How to Build Wooden Terraced Garden Beds

Calculate the number of terraces you need in the bed and how long they are by measuring the hill's rise, or height, and its run, or horizontal width. Divide the rise by the height of the terraces (they should be no higher than 3 feet) to determine the number of terraces you need to build if you want terraces all the way up. Calculate the length of each terrace by dividing the run by the number of terraces.

Lay a line of railroad ties at the bottom of the hill where the front wall is being built. Get someone to help you move the ties, as they are very heavy. Create a score line on both sides of the ties with an edging shovel, scoring the ground about an inch away from the ties.

Remove the ties, then dig out the ground between the score lines. Dig deep enough that half of the ties will be concealed in the ground. Smooth the soil in the trench and tamp it down.

Drill 1/4-inch holes through the ties with a spade bit. Place one hole every 2 feet. Move the ties into the trench, positioning them with the holes facing up.

Connect the railroad ties to the ground by driving rebar through the holes with a sledgehammer. Drive at least one foot of rebar into the ground, then saw the remaining rebar off at the top of the ties, using a hacksaw.

Set another course of railroad ties on top of the first course, positioning them so that the joints are staggered from the joints in the first row.

Drill holes through both rows of railroad ties with the 1/4-inch spade bit, then drive rebar through the holes.

Dig into the hill behind the wall and use that soil to fill most of the space behind the wall. Rake the soil smooth.

Using the length figure you calculated in Step 1, measure back from the first wall the proper length and dig a trench to start building the second wall. Tamp the ground inside the trench to compact it.

Install the railroad ties in the trench, following the same process you used for constructing the first wall.

Repeat this process until you have installed the number of terraced beds that you want in the hillside.

Till a mix of topsoil and compost into the soil in the beds, then place plants in the beds.