July 9, 2025, 2:22 pm | Read time: 7 minutes

If you don’t have your own vegetable patch in the garden, a raised bed—or even several—offers a practical alternative. Thanks to its elevated position, gardening is convenient, whether in a small garden, on the terrace, or the balcony. The latter location requires special attention: The load-bearing capacity of the balcony should be checked before filling, as a raised bed can be quite heavy. Whether vegetables, herbs, or ornamental plants, what goes into the raised bed is entirely up to personal taste. However, it’s important to avoid common mistakes when setting up and filling it to ensure the plants thrive.

What are the benefits of a raised bed?

The most significant advantage of a raised bed is back-friendly gardening, as you don’t have to bend down to the ground but can work standing up. Additionally, a raised bed saves a lot of space. What many don’t know: Due to its elevated position, warmth reaches the plants from all sides, making it warm up faster. This allows you to plant a raised bed earlier and use it longer during the gardening season. Lastly, a lushly planted bed is also a decorative eye-catcher that might attract some envious glances from the neighborhood.

7 mistakes to avoid with raised beds

To ensure a satisfactory harvest from the raised bed, it’s crucial to consider a few important factors during preparation. To avoid regrets later, you should steer clear of the following mistakes.

1. Mistake: Wrong material for the raised bed

Raised beds are not only made of wood—they also come in other materials, each with specific advantages and disadvantages. However, a wooden raised bed—whether self-built or not—is considered a classic. Here’s an overview of the materials:

• Wood: Solid wood emphasizes natural aesthetics and is robust and durable. However, proper care is essential, as wood can weather over time. Wood also has good insulating properties, keeping warmth in the raised bed. Naturally, wood (spruce, pine, larch, or Douglas fir) is the material of choice if you want to build a raised bed yourself.
• Plastic: Raised bed constructions made of plastic with a wood look often appear convincingly real but are easier to maintain. Assembly is usually straightforward, and they weigh less than wood. This can be important on a balcony or if you want to move the raised bed frequently. The biggest drawback of plastic: Even if it looks convincingly real, it lacks the pleasant naturalness of wood.
• Metal: Raised beds made of metal are available, though they are often not inexpensive. They offer high robustness and stability, requiring little maintenance. As the material heats up quickly, it often provides better planting conditions than other materials. There are various aesthetic options—from rusty to metallic shiny or painted.
• Stone: Raised beds made of natural stone are visually appealing and “built for eternity.” Relocating them is difficult, so choose the location carefully. A stone raised bed is robust, attractive, and natural, but it has poorer insulation. However, you can counteract this with an interior lining.

Note: The choice of material is also a matter of taste. However, wood is considered the typical material for a reason, as it impresses with its natural character and good properties.

2. Mistake: Raised bed is too wide

There are guidelines for height, length, and width, which depend on the individual’s height. The height is usually between 80 and 100 centimeters (hip height) to avoid excessive bending. You should also measure the width in advance, but there is more flexibility here. The rule is: You should be able to reach at least the middle of the raised bed from both sides—without an additional stool. Typically, they are between 70 and 100 centimeters wide. The length is relatively flexible; depending on available space, a raised bed can measure between 100 and 200 centimeters. Naturally, a larger raised bed yields a higher harvest.

Also interesting: Create your own herb bed – here’s how it’s done

3. Mistake: Not lining the raised bed

The wood should not have direct contact with the planting soil, or it will eventually rot. Even if the wood is treated, lining is essential. Pond liner or bubble wrap is suitable for this. The latter has the advantage of preventing moisture from accumulating easily in the space between. The liner is attached at the top edge, for example, with clips or nails with wide heads. However, avoid puncturing the liner too much, as moisture can quickly penetrate through the holes. The soil will naturally press the liner against the inner walls.

4. Mistake: Not using a vole mesh

If the raised bed has direct ground contact and is open at the bottom, there’s a risk that voles might nest from below. To prevent this, it’s advisable to install a fine-mesh grid before filling the raised bed. Galvanized vole mesh, rabbit wire, or aviary wire are suitable. The mesh size should not exceed 13 millimeters.

5. Mistake: Neglecting wood protection

Wood is the common material for raised beds. Outdoors, wood should always be treated with wood preservatives to protect it from moisture, fungal infestation, and pests. This is especially true for softwoods like spruce and pine, but even more expensive hardwoods like Douglas fir or larch don’t last forever. For a raised bed, use natural and harmless wood preservatives and impregnations, such as beeswax glaze. Choose a dry and warm day for application, and repeat the maintenance once a year.

6. Mistake: Filling the raised bed incorrectly

Errors can also occur when filling the bed. Once the bed is planted, it’s usually too late to correct. The layer structure in the raised bed should be as follows (see also the graphic above):

1. The bottom layer consists of a thin drainage layer of gravel or clay (about 10 cm).
2. Above that, add green waste like tree or grass clippings (20 cm).
3. Next, fill in a layer of leaves (20 cm).
4. Then, add a layer of compost (15 cm).
5. The top layer consists of potting soil (15 cm).

Note: This sequence is important for heat generation in the raised bed. The reason: Bacteria in the lower area get enough oxygen, which contributes to decomposition and thus heat generation.

7. Mistake: Choosing too shady a location

Important: Choose the optimal location for the raised bed before filling it. Otherwise, it can become so heavy that it can only be moved with great effort and by two people. The location should be as sunny as possible to provide the best conditions for the plants. This is especially true for heat-loving plants like herbs or tomatoes. If in doubt, a partially shaded location is also acceptable—but the sunnier, the better. Additionally, the raised bed should be accessible from all sides, so it shouldn’t be placed directly against a wall. However, it’s also important to protect the plants from wind, at least from one side.