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Fabric grow bags or metal raised beds?

Fabric containers and coated steel raised beds compared on the sizes their makers publish and what each suits, with extension guidance on metal beds.

The same spot in your garden

Side by side at one scale beside a 5 ft 6 in adult. Fabric: nothing sold at this size. Metal: 11 in tall, 19 bags of 1.5 ft³.FabricNot sold at this sizeMetal11 in tall19bags of 1.5 ft³
Side by side at one scale beside a 5 ft 6 in adult. Fabric: nothing sold at this size. Metal: 12 in tall, 9 bags of 1.5 ft³.FabricNot sold at this sizeMetal12 in tall9bags of 1.5 ft³
Side by side at one scale beside a 5 ft 6 in adult. Fabric: nothing sold at this size. Metal: 15 in tall, 14 bags of 1.5 ft³.FabricNot sold at this sizeMetal15 in tall14bags of 1.5 ft³
Side by side at one scale beside a 5 ft 6 in adult. Fabric: nothing sold at this size. Metal: 12 in tall, 11 bags of 1.5 ft³.FabricNot sold at this sizeMetal12 in tall11bags of 1.5 ft³

Fabric

None of the beds we list comes within 6 in of 4 × 8 ft.

Metal

Vegega 11-inch 10-in-1 modular steel bed

4 × 8 ft · 96 × 48 in · 11 in tall

19 bags to fill its stated 28.2 ft³

Fabric

None of the beds we list comes within 6 in of 2 × 8 ft.

Metal

Land Guard oval metal beds

8 × 2 ft, 12 in tall · 96 × 24 in

9 bags to fill its stated 13 ft³

Fabric

None of the beds we list comes within 6 in of 4 × 4 ft.

Metal

Birdies Large modular steel bed

4 × 4 ft, 15 in tall · 48 × 48 in

14 bags to fill its stated 20 ft³

Fabric

None of the beds we list comes within 6 in of 3 × 6 ft.

Metal

Land Guard rectangular metal beds

6 × 3 ft, 12 in tall · 72 × 36 in

11 bags to fill its stated 16 ft³

Each maker’s size closest to this footprint, within 6 in. Where a bed comes in two heights, we show the one closest to the other maker’s. Bags are 1.5 ft³, enough to fill the stated capacity.

Which suits you

Fabric

Fabric suits small, movable plantings on a patio.

Metal

Metal suits a permanent bed with tall walls and room for a larger planting.

This compares what makers publish and what extension services say. It is not a test of any bed.

12 in24 in36 in7.58.510.2511.7512141136FabricMetal
Every published height in each group, on one scale, in inches. Where a group lists too many to label, the lowest and tallest are labelled; the table below gives them all.

Side by side

FabricMetal
Beds we cover1 model, 7 sizes (Root Pouch)49 models, 284 sizes (Vego Garden, Birdies, Metal Garden Beds, Tarter, Best Choice Products, Garden In Minutes, Epic Gardening, Vegega, Sunnydaze, VEVOR, Gardenary, Land Guard, Anleolife, Arrow, Veikous)
Published heights7.5 to 14 in11 to 36 in
Stated soil capacity0.1 to 1.3 cubic feet3 to 96 cubic feet
SizesContainers of 0.1 to 1.3 cubic feet in the range we listWalls of 11 to 36 in, in several layouts per kit
Moving itMovable when empty; its maker gives sizes by fill volumeA fixed bed once filled
Notes from extension servicesNone specific to fabric containersZinc may leach only below pH 5; some metal beds sold online have been found to contain lead (University of Minnesota Extension)

Every figure is as the maker or extension service publishes it.

See the beds

Fabric

Metal beds

References