Flower bed against wood fence is one of the most useful DIY undertakings for your garden as it helps with soil management and drainage, among other reasons.
A lot of gardeners are interested in making a raised flower bed at home but struggling with how to go about it.
Because of this, our team of experts have prepared this detailed and comprehensive guide on how to assemble and make the best raised flower bed against your wooden fence.
How To Build a Raised Garden Bed Against a Fence
Building a flower bed against a wooden fence involves using a sturdy wood of your choice and cutting it in appropriate-sized posts that are then joined together via screws.
Flower bed against the wood fence is a contraption used in the type of gardening called raised bed gardening. It comprises raised flower beds made of wood or concrete and their soil is raised above the ground level, providing several benefits.
Read all the details below.
– Decide on the Size of the Flower Bed
The first thing you need to do is to decide what the size of your garden bed is going to be. Take a measuring tape to the ground and mark that area.
It should look symmetrical and would be better if the outer edges of the bed line up neatly with the outer sides of two fence posts.
– Buy Good Quality Wood
When building a raised garden bed next to fence, make sure you use good quality wood that will last you a long time. Continue reading to find out what your options are.
Cedar is the best wood for making a raised flower bed. Because of its rot-resistant nature and woody finish, it will give your flower bed a strong and neat look.
When it comes to cedar, you also have plenty of options to choose from. There is the red cedar, white cedar, yellow cedar as well as juniper. The only downside is that cedar is a very expensive wood and not everyone can afford it for their flower beds.
The second best option is to use redwood. It is also rust-resistant and looks great, but it is not easy to come by and is also very expensive. Lumber is a more economical and viable option. You can use both pressure-treated and simple lumber for this purpose.
– Cut Your Posts
First of all, cut four pieces of lumber that will be used as posts. Use a 4-by-4 piece of 16-inch length wood.
Next, cut four more pieces that will be used to make the raised flower bed along fence. They need to be 2 by 6 inches in diameter. Adjust their length according to how long you have decided your flower bed is going to be. Our flower beds are mostly 8 feet long.
The next four pieces you cut should also be 2 by 6 inches. Their length is going to determine how deep you want your flower bed to be. Usually, when creating a garden bed against a fence, we strive to maintain a depth of about 2 to 4 feet. This depth makes it very easy for you to access the plants being grown in the bed.
– Use Posts To Make a Frame
Now the next step to make a raised garden bed against fence is to arrange these posts into a frame.
- Take the 8-foot board and attach two of the 16-inch 4-by-4 boards to both ends. Do the same with the second 8-foot board.
- Use a power drill to be very precise. Also, use wooden screws so as not to ruin the look of your flower bed.
- Always works on a flat surface so that these posts rest evenly when placed on the ground.
- Now place these two 8-foot boards with 4-by-4 posts attached on both ends parallel to each other. Connect them both using the smaller 2-by-6-inch boards at both ends to complete the rectangle.
- Now you have two long and two short pieces of 2-by-6-inch boards left. Screw them on top of the 8-foot boards.
- Now your 2-by-6-inch rectangular frame is completed. You will have 4 to 5 inches of the 4-by-4 posts protruding from within the frame. These will be dug into the ground.
– Dig Holes for Posts
Mark the points in the ground where the protruding 5 inches of the 4-by-4 posts will go. Dig deep holes in these spots using a suitable tool.
– Time To Put the Bed Up
After that, it’s now time to move your fence over to the location where it is to be installed. Place the protruding posts into the holes dug earlier. Securely attach the bed to the fence for proper stability.
– Prepare the Bed for Planting
The last step is to prepare this bed for planting your favorite plants and crops. Fill it with soil, take a rake to move the topsoil about, and level it. Remove the sod layer if any is present.
One piece of advice we would impart is to line the bottom of the bed with wire meshwork. This will prevent rodents and other animals from entering the flower bed from below and destroying your plants. The next step is, of course, to decorate your new raised flower bed with plants of your liking.
FAQ
What Are the Advantages of Using a Raised Flower Bed?
Raised flower beds offer numerous advantages, including improved drainage, better soil quality, less strain on the gardener’s back, and the ability to control the garden’s environment, among others.
What is the best depth for a raised garden bed?
The ideal depth for a raised garden bed is 12-24 inches, allowing for healthy root growth and easy maintenance.
How do you support the bottom of a raised garden bed?
Use hardware cloth or landscaping fabric to line the bottom and prevent soil erosion, while also promoting proper drainage.
Conclusion
You have now learned how to make your own raised garden bed and all the advantages that come with it. Now all that is left is reviewing the most important points we discussed:
- The first thing you should do is to choose the spot in your garden where this raised bed will go. Also, decide on what dimensions you want it to have.
- Decide on the type of wood you want to make it out of. You have the option of choosing from cedar, redwood and lumber.
- Cut three different types of wooden posts for all sides of this flower bed depending on the dimensions you want, and join the posts together to make a rectangular frame. It is also better if you can secure this frame with a wooden fence.
- Fill your raised flower bed with soil and level it. Add a metal meshwork at the bottom of the bed to keep rodents and other animals out. The walls of the bed will also keep the larger animals out.
- This type of flowers bed against a wooden fence not only looks great but is also good for your plants and health.
Making a raised garden bed against a wooden fence seems like a daunting task but is much easier than you might have thought. With our guide, you will be able to make one all by yourself in no time at all.
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