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Dig in!

James Hatter enlisted the help of his eight-year-old grandson Kieran to make a raised bed for vegetables 

Boy raking soil in a raised garden bed

Using an enclosed area to contain soil provides an efficient way of growing a range of vegetables, and has many advantages over open beds. The most obvious are that they are easier to get to; provide deeper cultivated soil, that becomes less compacted and that it is easier to protect crops in them with net or glass.

This project describes making a frame that is 1270mm x 3050mm, using pressure-treated fence gravel boards, that are 150mm wide and 25mm thick. The frame is secured in position using ground stakes at each corner. Exterior grade screws are used to hold the frame together, and to attach the frame to the ground stakes.

Safety notes

Close supervision is required if a child is assisting with construction. The timber used is rough sawn, so there is a risk of splinters. It is also pressure treated so ensure that hands are well washed after handling the material.

• All timber is pressure treated  
• Sides – 2 off – 3000 x 150 x 25 mm gravel board 
• End boards – 2 off 1270 x 150 x  25mm gravel board
• Ground stakes 4 off 360 x 60 x 30mm counter rail – cut a point to lower end; 24 off 4 x 50mm exterior grade screws 
• Treat any cut ends with wood preservative. The timber can be obtained from a fence supplier

Drawing

Timber gravel-board edging assembly with ground stakes
Young boy digging soil in a vegetable garden
1. The area intended to locate the frame is cleared and prepared
Boy assembling wooden garden structure on grass
2. The end boards are cut to length, and the thickness of the side is drawn at each end to allow screw fixing positions to be marked
Boy measuring timber for a garden project
3. The ground stack positions are marked, using the previous marking as an outer guide. The ground stake position is also marked on the end of each side board. Take into account when deciding hole position that the screws will not clash
Boy wearing goggles drills timber in a garden
4. With the board held securely. clearance holes are drilled to take the securing screws
Boy drilling wooden raised garden bed outdoors
5. The boards are placed in position and 4 x 50mm exterior grade screws are used to hold the ends of the frame to the sides
Wooden raised garden bed filled with freshly turned soil
6. The frame can now be accurately positioned and squared and levelled up
Boy hammering wooden raised bed beside wheelbarrow
7. Drive a ground stake into each corner of the frame, ensuring that the stake fits snugly within each corner. The frame could also have a ground stake at the centre of each long side. The frame to each ground stake with screws
Young boy holding spade beside freshly filled raised garden bed
8. The job’s done and Kieran is rightly proud of his woodwork!

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