What should you put at the bottom of a raised garden bed? What to put at the bottom of a raised garden bed depends on what the bed sits on and what you need the base to do. On open soil, the best answer is often nothing. On grass, cardboard can help suppress growth while…
Raised bed myths: ground preparation that sounds right but fails Raised bed myths do not begin at the surface. Many of the most persistent ones begin underneath the bed, in the ground it sits on and the materials people place below it. Gravel sounds like drainage. Weed fabric sounds like prevention. A level-looking bed sounds…
Raised bed base preparation: Why the ground and the bed work as one system Preparing the ground for a raised bed is often treated as a simple setup task. Clear the area, level it, perhaps add some gravel, then move on to the timber, soil and planting. That approach seems logical on the surface, but…
Where to put a raised bed so it lasts longer Most people choose where to put a raised bed based on sunlight, convenience or how the garden looks. Those things matter, but they do not tell the whole story. If you want the bed itself to last longer, you also need to think about how…
The six factors that make raised beds last longer Most advice on raised bed durability starts with the wrong question. It asks which timber lasts longest, which treatment works best, or how thick the boards should be. Those details matter, but they do not decide the whole outcome on their own. To make raised beds…
Raised bed vs planter: the real difference is the bottom A raised bed and a planter are not the same thing. A true raised bed is open to the ground beneath it. A planter has a base, even if it is large, deep, or built from the same materials. That one difference changes how roots…
Why plants struggle in raised beds Plants not growing in raised beds can be frustrating because the bed itself may look perfectly sound. The timber is not bowing, the corners are not failing, and the structure may still be doing its job. But plants respond to the conditions inside the bed, not just the frame…
Raised Bed Durability: What Actually Makes a Bed Last? Raised bed durability is not decided by one material, one treatment or one board thickness. Two beds can look similar on day one but age very differently. The difference usually comes from how timber, joints, fixings, moisture, ground conditions and soil load work together over time….
