DIY: How To Build the Dream Backyard Raised Bed Garden From Scratch

DIY

Angela (@projectprobst) took on her first ever ORC during the Spring 2024 event, when she transformed an 800-square-foot plot into a custom raised-bed garden. The whole project was quite an ambitious DIY undertaking that had us truly running to take notes.

Firstly, for any non-gardeners, we should preface by saying that backyard soil is almost never suitable for trying to grow anything besides grass (more on that later), and bottomless raised beds provide better control over soil quality, drainage, and weed management. However, just one raised bed usually costs around $150, not including the soil and all other accouterments. Building the beds herself allowed Angela to completely customize her garden layout AND saved hundreds of dollars.

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To build the raised beds, Angela used her circular saw to cut down the boards (2in x 8in x 16ft boards for the walls, and 1in x 4in x 12ft boards for corner supports and caps), and deck screws for extra hold strength. She very smartly made cardboard templates for the screw placement so every box would look consistent and professional.

She’s got a very helpful and thorough tutorial about building the raised beds here, and another great tutorial about filling them here.

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Next it was time to tackle the biggest challenge: leveling the 800 square foot plot. This proved to be tougher than expected. Their backyard’s clay-heavy soil and a steep slope required extra dirt deliveries and the construction of a retaining wall to stabilize the area. The leveling process took around 30 hours in total.

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Once the area was level, the garden started coming together. Angela and Tyler cemented 16 posts for the fence, laid down a blanket of pea gravel, placed the custom garden beds, and finished the fence with a gate. The final step—planting her seedlings—brought the space to life.

We’re so inspired by not only how much work Angela and Tyler put into building this garden, but also how much thought and time they put into planning and strategizing to create perfect growing conditions for these plants. The finished garden is INCREDIBLE!

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