Whether you purchase a pre-made raised garden or want to create one yourself, attaching stakes or anchors is an important final step. We’ll walk you through the steps to secure your raised garden.
How to stake a raised garden bed: Each corner of a raised garden bed needs steaks to secure the whole apparatus. The stakes should be pointed on one end so they can go into the soil at a depth of at least 6 inches. Use screws to attach the stakes to the side of the raised bed and then fill the garden with soil.
What Is a Raised Garden Bed?
A raised garden bed is pretty simple to understand. It is a patch of garden that is elevated from the ground.
A raised garden bed can be just a foot off the ground or it can be a few feet for better accessibility. Some people with mobility issues appreciate having a raised garden bed that is high enough for them to sit in a chair next to the garden while they work.
There are numerous benefits to having a raised garden bed. First of all, while you need to fill it with new soil, you can rest assured that the gardening soil will be of quality and possess a balance of nutrients.
Furthermore, there will be better drainage, especially if your existing ground is full of compact soil. Finally, having a barrier between your garden and the ground means you don’t have to worry about grass or other nearby weeds growing into the area.
Do you need to stake a raised bed to the ground?
Staking, or anchoring a raised bed is not always necessary but it will make the apparatus sturdier. If you simply lay the sides of the raised bed on the ground, they can tip over if you put too much pressure on them.
Staking a garden bed also ensures that the sides are flush with the ground. This way, the soil won’t come out from the bottom, making for a tidier area as well as less waste from soil erosion.
Things to consider with raised garden beds
Height
Even though most raised garden beds are about 10 to 12 inches in height, you can adjust this to your needs. If your soil is pretty good to start with, you can dig it up and have a shorter raised bed so you don’t have to spend as much money on the soil.
Alternatively, you can make the sides higher so you don’t have to bend over as much. For these gardens, you can decide if you want to make a raised bottom so you don’t have to use as much soil to dill them.
Soil
Soil can cost quite a lot, especially good, quality soil. If you have a compost bin, you can add this to the garden to offset costs.
Buying soil in bulk is always more cost-efficient, so you can look into soil pick-ups or deliveries and then transport them into your garden.
Drainage
One of the benefits of having a raised garden bed is that there will be proper drainage. You can further help this out by adding a layer of rocks to the bottom of your garden so water won’t pool in the soil.
How to stake raised garden beds? Quick and Easy Steps
Plan before filling
It is far easier to stake a raised garden bed before you fill it with soil. So, before you even start your garden, make sure you plan out the steps so you complete them in the right order.
Decide on a height
As we mentioned earlier, you can choose any height for the sides of a raised garden bed. Most gardens will have a height of 12 inches but you can make this taller if you don’t want to bend over the garden.
Measure the boards
The best dimension for stakes is with 1-by-2-inch boards. These boards are easy to find at any home improvement store.
Cut the boards down so they are twice the length of the sides of your raised garden. For example, if your side measures 12 inches, then make sure the length of the board is 24 inches.
Finally, cut one end of the board so it makes a point. This will be the sharp end that will go into the soil.
You want one stake for each corner of the raised garden, so repeat this step so you have four pieces of wood that are the same size.
Place the stakes
Now that you have the four stakes, you can hammer them into the four corners of your raised garden bed. If you can, use a rubber mallet as a regular hammer might be too strong and you can splinter the wood.
You will need to use a bit of force, however, because you want the stake to end up level with the top of the raised bed. If your bed is very tall, you don’t need to have the stake be twice the size as this will be near impossible to get the stake so far into the ground.
Drill holes
In order to anchor everything together, you need to attach the stakes to the raised bed. Use a drill and create two holes for each stake, roughly spaced at least 3 inches apart.
Then, use outdoor screws and secure the pieces together. You want the screws to be 2 inches long so that all the pieces of the wood are firmly attached.
Fill your garden
You can give your new garden a little shake to ensure it is all connected together. Once you are sure about the sturdiness of your creation, it’s time for the fun part.
Use quality gardening soil to fill your garden. This will be a mixture of potting soil and compost and will be nutrient-dense.
As you’re filling the garden, pay attention to the bottom. The dirt should not come out the bottom but if it does, stop to assess if anything needs to be reattached or constructed differently.
Conclusion
A raised garden bed provides better soil and is more accessible. To ensure it doesn’t move around, use stakes in each corner to secure it to the ground.
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