Raised Beds for the first time! - Ask Extension
Hello Gardening Hero!
I just purchased three Galvanized Raised Garden Beds that are 8 ft. x 2 ft. x 17". I am excited to get them setup. I'm l...
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Raised Beds for the first time! #895187
Asked March 23, 2025, 10:28 AM EDT
Hello Gardening Hero!
I just purchased three Galvanized Raised Garden Beds that are 8 ft. x 2 ft. x 17". I am excited to get them setup. I'm looking for advice for doing so, especially in regards to filling them with soil in a cost-effective and successful way. I plan to grow produce like carrots, strawberries, cucumbers, etc. in these beds.
I'm reading a lot of folks saying to put logs, sticks, wood chips in the bottom... but this isn't a super deep bed. Is that necessary when your garden bed is only 17" tall? If so, how many inches worth of wood chips/sticks/etc. should I fill vs. how many inches of soil? Do you have any advice for how to get wood chips cheaply? (We don't have any sticks/garden waste of our own currently).
Also, we have severe rabbit and rat problems in my suburban backyard. Will this 1 foot bed do the trick to deter them? Or is there more that I need to do to protect my plants?
Also, also, we had LOADS of cucumber beetles all over my dahlias last year. Advice for preventing those buggers?
Thank you for any advice you can provide!
Franklin County Ohio
Expert Response
Thank you for contacting us regarding your questions. I am assuming these are the raised garden frames, and that the bottom is the the soil/ground directly. Those suggesting logs and sticks are creating a permaculture technique called hugelkultur. You can learn more about this using this link from Clemson: https://hgic.clemson.edu/hugelkultur-gardening/. It would be a good way to fill your raised bed without the need to remove grass or weeds from the bottom. Many times you can check with the tree removal type companies to see if you could get the initial supplies needed.
Raised bed soil should be loose, light and well drained. A soil and compost mix is recommended for raised beds, at a ratio of 70% soil to 30% compost. Make sure that both the soil and compost are good quality and from reputable sources. Penn State University has a good how to on building good soil, and use this link to learn more: https://extension.psu.edu/soil-health-in-raised-beds. Remember if you are putting this raised bed directly on the ground, you will want to do a soil test.
Raised bed gardens have recommendations based on what you are growing: a minimum of 8 inches deep for leafy greens, beans, and cucumbers, and 12-24 inches deep for pepper, tomato, and squash.
Rabbits have a limited vertical jump height. A raised garden bed of 24 inches or higher is sufficient to deter cottontail rabbits. This may also deter your other pests.
Lastly, regarding your cucumber beetles, there was a good article in the Buckeye Yard & Garden Online by Joe Boggs, and it will give you some guidance: https://bygl.osu.edu/node/390
Raised bed soil should be loose, light and well drained. A soil and compost mix is recommended for raised beds, at a ratio of 70% soil to 30% compost. Make sure that both the soil and compost are good quality and from reputable sources. Penn State University has a good how to on building good soil, and use this link to learn more: https://extension.psu.edu/soil-health-in-raised-beds. Remember if you are putting this raised bed directly on the ground, you will want to do a soil test.
Raised bed gardens have recommendations based on what you are growing: a minimum of 8 inches deep for leafy greens, beans, and cucumbers, and 12-24 inches deep for pepper, tomato, and squash.
Rabbits have a limited vertical jump height. A raised garden bed of 24 inches or higher is sufficient to deter cottontail rabbits. This may also deter your other pests.
Lastly, regarding your cucumber beetles, there was a good article in the Buckeye Yard & Garden Online by Joe Boggs, and it will give you some guidance: https://bygl.osu.edu/node/390
