How to Build a Simple Cinder Block Raised Garden Bed

Excavate the area for your raised bed by pulling weeds and transplanting the vegetation you want to keep.

Amend the soil with organic matter.

Dig a shallow trench a few inches deep and as wide as a cinder block around the perimeter of the planting area.

Lay down the first row of cinder blocks. Orient the open cavities of the cinder blocks facing upward and the small ends of the blocks against one another.

Tap down each cinder block firmly. Push each block flush against the block adjacent to it.

Place two cinder blocks perpendicular to the final block in the row to create a corner. Position the blocks on the end so that the edge is flush with the outer portion of the row of blocks. Push the blocks down into the ground until they are level with the first row of blocks.

Add a second row parallel to the first row of blocks and perpendicular to the blocks at the end.

Complete the rectangle with two cinder blocks at the end.

Fill the open area of the rectangle with a garden soil mixture appropriate for the types of plants you want to grow in your raised bed. Leave a few inches from the top of the blocks to accommodate water and mulch.

Add soil to the holes in the cinder blocks and use them as planters where you can grow plants that have different soil requirements than the main planting bed or that have an aggressive growth habit.