How to build a raised garden bed, according to master gardeners [View all]

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By Leah Kirts, CNN Underscored
Updated 5:10 PM EST, Mon November 20, 2023

There has never been a better time to start growing your own food. Whether you start small with a few seedlings or transform every square foot of outdoor space into edible foliage, planting your own edible garden can help offset rising food costs, benefit the environment and improve mental health. Since the pandemic, more than 18 million new households started gardening and the average vegetable garden produces over $600 worth of produce each year according to the National Gardening Association. The best part is you don’t need a lot of outdoor space to get started.

One of the most popular ways to garden is by using a raised bed. They’re easy to maintain, versatile for different budgets and ideal if you have little greenspace to work with or if the soil in the ground is too rocky or contaminated to grow in. And that’s just the beginning of its perks. We turned to expert gardeners who plant raised bed gardens season after season thanks to their time-tested results, with practical tips for building your own.

Raised beds are a classic growing method with endless benefits, says Sonya Harris, master gardener and founder of the Bullock Garden Project. “Raised beds filled with organic soil and compost can provide wonderfully healthy, fresh produce grown for pennies on the dollar,” she explains. Raised beds make gardening more accessible for all ages, she continues, because they “can be built to accommodate mobility needs, and can easily be modified to ensure all people, regardless of ability, can be included in the wonderful world of gardening.”

Growing in a raised bed is a tried-and-true method that Kevin Espiritu, founder of Epic Gardening and author of “Field Guide to Urban Gardening: How to Grow Plants, No Matter Where You Live,” recommends for new gardeners, especially those with limited outdoor space. “Raised beds are suitable for most urban environments, as you can make wonderful use of tight spaces to create gardens that are aesthetically pleasing, yet incredibly productive,” he observes.

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