Planting Plans for Raised Bed Gardens

A few considerations before getting started

These garden plans are designed for full-sun conditions unless otherwise noted. Raised beds have open bottoms to enable plants to access the soil below. Elevated planters and planter boxes have closed bottoms, making them ideal for patios, porches, and balconies. Be sure to check planting depths if you want to substitute plants or if you’re simply unsure, using our soil depth requirements guide.

1. Classic vegetable garden bed

Where better to start than with the classic vegetable bed, a harmonious blend of traditional garden favorites? Anchored by two tomato plants, this bed showcases mainstays like carrots and beets while maximizing space with a vertical wall of peas and beans climbing a sturdy trellis. Two broccoli plants add vitamin richness, while below the surface, potatoes thrive. A lush carpet of salad greens planted in the semi-shade of your taller plants ensures a continuous harvest of fresh, crisp leaves.

What you'll need

• 1 vertical trellis attached to the north wall of your bed

• rich garden soil

• 2 determinate (“bush”) starter tomato plants

• 1 seed package each of of carrots, lettuce, beets, peas, and pole beans

• 2 broccoli starter plants

• 2 seed potatoes

• All-purpose organic fertilizer or concentrated compost
  

Planting guide

1. Potatoes: Plant at opposite front corners of bed when soil is above 44°F (7°C), about two weeks before the last frost.

2. Beets: Sow seeds 1 to 2 inches apart as soon as the soil can be worked. Thin to 3 to 4 inches.

3. Lettuce: Scatter seeds in a wide row. Leave in place for looseleaf or thin to 6 to 12 inches for head lettuce.

4. Tomatoes: Plant starts outdoors as soon as nighttime temperatures reach 50°F (10°C).

5. Peas: Plant along half the trellis in early spring.

6. Beans: Plant along remaining half of trellis once the soil warms to 70°F (21°C)

7. Carrots: Broadcast seed, thinning to 2 to 3 inches apart.

8. Broccoli: Plant starts outdoors in early spring, after the last frost date. Locate behind tomatoes.
   

Culinary herb garden bed This design features a curated selection of annual and perennial herbs perfect for culinary use. Each plant occupies its designated space thanks to dividers that prevent plants from overpowering their neighbors, promoting a harmonious coexistence within the planter. Ideal for seasoned chefs and food enthusiasts, this plan suits full sun and a wide variety of substitutions based on your location. Cultivate a herb garden where each plant thrives independently, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh herbs for your kitchen.

What you'll need

• rich garden soil

• 1 starter plant of each of the following herbs: curley-leaf parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, purple sage, chives, culinary thyme and golden oregano.

Planting Guide

1. Insert 8 starter plants into herbal planter according to the diagram numbers: 1) cilantro, 2) oregano, 3) mint, 4) basil, 5) parsley, 6) chives, 7) thyme and 8) sage.

2. Keep soil evenly moist, but do not overwater. If permitted to dry out, herb plants may go to seed prematurely.

3. When several sets of leaves appear, pinch back basil, cilantro, sage, mint and parsley for a bushier plant. This involves removing the tender new growth at the stem’s end, just above a leaf node.

4. Mid-season, trim oregano and thyme about halfway back to increase growth.

5. When harvesting herbs, choose older sets of leaves and stems to encourage new growth.

Salad greens garden bed

Who doesn’t love a fresh salad right off the kitchen? Basking in full sun or partial shade, this elevated planter hosts a rotating cast of leafy delights, adapting seamlessly to seasonal changes. At the forefront are three varieties of lettuce. As the seasons evolve, the planter transitions from spring spinach and peppery arugula to a selection of Asian greens and hardy kale. This thoughtful arrangement not only provides variety but also maximizes the planter’s potential for year-round cultivation.

What you'll need

• rich garden soil

• 3 starter plants of butterhead lettuce2 starter plants oak leaf lettuce. Red varieties add color and interest to your planter.

• 2 starter plants of romaine lettuce that is slow to bolt (e.g. Green Towers or Paris Island)

• 1 seed packet each of rocket arugula, spinach, and mixed Asian greens

Planting Guide

1. Butterhead lettuce: Begin hardening off starts outdoors 3 to 4 days before planting out. On planting day, insert in soil at the same level as the plant pot. Harvest heads when 6 to 8 inches in diameter.

2. Red oak leaf lettuce: Plant as above, but harvest outer leaves as soon as they reach desired size.

3. Romaine lettuce: Follow instructions for planting butterhead lettuce, harvesting individual leaves or full heads.

4. Asian or mesclun greens: Sow a row as soon as the soil can be worked in springtime. If frost threatens, protect with a floating row cover.

5. Arugula: Sow every month from early spring, removing plants when they start to go to seed.

6. Spinach: Sow in the four weeks before the last frost. If they start to go to seed within a month of your last spring frost, remove and sow a second crop.

Cut flower garden bed

This raised bed is a tapestry of vibrant blooms, carefully selected for their beauty and versatility. From the elegance of zinnias to the classic charm of sunflowers and cosmos, the bed is a riot of color and fragrance throughout the blooming season. Pick fresh bouquets from a mixture of annuals and perennials for long-lasting beauty.

What you'll need

• rich garden soil

• 1 gallon potted peony plant

• 3 yarrow starter plants

• 3 purple coneflower starter plants

• 1 seed packet each of mixed color zinnias, pink and white cosmos, and mid-height sunflowers

• 20 to 30 blazing star corms

Planting Guide

1. Peony: Plant outdoors when all danger of frost has passed. Put a stake close to the plant for later supporting heavy blooms.

2. Yarrow: Plant outdoors in a broad triangle when frost has passed. Yarrow is excellent in fresh and dried arrangements.

3. Blazing star: Plant corms in spring when the soil warms. Flowers will emerge in up to three months the first season, growing more vigorous each year.

4. Cosmos: For earliest blooms, sow cosmos seeds indoors six weeks before the last frost date. Transplant 5 of your sturdiest plants outdoors when weather warms, forming a loose circle.

5. Zinnias: Plant as above for cosmos, but transplant 9 of your sturdiest plants.

6. Sunflower: Plant as above for cosmos, transplanting out 3 to 4 sunflowers. Be sure to choose varieties that produce multiple blooms on one stem.

7. Purple coneflower: Plant outdoors in a close triangle when danger of frost has passed.