Raised bed garden planner
Enter the bed you want to build, then work through fill, access and your soil order. Save or share the plan when you’re ready.
Example: a bed 8 × 4 ft inside, 12 in of soil
or mix your own: 15 topsoil+8 compost
- About 2,600 lb: 3 trips in a vehicle with 1,250 lb of room after its driver, or one delivered load.
- 1.2 cubic yards in bulk. Suppliers’ minimum loads run 1 to 5 yards, so get one delivered quote before buying 22 bags.
12 in of soil: room for carrots and most crops. On open ground, roots carry on into the soil below the bed. Depth by crop
At other bag sizes: 43 of 0.75 ft³ · 32 of 1 ft³ · 22 of 1.5 ft³ · 16 of 2 ft³ · 11 of 3 ft³
Bed 1: 12 in of soil.
Weight uses Sands and Soils screened topsoil at 2,200 lb a cubic yard. Choose another material in Soil order.
Measure the inside of the bed
Choose a bed to start with
Soil depth is the inside height less the space you leave empty at the top for mulch and watering.
Prepare the spot for this bedLeave space to work around it
The outside size follows the inside plus 1.5-inch walls on each side, the thickness of a 2-inch board. Change it for a bed with thicker or thinner walls.
Sides refer to the drawing. For round containers, select all four sides to check reach from the whole rim. Layout clearances use the enclosing outside rectangle, including for round beds.
Work out your soil order
Split into your own mix
Already have a two-part soil mix in mind? Enter the percentage of each ingredient. Read the soil and surface guidance before choosing a mix.
Compare your bag and bulk quotes
Private amounts stay on this page and are excluded from save, share and print. Enter 0 for a genuinely free delivery.
Beds sold within 6 in of your bed
Beds we list that come within 6 in of Bed 1’s size.
Kits that cover these beds
Each watering kit against the beds in your plan, by the coverage its maker states.
Find a bed for your plan
Check each bed size against the limits you set, then swap it into your plan. Compare the construction and maintenance choices before narrowing by size.
Pick a bed from your plan and at least one limit, such as the longest bed you have room for.
Add up to three sizes to compare their measurements and construction. A fit covers only the limits you set.
Compare your selected beds
Measurements below are in inches, as the makers list them. Without the inside measurements we can’t work out the soil or the reach.
Scroll across to compare the sizes you picked.
Epic Garden Watering System · Starter Kit
Three parts of the water route
- At the sourceStarter: timer, filter and hose connection kit
- To the bed16 mm main tubing: 50 ft
- At the plantsManifold and eight separate drip tapes
Use the selected kit’s manual for installation order. Backflow protection is a separate check; a filter does not replace it.
Check the kit against your plan
Enter what you have measured and leave unknown measurements blank. The result separates bed fit, included tubing, pressure and connection checks.
Plan the water route and parts listInside dimensions for fill. Outside dimensions for space.
Measure between the inner walls for soil volume. Use the widest outer footprint, including legs or corners, when positioning a bed. A product’s advertised size may be rounded and may not identify either measurement.
The example starts with a rectangular bed, 96 by 48 inches inside, filled 12 inches deep. That needs 32 cubic feet of fill before any optional purchasing buffer. Your entered reach and path width control the layout checks; they are not accessibility certifications.