How to Build a Raised Bed Garden Planter

Building The Ends

• 1

  Cut two of the 2-by-6 boards in half using a saw, to give you four boards, each 4 feet long.

• 2

  Stand a 4-by-4 corner post on its end, and line one of the 4-foot boards up against it. The board should be on its thin edge, and the end of the board should line up with the edge of the corner post.

• 3

  Drill two guide-holes through the the board, and use a pencil or a screw driver to mark where the holes in the board line up with the corner post. Drill guide-holes for the screws that will hold the boards to the post, in the post, where you have made the marks. Screw the board to the corner post using 3½-inch wood screws.

• 4

  Attach the other end of the board to another corner post, using the same method, and attach a second board to the two corner posts, so that it rests on the first board. The corner post should extend four inches beyond the boards. This creates one end of the raised planter.

• 5

  Repeat the steps to create the other end of the planter.

Building The Sides

• 6

  Stand one end of the planter upright, with the bottom board flush to the ground. Line up an 8-foot board with one of the corner posts, so that the end of the 8-foot board lines up with the end of the bottom board attached to the corner post. The corner post will be inside the completed planter.

• 7

  Attach the 8-foot board to the corner post with 2 3½-inch wood screws, and attach the other end of the 8-foot board to the other end of the planter in the same way, with the corner post on the inside of the planter.

• 8

  Place a second 8-foot board so that it stands on the first one, and attach this to the two corner posts using wood screws. You now have three sides of the planter, with the corner posts on the inside, protruding four inches above the boards.

• 9

  Attach the final two 8-foot boards to the open side of the planter, using the same method used to attach the first two, and the planer is now assembled.

Installing The Planter

• 10

  Turn the planter over, so that the protruding corner posts are on the bottom, and place the planter in your garden.

• 11

  The corner posts should dig into the ground, to hold the planter in place. You may need to dig holes to accommodate the corner posts, if the ground is not soft.

• 12

  Fill the planter with soil, compost or potting mix, and you are ready to plant.