July 9, 2025, 2:22 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
A raised bed is ideal for gardening that is easy on the back and saves space. Whether you build it yourself or choose a ready-made model from the hardware store, there are a few things to keep in mind when working with raised beds.
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 more comfortable, whether in a small garden, on the terrace, or the balcony. However, the latter 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. It’s important, however, to avoid common mistakes when setting up and filling it to ensure the plants thrive.
What are the advantages of a raised bed?
The most significant advantage of a raised bed is the 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.
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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 aren’t just made of wood—they come in other materials too, each with specific pros and cons. 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 have the advantage of being 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 downside of plastic: Even if it looks real, it lacks the pleasant naturalness of wood.
- Metal: Raised beds made of metal are also available, though they are often not cheap. They impress with high robustness and stability. Maintenance is hardly required. Since 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: Visually appealing and “built for eternity,” raised beds made of natural stone masonry are robust, attractive, and natural, but have poorer insulation. You can counteract this with an interior lining. Moving a stone raised bed is difficult, so choose the location carefully.
Note: Ultimately, the choice of material is a matter of taste. However, wood is considered the typical material for a reason, as it offers natural character and good properties.
2. Mistake: Raised bed is too wide
There are guidelines for height, length, and width, which also depend on your height. The height is usually between 80 and 100 centimeters (hip height) to avoid excessive bending. You should measure the width in advance, but there’s 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 extra 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: Creating 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 it’s treated wood, lining is essential. Pond liner or bubble wrap is suitable for this. The latter has the advantage of preventing moisture accumulation in the space. 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 grid
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: Skipping 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 safe wood preservatives and impregnations, such as beeswax glaze. Choose a dry and warm day for application, and repeat maintenance once a year.
6. Mistake: Incorrectly filling the raised bed
Filling errors can also occur. Once the bed is planted, it’s usually too late to correct. The layer structure in the raised bed should be as follows (see graphic above):
- The bottom layer consists of a thin drainage layer of gravel or clay (about 10 cm).
- Above that, add green waste like tree or grass clippings (20 cm).
- Next, fill in a layer of leaves (20 cm).
- Then, add a layer of compost (15 cm).
- The top layer consists of potting soil (15 cm).
Note: This sequence is crucial for heat generation in the raised bed. The bacteria in the lower area get enough oxygen, contributing to decomposition and thus heat generation.
7. Mistake: Choosing too shady a location
Important: Choose the optimal spot for the raised bed before filling it. Otherwise, it can become so heavy that moving it requires significant effort and 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 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.