Introducing raised beds into your garden has many benefits… They allow you to use different soil types to grow a wide range of plants, fruit and vegetables and they’re great for drainage. They also stop compaction problems as you don’t need to walk over the soil, and they give your back a break!
Here’s a short guide to making a simple raised garden bed using sleepers…
Step 1 – Choose your size & shape. This guide will demonstrate how to make a rectangular raised bed, therefore will require 3 sleepers per layer – two whole sleepers & one cut in half. You can choose the size of your sleepers & the quantities according to your own requirements.
Step 2 – Ensuring the ground is level, place the sleepers down in a rectangular shape, with the narrowest sides on the ground and facing upwards.
Step 3 – Attach the sleepers together. Use timber screws at each corner & make sure 50mm of the length of the screw is drilled into the adjoining sleeper to create a solid connection.
Step 4 – If you want additional height, add another layer – Lay your additional, same size, sleepers on top of the box you have created, overlapping the joins as though you are bricklaying. To create the same rectangular shape, position & screw together one corner first so they are affixed before adding the remaining sleepers.
Step 5 – Attach the layers together using long timber screws –drill down from the top to attach the two layers to each other. Repeat steps 4 & 5 until you have your desired height.
Step 6 – You now have your raised bed! fill it with the soil of your choice & get planting! You may consider lining your bed, or adding stones/bricks to the bottom to increase drainage.