Raised Beds With Concrete Blocks

Raised Beds with Concrete Blocks

By Joseph Parish

In our greenhouse area we plan to create several raised beds using concrete blocks. They are inexpensive to build and are simple to construct. It is a great way to add a few raised beds without encountering the undue expense of using wood. Additionally, you would not want to use treated wood for your raised beds thus they will periodically have to be replaced – the concrete will last you forever. The concrete blocks permit you to build the raised beds right on top of the grass with no need to till it.

In this post I will explain to you in a step by step method how to make your raised beds. When I first began the greenhouse project years ago my goal was to till up the complete fenced in enclosure. Believe me, at my age it was quite a task. I had planned to place the seedlings directly into the soil. In the end, Pam and I decided that the raised bed method would be more practical for us.

Raised bed gardening is an excellent option for elderly people as it affords them the luxury of not having to bend down. The Master Gardeners in Sussex County maintain a demonstration garden where they show you how various gardening ideas can be employed. It is a beautiful and inspiring area where you can walk through and enjoy nature at her best. Additionally, if you have terrible soil which might be made up of rocks, tree roots, or other difficult to cultivate ingredients than raised bed is an excellent alternative.

Raised beds come in a host of varied shapes and sizes, giving you the option to customize as you see fit. Once we have the greenhouse setup and established, we can create a few raised beds out of concrete blocks to take the place of direct planting. Raised beds tend to add slightly to the cost of our garden however, in order to keep our budget aligned with our pocketbook we will employ the inexpensive concrete cinder blocks. Our goal is to lay the landscaping cloth all over the garden area and then place the concrete raised beds directly on top of them. The project is so simple that it can be completed in a single afternoon. Using concrete blocks for raised beds is an inexpensive alternative to its wooden cousin. If you shop around you can usually find the blocks for approximately a dollar each giving you a decent size raised bed for less than $20 dollars. Soil to fill the beds will be your greatest expense.

You first step is to decide where you wish to build you concrete raised bed at. Select a location which is level and receives plenty if sun. Next, decide how many you want to build. Keep in mind that they should not be more than four feet wide as you do not want to walk on them. Additionally, make certain to leave sufficient room between the beds to allow you to walk between them. I would leave enough space to be able to pull a wagon between them to carry the produce or gardening supplies.

One advantage of using the concrete blocks is that they come in a standard size. They are all the same. All you will need to do is determine the size and space the blocks where you want them. The choice of size is up to you. they can all be constructed in the same size or you can vary it to suit your taste.

To figure out how many blocks you will need to build your raised bed think of one block as about one foot long. If you are building a raised bed of 7 feet by 4 feet, you will need about 22 blocks for each bed.

Now let’s talk a bit on the soil. As I stated this will likely be your largest expense with your raised bed construction. If you are considering filling it with a less expensive soil you may wish to reconsider as the quality of the soil is of prime importance. It provides the foundation by which your plants will grow and they won’t do well in cheap soil. If you are going to try and save money on the soil do so by adding compost to the better-quality soil. Use half soil and half compost.

Required Supplies

Concrete blocks

Soil and compost

Marking Paint

Tape measure

Level to ensure the blocks are level

Garden spade to remove sod under the blocks to level them)

Work gloves

Step 1: Lay out your concrete block raised bed design – The first thing to do is to lay out your design so that you can make sure everything fits into the space you have planned. Since the blocks are not being cemented together you are free to move them as necessary. Make sure to wear your gloves as you move the blocks around as they are very heavy.

Step 2: during this second step you want to ensure that the blocks are straight and squared. Once your blocks are laid out, you can use the tape measure to place them in a straight line, using marking paint to mark the line. This painted line will ensure that you are keeping the blocks in a straight line.

Step 3: Now it is time to level the blocks. If your area is uneven you can remove the soil buildup to allow the blocks to sit level. Although the soil will compress over time with the weight of the blocks, by removing some you are assured that they will stay in place. Just remove the soil directly below the block to allow it to sit properly. Do not be concerned with any soil or grass which is in the center of the bed as it will be covered up with soil. Using a garden spade helps in removing the excess soil. Use the level to make certain the blocks are straight.

Step 4: We are using greenhouse landscape cloth under the blocks so we don’t have to stop the weds from growing however if you are building yours over the grass you may wish to consider using cardboard. Lay a thick layer of cardboard or newspaper inside the blocks to stop weed growth.

Step 5: It’s now time to fill the beds with soil.  – Once you’re done building your concrete block raised garden beds, you can fill them with soil. We found it easier to temporarily remove one block so that we could push the wheel barrow into the bed rather than trying to dump the soil over the top of the blocks. As an added bonus you can fill the hole in the concrete blocks with soil so that you can use them for planters. If you are in a snake prone area you might consider Marigolds. Another suggested crop to plant in the holes with onions.

Step 6: Finally, it is time to plant your raised bed. This is the fun part of the project. Make sure that after your garden plants are placed into the raised bed that you provide them with plenty of water.

Just be sure to give it plenty of water after everything has been planted since concrete blocks tend to dry out the garden area more so than direct planting. Also, keep in mind that the soil may settle and you might have to add addition soil. I would recommend using compost for this task.

So, there you are, an inexpensive method to make a raised bed. Additionally, you could add hoops of PVC to make a min-greenhouse or possibly and hinged lid on it to allow it to be used as a cold frame. The options area endless and are restricted inly by your imagination. There are a few included with this article to get you started thinking. Good luck and keep me informed.

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