Raised beds are the workhorse of community gardens. They give you clean soil on top of poor or contaminated ground, drain well, warm up early in spring, and make gardening easier on backs and knees. Here's how to do them right.
Size them for reaching, not just growing
Keep beds no wider than 4 feet so anyone can reach the middle from either side (3 feet if only accessible from one side). Length is flexible — 8 feet is common. Leave wheelbarrow-wide paths (2–3 feet) between beds.
Pick a safe material
- ›Untreated cedar or hemlock: long-lasting and non-toxic.
- ›Standard lumber: cheaper, shorter-lived; avoid old treated wood near food.
- ›Galvanized stock tanks or blocks: durable and accessible.
Fill with a good mix
A reliable blend is roughly 50–60% quality topsoil, 30–40% compost, and a bit of aeration (coarse material). If your ground soil is questionable, line the bottom with landscape fabric and build the bed at least 8–12 inches deep. For contaminated sites, a soil test first is essential — see how to start a community garden.
Plant intensively
Raised beds shine with close spacing and succession planting. Pair them with companion planting to fit more in and keep pests down.
Water and mulch
Raised beds dry out faster than in-ground gardens, so plan consistent watering and mulch the surface to hold moisture. A shared watering schedule keeps beds from drying out between visits.
Running a garden full of raised beds? Keep the crew organized with WeAllGarden's free volunteer sign-ups. Get started.