How to build a cedar raised garden bed

If you have a green thumb, a weekend away from your garden at home might not sound all that relaxing. And planting a garden at your cottage can be challenging, as you’ll likely be contending with thin, acidic soil and a lot of shade.

Which is why we love this Real Cedar raised garden bed for the cottage. With raised beds (also called garden boxes), you can shore up the scant soil at your cottage—about a third of a metre is best. Just be sure to use soil from a local source so you don’t introduce non-native seeds.

A raised garden bed also keeps “path weeds” from spreading to your soil, and it wards off pests like snails and slugs. That said, your garden will still be a smorgasbord for other cottage critters if you don’t enclose it in chicken wire.

To make a good idea even better, try using Real Cedar for your garden bed. By choosing cedar, you’ll build a box that not only has a warm, rich lustre but also resists weather, rot, and pests. Using natural wood products like Real Cedar also removes carbon from the atmosphere and reduces the effects of climate change.

To find a good source, visit realcedar.com for a retailer near you, and ask whether they have short lengths in stock. With short lengths, you’ll need to do less cutting, meaning there’ll be less waste and more savings for you. Also ask for kiln-dried material if they have it.

For the complete project plan, visit realcedar.com, and while you’re there, be sure to check out Colin and Justin’s new web series, The House That Cedar Fixed for even more inspiration.