDA-approved paint to ensure it will last season after season. The material is also highly resistant to corrosion and boasts a 20-plus year lifespan, and it’s recyclable and safe to use for growing food.

Rubber edging ensures there are no sharp edges that can cause injury. The raised bed is available in three colors: green, white, and gray.

With a generous depth of 17 inches, you can grow pretty much anything in this bed—even plants with deep roots, like tomatoes or parsnips. Plus, you don’t have to bend down as far when you are weeding or working in the garden.

We love all the accessories that are compatible with these raised garden bed kits, such as an arched trellis. Of course, keep in mind that all these accessories can substantially increase your total cost.

This raised garden bed does need to be put together, but it’s simply a matter of assembling the pieces and tightening the included fasteners.

Product Details: Dimensions: ‎24 x 96 x 17 inches | Material: Metal

Why You Should Get It

  • Made of breathable, non-woven fabric, these garden beds are a cinch to set up and can be cleaned out and folded up for easy storage in the off-season.

Keep in Mind

  • Because they are relatively small, these raised garden beds are only designed to hold three mid-size plants.

Like other grow bags and grow beds made of fabric, the Linksandt Fabric Grow Bags are extremely easy to set up. No assembly is required—all you have to do is place them where you want them and fill them with soil. They are made of a breathable non-woven fabric, which allows the roots to breathe, lets excess water drain out, and promotes healthy roots.

The fabric garden beds include three drainage holes to enhance the fabric’s natural drainage and ensure the soil in the bed doesn’t become too wet. These raised garden beds also include partitions to divide each bed into three distinct growing spaces, helping gardeners organize the garden bed.

Many larger fabric grow beds can be difficult to move around once they are filled with soil—they get heavy and their flexible sides can make them harder to pick up than a rigid container. Reinforced handles, as well as the beds’ small size, make it easy to move the garden bed around your yard, patio, or deck.

Sold as a pack of two, these 1 x 3-foot garden beds can be used in small spaces, such as a patio or balcony—although of course their small size also limits the number of plants you can grow in them.

At 11.8 inches deep, they’re deep enough to accommodate a wide array of garden plants. Once the season is over, you can empty them, wash them, and fold them up for easy storage.

Product Details: Dimensions: 35.4 x 11.8 x 11.8 inches | Material: Fabric

Best Splurge

Gardener’s Supply Co. Elevated Cedar Planter Box

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Why You Should Get It

  • This elevated planting box raises up the garden work area so you don’t have to bend over.

Keep in Mind

  • This garden bed is relatively narrow and not as deep as some, so it may not accommodate all the plants you want to grow. Be sure to research planting depth and space requirements of plants before purchasing.

The Gardener’s Supply Co. Elevated Cedar Planter Box has several advantages that make its higher cost worth it. The garden bed sits 29 inches off the ground, so you won’t have to bend over to tend your plants.

it’s also constructed of materials that are both durable and stylish. The box is made of cedar, which is naturally rot resistant. Aluminum corners and legs are rustproof and will hold up well in the elements, and they provide a visual contract to the natural cedar wood.

The box is 10 inches deep—this will accommodate many plants but will not be deep enough for plants with especially long roots. Also, keep in mind that since this planter box is elevated, it’s not possible for plants to grow into the soil below.

If you plan on growing plants with deep roots, you may want to opt for another choice like the Vego Garden 9-in-1 Raised Garden Bed Kit. We also like that this raised garden bed comes with a slatted base and a permeable fabric liner, which help to keep the soil in place and ensure proper drainage.

Product Details: Dimensions: 24 x 96 x 29 inches | Material: Cedar and aluminum

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Best with Cover

Potey Raised Garden Bed with Planter Box

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Why You Should Get It

  • It comes with a cover to keep plants warm in the winter as well as a cover to protect plants from insects during the summer.

Keep in Mind

  • This raised garden bed is relatively shallow so it won’t accommodate plants with deep roots unless you have good, fertile soil underneath it.

The Potey Raised Garden Bed with Planter Box comes with not just one, but two greenhouse covers you can use during the gardening season. You’ll receive one PE cover to use in the winter to keep your plants warm and get a head start on the gardening season. You’ll also get a PE net to protect plants from insects during the summer.

The bed itself is made from galvanized steel which is durable and resistant to corrosion. Extra-thick panels (up to 6 millimeters thick) make this raised bed extra sturdy, as do two connecting rods in the middle of the bed that help provide support.

Four greenhouse hoops help keep the covers in place and multiple sets of vent holes on the side of the raised garden bed help provide soil aeration and improve drainage.

The best raised garden beds are both practical and stylish, and this model checks both boxes nicely. It does require assembly, but the process is quick and easy.

Keep in mind that at only 9.8 inches deep it won’t accommodate plants with deep roots well (unless you have good, healthy soil beneath it). At 19.7 inches wide, it’s relatively narrow which makes reaching plants easy, but will also limit how much you can fit in the bed.

Product Details: Dimensions: 65 x 19.7 x 9.8 inches | Material: Metal

Best for Patios

Edostory Vertical Garden Planter

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Why You Should Get It

  • This raised garden bed has five beds stacked on top of each other—plus, it has wheels for easy maneuverability.

Keep in Mind

  • The planter boxes are shallow, so they’re only suitable for plants with shallow roots, such as flowers and herbs.

If you have a small yard or patio, you may want to utilize vertical space instead of horizontal space. The Edostory Vertical Garden Planter is actually five raised beds stacked on top of each other, which allows you to make optimum use of vertical space on your patio or deck.

The shelf that holds the raised bed planters is sturdy and made of high-quality steel to prevent rusting. Drainage holes on the planting boxes help ensure your plants’ roots won’t get waterlogged.

Four wheels make it easy to move the setup as needed. All of the wheels can then be locked into place to make sure it doesn’t move once you’ve found your favorite spot.

This raised garden bed will likely work well for shorter annual flowers and many herbs, but because the planter boxes are only 7 inches deep, they won’t work as well for plants with long roots. Plus, the five planter boxes are close together, which may cause problems for taller plants.

This raised bed system does require assembly, but it comes together fairly easily and the tools you need are included in the package. As a nice bonus, the raised garden bed comes with gardening tools to help you dig into your new hobby: digging claw gloves, a garden trowel, and pruning shears.

Although this system may not work for every plant, it offers a great way to squeeze a lot into a small footprint. The 4.5-foot vertical bed is available in brick red or green to match your outdoor style.

Product Details: Dimensions: 26 x 28 x 54 inches | Material: Alloy steel

Why You Should Get It

  • This raised garden bed features separate planting pockets for up to eight herb plants.

Keep in Mind

  • You’ll have to replace the liners every couple of years, and it’s recommended to reapply a food-safe preservative to the wood every year.

The VegTrug Herb Garden provides an easy way to set up an herb garden anywhere you want it. Although you could grow flowers in this raised bed, too, it’s designed for herbs and features eight compartments for growing up to eight different herbs in one spot.

Separate pockets for each plant create an orderly look and help ensure more vigorous plants don’t take over the whole planting area. This raised bed can be a great addition to a balcony or patio—you can place it right outside your home’s back door so you have easy access to herbs whenever you’re cooking or grilling.

The 31.5-inch height elevates the gardening surface and reduces the amount of bending required on a regular basis. The raised bed is made from cedar, so it’ll stand up well to the elements, and it’s been treated with a food safe preservative so you can feel confident about safely growing edible crops in it.

It also includes a lower shelf for stowing watering cans, seed packets, or gardening tools within reach. The raised bed also comes with replaceable and biodegradable liners for each growing pocket.

You do need to assemble the product and may need to replace the liners every year or two. The manufacturer also recommends reapplying a food safe preservative every year.

Product Details: Dimensions: 31 x 31 x 23 inches | Material: Cedar

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Best for Beginners

Keter Bloomer Raised Garden Bed

Why You Should Get It

  • The tall height, self-watering feature, and water gauge make it easy for any gardener to successfully grow plants.

Keep in Mind

  • It’s made of resin, rather than wood, so it’s not as sturdy as some raised garden beds.

If you’re just getting into gardening, the Keter Bloomer Raised Garden Bed offers several features to make things easier for you.

It comes with a detachable tray that you can use for starting seeds if you want to try your hand at that. This raised garden bed also includes a water reservoir to help you provide just the right amount of water for your plants.

There’s a water gauge to let you know how much water is in the reservoir. If it’s red, you know you need to drain water, and there’s an easy drainage tap at the bottom that you pull out to drain it.

Made of heavy-duty resin, this raised garden bed won’t rot or rust if left outside, and its wood look will fit right in with most patio furniture. At 32.3 inches long and 14.7 inches wide, it’s big enough to provide an ample amount of planting space, but small enough to easily fit on a patio, deck, or even a balcony.

Since it’s 30.7 inches tall, it’s easy for gardeners of varying ages and abilities to use it since it eliminates the need for bending or kneeling on the ground. The depth of the raised bed is about 12 inches, however the water reservoir takes up some space so the actual planting area is shallower.

It’s best to use this for plants with relatively shallow roots. This raised garden bed is also sold in a set with garden tools, which might be handy if you’re just starting out.

Because it’s made of resin rather than wood, the raised bed is not as sturdy as some other models, but it works well and offers a great way to dabble in gardening.

Product Details: Dimensions: 32.3 x 14.7 x 30.7 inches | Material: Resin

Best Portable

Yaheetech Wooden Raised Garden Bed with Wheels

Grow Herbs, Vegetables, Flowers, and More With a Raised Garden Bed—Here Are the Best Ones (10)

Why You Should Get It

  • This raised garden bed can be easily moved, and it has a shelf for storage and holes for drainage.

Keep in Mind

  • t’s made of fir instead of the typical cedar that many other raised garden beds are made out of.

The Yaheetech Wooden Raised Garden Bed with Wheels is a stylish addition to your garden. And thanks to its wheels, it’s easy and convenient to move around on your patio, deck, or yard. Two of the four wheels have brakes, so you can lock them into place once you have the bed where you want it.

Made of natural fir wood, the raised bed features two levels: a top level for planting and a shelf below for storage or display. A non-woven liner is included for the planting compartment, and drainage holes help prevent the soil from becoming too wet and causing root rot.

Wooden slats help reinforce the bottom of the planting compartment, to help ensure it will hold up well to prolonged use.

We like the fact that at 33 inches tall, this planter offers a garden space that doesn’t require a lot of bending. Plus, it’s high enough to keep your vegetables and herbs safe from hungry rabbits, squirrels, and other garden pests.

Since it’s made of fir rather than cedar, it may not hold up as well in all kinds of weather as some other raised garden beds—but it’s also less expensive than many cedar models so it can be a great bargain, especially if you use it on a covered patio.

Product Details: Dimensions: 22.5 x 41.5 x 33 inches | Material: Fir

Best Self-Watering

Birdies Self-Watering Metal Raised Bed

Grow Herbs, Vegetables, Flowers, and More With a Raised Garden Bed—Here Are the Best Ones (11)

Why You Should Get It

  • This raised garden bed makes watering your plants much easier, and the metal frame will last for years.

Keep in Mind

  • It’s more expensive than many other raised garden beds, so it’s not the best choice if you’re on a tight budget.

With a self-watering feature and a durable metal bed, the Birdies Self-Watering Metal Raised Bed is a practical raised bed that will add a modern, industrial style look to your growing space.

The self-watering system is simple to set up and install, and it’s easy to add water later via two fill tubes. The reservoir can hold 20 gallons of water in total, thanks to two pairs of connected 5-gallon reservoirs.

To ensure the water moves evenly throughout the bed, it’s important to install this bed on level ground. These raised garden beds would be a great choice if you don’t have a good water source nearby.

Made of powder-coated 24-gauge metal, this raised garden bed is strong and durable, so you won’t need to worry about replacing it anytime soon. This self-watering raised garden bed is available in several different sizes: 2 x 4 feet, 2 x 8 feet, and 4 x 4 feet.

You can fill this bed with the potting mix of your choice, but you can purchase a Self-Watering Potting Mix that’s specifically designed for self-watering beds.

If you don’t mind paying a bit more to make watering easier and for the extra durability that a metal bed offers, this self-watering raised garden bed is a good way to successfully grow a wide variety of plants.

Product Details: Dimensions: 51 x 51 x 15 inches | Material: Metal

Best Metal

Olle Metal Raised Garden Bed

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Why You Should Get It

  • You’ll be able to enjoy this raised garden bed for years thanks to its strong and durable metal frame. Plus, it’s deep enough to successfully grow any type of plant.

Keep in Mind

  • It has an open bottom.

Why not throw a curve into your garden with a round garden bed? The Olle Metal Raised Garden Bed is available in several different colors so you can add a little more color, too. In addition to gray, it’s also available in ivory, sage green, and cobalt blue.

Like other metal beds, these raised garden beds are durable and will last a long time. This model is made of corrugated steel with a zinc-aluminum coating, which will resist rust and stand up well to the elements.

Metal garden beds can get quite hot on sunny, summer days and edges can be sharp, so we love the fact that this bed is lined with a commercial grade rubber at the top. This detail makes them safer for kids and more comfortable for anyone, since you can rest your arms and hands on them comfortably.

This raised garden bed is deeper than a lot of other metal beds, making it extremely versatile. At 32 inches tall, you can grow pretty much anything you want in it, even deep-rooted plants like pumpkins, watermelons, and potatoes.

If you usually move your raised garden beds around, note that this one has an open bottom so it will have to remain stationary. But with all of its advantages, this is the best metal raised garden bed.

Product Details: Dimensions: 42 x 42 x 32 inches | Material: Metal

Why You Should Get It

  • This elevated garden bed is designed to be waist height, and it’s available in three different finishes.

Keep in Mind

  • Assembly is required.

Elevating your planting space can reduce the need for bending and kneeling. The Best Choice Products Raised Garden Bed is 30 inches tall, so it’s a comfortable, waist-high height for most adults. Another plus is that a taller garden bed can help prevent rabbits and other garden critters from eating your vegetables.

At 48 inches long and 24 inches wide, this model is small enough to easily fit on a patio or deck, but it provides a large enough planting space to fit in a good number of plants.

The depth of the planting space is 9.5 inches so it can accommodate a wide variety of plants, but it is too shallow for some plants with deep roots. A liner is included with the bed and separates the soil from the wood frame, to help keep the wood in good condition for longer.

This tall garden bed also features drainage holes to ensure that the plants don’t get waterlogged. Although it may look like cedar, this raised garden bed is made of Chinese fir, which is also resistant to rot and pests. This model does require assembly, so make sure to set aside some time to put it together.

Product Details: Dimensions: 24 x 48 x 30 inches | Material: Chinese fir

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Best Small

Gardener's Supply Co. Craftbury Raised Bed

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Why You Should Get It

  • Made of durable cedar and featuring decorative detailing, this garden bed is not only practical but stylish, too.

Keep in Mind

  • The upscale look comes with a higher price tag than basic garden beds. The cedar will age to a silver-gray color unless treated.

The best raised garden beds help you grow more in a small space—and Craftbury Raised Bed helps you grow them in style. Made of cedar wood and featuring decorative cross pieces that add elegance and dimension, these 2 x 3-foot raised beds are not only practical but will add an attractive landscaping element to your yard.

We love the wide ledge on top, which offers a convenient perch for small garden tools. The 14-inch planting depth is extra deep, ensuring you can plant root crops or vegetables with long roots in the bed.

The cedar wood is naturally rot resistant, and the inside corners are reinforced with aluminum panels, which help prevent soil and plant roots from pushing the side walls apart.

It does require some assembly and maintenance. To retain the cedar’s original color, the manufacturer recommends treating it with their Cedar Garden Bed Oil or a similar product. If left untreated, the wood will transition to a silver-gray color over time.

If you want a little more growing space, there is also a 2 x 6-foot version of this bed.

Product Details: Dimensions: 36 x 28 x 15 inches | Material: Cedar and aluminum

Best with Trellis

Vevor Raised Garden Bed with Trellis

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Why You Should Get It

  • With this multipurpose bed, you can grow flowering vines or climbing vegetables.

Keep in Mind

  • It does require some assembly to set up both the bed and trellis. Because of its height, it may block views if used in the middle of the yard.

With the Vevor Two-Piece Raised Garden Bed with Trellis, you can grow your favorite vining vegetables or vegetables like snow peas, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and more. This bed’s trellis is just over 5 feet tall (61.4 inches), and it’s sold as a set of two, so you’ll get even more growing space.

The raised garden bed is constructed of solid fir wood and finished with an anti-corrosive paint to help it better hold up to the elements. Heavy-duty hardware on the corners help make it sturdy and durable.

Wheels on the bottom ensure it’s easy to move around your deck or patio if needed, and two of the wheels are locking to make sure it stays in place when needed. Pre-drilled drainage holes help ensure plant roots have proper drainage to avoid root rot.

This raised garden bed will need to be assembled, but the instructions are easy to follow and set-up is relatively easy. Keep in mind since it is so tall, it may obstruct views, so be strategic about where you place the garden beds.

Product Details: Dimensions: 60 x 13 x 61.4 inches | Material: Fir wood

Best with Fence

Eartheasy Deer-Proof Cedar Complete Raised Garden Bed Kit

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Why You Should Get It

  • This raised garden bed kit offers ample growing space and keeps plants safe from deer and other pests.

Keep in Mind

  • Along with more gardening space, the kit also comes with a higher price tag than smaller raised garden beds. Plus, there’s a lot more to assemble.

If you struggle with deer that love to chomp on your favorite flowers and vegetables, the Deer-Proof Cedar Complete Raised Garden Bed Kit is the best raised garden bed for you. With an enclosed 12 x 8-foot space with garden beds around the inside perimeter, this raised garden bed offers 65-square-feet of gardening space.

A 5.7-foot fence prevents deer and other pests from being able to access your plants. The fence can double as a trellis for vegetables that need support or flowering vines if you want to mix some flowers in with your vegetables.

We also appreciate that this raised garden bed system has two doors that swing open, so it’s large enough for a wheelbarrow or cart to go through.

The beds themselves are 20 inches deep so they are deep enough for most plants, but they also raise the work area higher than standard raised garden beds so you don’t have to bend over as much.The structure is made of cedar to ensure it will stand up well to any type of weather, and rust-proof hardware adds durability.

To make it easier to maintain your garden throughout the season, this kit also comes with an optional automatic watering system, which includes a soaker hose, a sprayer, and a digital timer that you can set up to automatically water your garden at certain times.

Keep in mind that since this kit is so large, assembly will take quite a while and you may need to have a friend or neighbor help you with the process.

Product Details: Dimensions: 12 x 8 x 5.7 feet | Material: Cedar

The Bottom Line

The best raised garden beds should be durable, stylish, and fit your garden space. We chose the Vego Garden 9-in-1 Raised Garden Bed Kit because it can be set up in nine different configurations to fit any garden space and its metal frame is durable enough to last for years.

If you prefer to purchase a wood raised garden bed, the Outdoor Living Today Cedar Garden in a Box with Lid/Trellis offers a classic look with practical features, such as side panels to keep out garden pests and a lid that doubles as a trellis.

What to Know About Raised Garden Beds Before Shopping

Size

To figure out what size of raised garden bed you should buy, first take a look at the available space in your yard. “Measure out the available space and be sure to allow space for pathways to provide easy access to all sides of the beds,” Neveln says. “Then pick a size of raised bed that will fit in the remaining area.”

You also may want to avoid a raised garden bed that is too wide—remember, you’ll have to reach across it to tend to your fruits and vegetables.“It’s better to get several smaller beds than one bigger bed that requires gymnastics to maintain the plants in it,” Neveln suggests.

“Choose a width that allows you to reach all plants without stepping into the bed,” Miller says. “If you can reach plants from both sides, a width of 3-4 feet is fine.”

The length of the bed can be determined by your personal preference and the size of your space. You’ll commonly find raised garden beds that are between 4 feet and 10 feet long.

For small areas, the 2 x 3-foot Craftbury Raised Bed offers an upscale look in a limited space. If you have a large property, you can spread out with the Deer-Proof Cedar Complete Raised Garde Bed Kit, which offers 65 square feet of gardening space within a 12 x 8-foot structure.

Material

Wood and metal are the most popular options for raised beds. You can easily customize the size of your bed if you build one from wood and this material offers a timeless look. Metal will give you a more modern look and it will stand up well for many years to come.

“Wood tends to be an economical choice, and metal is very durable and less likely to warp than wood,” Neveln says. “Either makes a good material for a raised bed, depending on your budget and style needs.”

The Vego Garden Raised Garden Bed Kit is made with zinc, magnesium, and aluminum-coated steel. The VegTrug 8 Pocket Herb Garden is made from cedar wood that offers a classic look and is durable enough to withstand the elements for multiple gardening seasons.

Some beds are also made from vinyl or resin, which are strong plastic materials. “In my experience, resin is a good middle ground between wood and metal,” Neveln says. “It’s more durable than wood but less expensive than metal. It may not look as lovely for your Instagram shots, but resin raised beds will work very well.”

Fabric beds are also rising in popularity since they offer a very easy way to get started: just unfold the bag and you’re ready to go. They’re very economical, although they may not last as long as some other materials, Neveln says.

“Fabric makes an especially good choice in rental situations where you might not want to install a very long-lasting bed,” Neveln says. The LInksandt Fabric Grow Bags are sold as a two-pack and include partitions to help divide and organize the planting space.

You can also make a raised garden bed with brick or stones. If you want to create a vegetable garden in your raised bed, look for a material that is food safe.

Drainage Holes and Liners

Many raised beds that are designed to sit directly on the ground don’t have a bottom or liner; the plants will just grow into the soil below the raised bed if they need more growing space. However, you may want to add a liner if you are placing the raised garden bed on top of an existing lawn, Neveln says.

“That barrier helps avoid inadvertently surfacing weed seeds as you dig in your raised beds,” she says. “A liner can also be helpful if you have burrowing creatures.”

Some taller raised beds that stand on legs come with a liner. For example, the Elevated Cedar Planter Box, includes a permeable fabric liner that promotes drainage while holding the soil in place.

If you’re using a liner, it’s important that you allow water to drain out the bottom. “Add small drainage holes to prevent water from pooling in the bottom of the bed, or use a liner material that is permeable to water,” says Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed’s From Seed to Spoon app.

Ease of Assembly

Building your own raised beds or even assembling one can sometimes be a bit tricky and take some time. To ensure that set-up will be easy, look for a kit that doesn’t require tools to put together.

Spoonemore also recommends looking for pre-cut/pre-drilled pieces, interlocking designs, and lightweight materials. If you really want to make assembly easy, you can also opt for fabric grow beds, like the Apipi 2 Piece Raised Garden Planter Fabric Beds, that you just unfold and fill with soil.

Your Questions, Answered

What is the best depth for a raised garden bed?

The best depth for your raised garden bed depends on what types of plants you want to grow and what’s underneath the bed.

“A soil depth of 6-8 inches is fine for shallow-rooted plants like radishes and leafy greens,” Miller says. “Tomatoes, squash, peppers, and other deep-root crops require at least 18 inches of soil.”We love the Vego Garden 9-in-1 Raised Garden Bed Kit because it has a depth of 17 inches.

It's also important to consider what’s underneath the raised garden bed because many don’t have a bottom. “Raised bed depth doesn’t matter much if you have tons of nutrient-rich, fluffy soil underneath. But if the surface under your raised bed is compacted clay or an impermeable patio, you’ll need to be more conscious of height,” Miller says.

However, be aware that deeper beds will be more expensive to fill. “Keep in mind that a raised bed is a bit like a large, flat container, so you’ll need to add a mix rather than garden soil, and that can get pricey,” Neveln says. You may want to opt for a shallower bed to save money if you have good soil underneath or are growing flowers that don’t require as deep of soil as root vegetables.

What is the lifespan of a raised garden bed?

In general, the more durable the material used, the longer a raised garden bed will last. “Metal or resin generally will last longer than wood,” Neveln says. “I’ve had a resin raised bed last more than 10 years and a wooden one that started to fall apart on me after about three years,” she says.

Some metal beds that are made from high-quality steel that resists rust and corrosion can last as long as 20 years. That said, wood beds are often less expensive so they are less costly to replace—and they may be able to be repaired if needed. “If you have some basic carpentry skills, you could repair a wooden raised bed more easily than one made from other materials,” Neveln says.

How much do raised garden beds cost?

The cost of a raised garden bed varies depending on the size and the material that’s used to make it. More durable materials often come with a higher price tag—but they are also likely to last longer in the garden.

You can find some small raised beds made of cheaper materials for much less than $100. The Linksandt Fabric Garden Beds are only $20 for a set of two garden beds. Higher quality beds made of more durable materials may cost $200 to $300 or more.

Some large raised garden beds or kits with multiple beds can cost more than $1,000. The Deer-Proof Cedar Complete Raised Garden Bed Kit offers a generous 12 x 8-feet of space but comes with a price tag of a couple thousand dollars.

While you may have to pay more up front for a raised garden bed, they may save you money in the long run. “Raised beds wind up saving you money by keeping more water and fertilizer on your plant, instead of dispersed throughout the garden,” Spoonemore says.

Who We Are

Renee Freemon Mulvihill is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in home and garden topics. To research this article, she researched a variety of raised garden beds online, comparing features, price, and user reviews. She also checked in with several gardening experts: Lindsay Miller, a horticultural writer for Gardener’s Supply Company, Carrie Spoonemore, co-creator of Park Seed’s From Seed to Spoon app, and Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens senior garden editor, to get their advice about choosing the best raised garden beds for any space.

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