Best Wood For Raised Garden Beds [Organic Edition]

I think we can all agree:

A wooden raised garden bed is a lifesaver for gardeners who do not have a lot of space to let their green thumbs run wild

But as with any solution worth its salt, there is an endless collection of products and brands to choose from. I tend to think about this positively and see it as an added benefit.

It leads to more variation which allows people to tailor their purchases with the different nuances of their own personal preferences.

And so, I firmly believe that if you are faced with the dilemma of having little space for your garden, you should actually double down on purchasing the best wood for raised garden beds. You’ll find that it is a much better solution than just buying random low-end wood panels from your local carpenter.

Any gardener would agree that growing plants over a long period of time can be a lucrative task as it is. And toxins in the soil are always a detriment to this process. So in order to minimize the risk of introducing toxins into your plants’ ecosystem, you’ll have to make sure that the wood for raised vegetable garden you use is clean and plant-friendly.

This is why I have compiled a list of the best wood for raised garden beds organic.

Make sure to check out the Planting Guide at the end near the Conclusion. And if you like this article, check out our other lists for the Best Soil For Tomatoes In Pots and Best Potting Soil For Indoor Plants. You can even check out our guide on Saving A Dying Tree.

Best Wood For Raised Garden Beds Organic 2021

These are our top picks for the best wood to use for raised garden beds.

Wood For Garden Beds	Rating	Price
Raised Bed Garden Kit	10/10 (Editor's Choice)	Check Price
Garden Bloom 11023BL	9.5/10	Check Price
Gro Products 18-EGB1-1616	9/10	Check Price
Best Choice Products 96x24x10in	8.5/10	Check Price
Infinite Cedar Raised Bed Garden Kit	8/10	Check Price
Algreen 32107	7.5/10	Check Price
Emsco Group 2350	9/10	Check Price

1. Raised Bed Garden Kit

Why we love it:

Long-lasting
Superior strength
Easy assembly

Pros	Cons
✅ 5 year warranty	❌Mechanical drilling required for assembly
✅ Thick and sturdy planks

Why we recommend this:

When you’re looking for a wooden raised garden bed, chances are you don’t want to delve into anything too complicated. If you wanted that, you might as well have had a full-fledged garden with all the issues that come along with one.

This is a simple and neat solution for the issue of the best wood to use for raised garden beds.

This wooden raised garden bed is made with rot-resistant thick western red cedar boards. There’s also the added benefit of not having any chemically treated substances integrated into it.

This means that you can be at ease knowing that you plants are getting the best environment they can grow in.

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2. Garden Bloom 11023BL

Why we love it:

Perfect for herbs and vegetables
Reinforced with steel
Extra height

Pros	Cons
✅ Aesthetically pleasing	❌Not compatible with thin wood
✅ Limited lifetime warranty

Why we recommend this:

Building raised garden beds can be a hassle. Especially when the source material is flimsy and prone to breaking down under pressure. So it’s always good to have extra reinforcement so that you are able to avoid these issues while you’re constructing a wooden raised garden bed.

The Garden Bloom takes care of this by reinforcing the corners of your garden bed with steel. Another added benefit is that you do not have to deal with the hassle of drilling.

Sometimes, if you’re using cheap wood for raised garden beds, you’ll find that drilling compromises the integrity of the whole structure. So if you’re looking to avoid all these different annoying issues, it’s best to go for something already reinforced.

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3. Gro Products 18-EGB1-1616

Why we love it:

Custom fitted liner
Elevated
Clean look

Pros	Cons
✅Insect resistant	❌Relatively small and compact
✅Easy to put together

Why we recommend this:

I’ll be honest. This one might not be one of the best raised garden bed ideas, but it is a very simple and efficient solution for those who are just looking to break into the hobby of planting.

Lightweight at just 6 pounds, this piece is easy to assemble and takes up very little space in your home.

This depends because some might see it as a disadvantage. But if the size in your raised garden bed ideas aren’t a point of contention for you, then you can rest assured knowing that this product is still using some of the best wood for raised gardens anyways – red cedar.

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4. Best Choice Products 96x24x10in

Why we love it:

Built to last
Large size
Easy assembly

Pros	Cons
✅Garden organizer included	❌Wood can splinter
✅Uses Chinese Fir wood

Why we recommend this:

This is the best wood to use for raised beds, with its large and spacious design and Chinese Fir wood build. If you have a barrage of vegetable seeds sitting at home and you want to jump right into the gardening hobby, getting a piece like this is actually among the best raised garden bed ideas.

This piece comes with its very own garden organizer so that you can sort out all the different types of plants by their own respective categories. It is also marketed to accentuate your outdoor environment so this one will blend in nicely with any kind of yard or pre existing garden.

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5. Infinite Cedar Raised Bed Garden Kit

Why we love it:

Assembles in minutes
Strong build
Accommodates deep-rooted plants

Pros	Cons
✅Premium quality deck boards	❌Relatively expensive
✅Comes with pre-assembled corner connectors

Why we recommend this:

Many reviewers agree that Cedar wood is the best wood for raised beds. But what they fail to consider is that even the best wood for raised gardens aren’t enough if the soil is too thick and the wood board is too thin.

Your garden bed is at risk of collapsing when this is the case. So you should ideally buy the best woods for raised beds but also make sure that they are thick and sturdy.

This piece qualifies in all those areas with specific reviews commending it on that very front. It has been described as sturdy and is super simple to assemble as well given the pre-drilled holes it comes with.

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6. Algreen 32107

Why we love it:

Aesthetically appealing
Wheels for mobility
Modernistic design

Pros	Cons
✅Weather-resistant non-toxic seal	❌Mismatched screws
✅Self-watering planter

Why we recommend this:

This isn’t the usual wood for raised garden bed. It is an elevated wooden deck that can make your life a lot easier if your plants are indoors. A common problem with many household plant owners is that they are unable to provide adequate housing space for their budding plants.

This product takes care of that issue with a simple elevated solution. The Rustic wood allows for an overall modern field whilst maintaining the integrity of your plant.

The best wood for a raised garden is whatever you find adequate to help deal with your specific question. Whilst most outdoor plant owners would find this wood to use for raised beds pretty useless, I know that those with indoor plants will definitely appreciate it.

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7. Emsco Group 2350

Why we love it:

Mobile
Saves space
Self-watering

Pros	Cons
✅Great aeration	❌Expensive
✅Overflow holes

Why we recommend this:

This is one of the most convenient products in this category. Not only does this product employ the use of one of the best wood for raised gardens, but it is also a mobile planter with wheels attached to the bottom.

The sturdy design encapsulates your plants and the overflow holes prevent you from watering the plant more than needed. It has also been rated highly for how efficient the aeration in the soil is inside of this planter.

It comes with a 2-gallon reservoir which facilitates the self-watering feature on this planter. So you need not worry constantly about when exactly to water your plants and how much.

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Conclusion

So there you have it! These were my picks for the best wood to use for raised garden beds. The best wood for raised garden beds is anything that it thick and sturdy enough to sustain a system of soil and plants.

The products highlighted above are large wooden frames that provide the appropriate housing space for all kinds of plants. Remember, just because they’re out of the ground doesn’t mean they require less care.

Ideally, you should check up on your plant growth after moving them into the raised garden bed to make sure that they are reacting well to it.

Planting Guide

How To Build A Raised Vegetable Garden

Building a raised vegetable garden can be a daunting task. Especially for those of you who might be moving your plants out of the soil and into the raised garden bed.

But no need to worry because as with all things, there is a specific method to achieve optimal results.

The first thing that you should know is that it is ok for you to have a raised garden bed. Sometimes, the soil outside is too alkaline or is simply mixed with too much clay.

In situations like these, it is actually way more beneficial for the health of your plant if it is housed separately in a raised garden bed. And of course, for this, you need the best woods for raised beds. If you want more information on what wood to use for raised garden beds, check out this Article.

Before you go ahead and bust out your hardware supplies, you need to make sure you pick a spot that is ideal for your plants. Just because you are housing them in a small sustained unit does not mean that they can compromise on their necessities. Ideally, your site should be one where there is ample sunlight and a buffer against strong winds.

With that out of the way, you need to ensure that you fortify the bottom bed of your housing unit with small rocks so as to facilitate the process of drainage. This is a very important step as without proper drainage, your plan runs the risk of being overwatered and also possibly dying out. For more information on building a sustainable drainage system in your garden, check this Article out.

The last step is finding the appropriate wooden panels to fence out your garden bed and join the pieces together. Refer to our picks above for more information about what exactly you should look for in cheap woods for raised garden beds.

It’s also always good to layout the perimeter of the area you are looking to fence in and clear out any obstructions in the way. This way, when you’re laying down the boundaries of your garden bed, you’ll have a clear field to work with.

Make sure to make the outlines of your garden bed sturdy. Wiring it shut can sometimes be of great help especially if you live in a windy area. There is no such thing as too much reinforcement unless it is at the expense of the growth of your plants. So use that as a framework and you’re good to go!