A raised bed lifts the soil off the ground, which suits a patio, a small yard or a spot where the ground is poor. The decision is between a wooden box, a galvanised steel bed and a self-watering planter, and it depends on the space you have, what you want to grow and how much you want to water. Every figure here comes from the listings.
Wooden beds
The Green Fingers wooden garden bed is made from fir wood with raised legs. It measures 60cm x 30cm x 33cm and weighs 3.75kg. The listing gives a weight capacity of 30kg, so it suits herbs, flowers and small vegetables rather than a deep bed of soil. Assembly is required, and the listing says tools and instructions are included.
Galvanised steel beds
The oval galvanised bed is 120cm x 60cm x 30cm, in 0.5mm galvanised steel with an open base for drainage. The listing says assembly needs no tools and that a pair of gloves is in the box.
The rectangular galvanised bed is 80cm x 60cm x 30cm, in galvanised SGCC steel that is 0.28mm thick. Its listing names carrots, radishes, lettuce, spinach, onions, tomatoes and strawberries as plants to grow, and says assembly is required.
The steel beds are a larger growing area than the wooden box. The oval one lists an open base for drainage, so check the other listing before you plan around that.
A self-watering planter
The self-watering planter with trellis is 28cm x 28cm x 140cm. It has a built in reservoir with a side fill port, and the height adjusts from 1 to 4 layers as the plants grow. The listing says it snaps together without tools and names tomatoes, peas, roses and climbing flowers.
Soil, sun and summer watering
Whichever bed you choose, the soil does most of the work, so fill it with a mix made for the plants you want to grow rather than ordinary garden dirt. Raised beds and planters can dry out faster than ground soil in the heat, which is one reason a self-watering reservoir is worth a look for tomatoes. Put the bed where the plants will get the sun they need, and water it in the morning. A bed on a patio or a balcony also needs a way for excess water to run off, so think about a tray or a drain before you fill it.
Compared
| Bed | Size | Material | Assembly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden garden bed | 60 x 30 x 33cm | Fir wood | Required, tools included |
| Oval galvanised bed | 120 x 60 x 30cm | 0.5mm galvanised steel | Required, no tools |
| Galvanised bed | 80 x 60 x 30cm | 0.28mm galvanised steel | Required |
| Self-watering planter | 28 x 28 x 140cm | PP | Required, no tools |
Which one for which space
Tomatoes or climbers. The self-watering planter with a trellis.
A vegetable patch in the yard. One of the galvanised steel beds.
Herbs by the back door. The small wooden box.
Before you buy
- Decide where the bed will sit before you fill it, because a full bed is heavy to move.
- Check the sun on the spot, since most vegetables like a bright position.
- Choose an open base if you want water to drain into the ground, and a tray if the bed will stand on a patio.
- Look at the weight capacity if you are buying a small wooden box, which lists 30kg.
- Browse the pots and planters page for plant stands and more planters.
Frequently asked questions
Does the wooden garden bed come ready to use?
Not quite. You put it together yourself, and the listing says the tools and the manual are in the box.
Is there a raised bed with a drainage base?
The oval galvanised bed lists an open base for drainage. Check the listing of any other bed you choose.
Which planter suits tomatoes?
The self-watering planter with trellis names tomatoes, peas, roses and climbing flowers, and it is 140cm tall with a built in reservoir. The 80cm x 60cm galvanised bed also lists tomatoes among the plants to grow.
Does the self-watering planter need tools?
The listing says it snaps together without tools. It has a built in reservoir with a side fill port.