How to make a Raised Garden Bed Cover
Here in Northwest Indiana, our growing season is a bit shorter than most parts of the country. So after building the Raised Garden Bed, Doug made a Cover for it so that we could plant our garden earlier and would be protected from the cold weather we have in the Spring and also in the Fall.
We first introduced you to Seeds of Change last week, when we shared the Herb Starter Kit. Now it’s time to share the Raised Garden Bed and how to make the cover.
Let’s gather our supplies…
Raised Garden Bed Cover Supplies:
- 1″ diameter PVC Rigid Water line – cut 6 – 12 inch pieces
- 1/2″ PVC Rigid Water Line – 3 – 10 foot sections
- 12 Clamps – 1 inch steel EMT Conduit Straps
- Plastic Sheeting – 10 foot width (3.5 mil thickness is a good choice)
First thing is to layout your area for the Raised Garden Bed. {Stay tuned for directions on how to make the Raised Garden Bed}
After the frame of the Raised Garden Bed is complete, install the 1″ PVC pipe at each corner and at the mid point of the longest sides using 1 inch steel EMT Conduit Straps.
Our frame is 4’x8′, we spaced out our supports on 4′ centers to provide adequate support.
To form each arch support insert the 1/2″ PVC Water Pipe into opposing 1″ support pipes.
All 3 arch supports in and ready for plastic.
We attached the plastic along one 8′ side with nails and a thin strip of wood. Cut plastic long enough to have extra to secure ends. Pull plastic over supports and secure with heavy stones or large pieces of wood to prevent it from blowing off.
You can also add the cover to an existing garden bed, you will just need to dig out the soil where the pipes will need to be placed.
We made this short video to show you how to make the Raised Garden Bed Cover…
Now it’s time to plant the seeds…
We received several packets of seeds to try, including these Certified Organic Bilko F-1 Chinese Cabbage. You will want to read the directions on the back of the seed packet, it will tell you how deep to plant the seeds. A simple popsicle stick makes a good marker, then sprinkle in the seeds and cover with soil.
Seeds of Change is the country’s oldest organic seed provider and offers one of the industry’s largest selections of 100% Certified Organic vegetable, flower and herb seeds.
The Sowing Millions, Growing Minds program will be announced on April 24th at the spring opening of the Edible Gardens at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Stay tuned for lots of updates on this program, as we will be traveling to Chicago for this fun event at the Zoo, next week!
Learn more about Seeds of Change, follow them on Facebook and Twitter! And watch for the coupons in the March 30th. All You Magazine!
Disclosure: This post is part of a campaign I am participating in with the Walmart Moms. Walmart has provided me with compensation and product for this post. My participation is voluntary and opinions, as always are my own.
Linking to…Made by you Monday, Show Me How, Tip Me Tuesday, Sundae Scoop, Saturday Night Special
Hello! I love your tutorial. I am trying to build my own garden cover but I can’t find the “1/2″ PVC Rigid Water Line” you specify. I have search Lowes, Home Depot and Amazon. Does it go by another name? I keep seeing words like schedule 40 and furniture grade. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I live in San Francisco and the raccoons are aggressive/hungry! Thank you.
Hi Jessica, you want to use the schedule 40 PVC pipe for this project.
Thank you for the video. It helps a lot.
I made my raised bed a few years ago, but the sun is so hot here in TX I have to cover them to keep the sun off the plants. I was wondering if the plastic would be too hot. it would be great in the winter to keep my bulbs from freezing and my other plants. Have to figure something for my rose garden.
Hi Donna, yes plastic would be too hot. However, you can get shade cloth that would work. It comes in different weights of heaviness.
Hope that helps!
~Liz
Think I could do this with my 16X2 foot plot that I have I live in an R V resort and that’s all the room I have?
Hi Wanda,
I’m not sure this particular design will work for the space you described. The issue you are going to run into is that the space is very narrow. Instead of bending the plastic pipe I would try making an angular structure. I’ll work on a solution this week and update the post.
Thanks for the question I’m sure this will help other individuals as well.
Doug
it would NOT let me log ???
Hi Nancy, log what?
It’s a wonderful idea. Only problem I have is I used containing wall bricks, so I thought I would use large coffee cans and cement in the short pieces of PVC. Place the coffee cans in the same order you have yours only outside of the bed. I will have to find a way to hold down the plastic on the sides. I guess rocks would work there too or else regular bricks. What do you think?
Hi Glenda, I think rocks should work fine.
I did something similar in my garden but i used 2′ pieces of re-bar, hammered into the soil, then put the pipe over the re-bar.
I loved this idea so much I stole it from you! It works great and for my first bed i think it came out great. ! question though, I saw the plastic you had but where did you find the netting? My garden is 5×10 so I think I need 10×20. Thanks for the great idea and the help
Hi Tim,
You can find bird control netting at most larger garden supply stores or on-line. One of my favorite resources is A. M. Leonard, here is a link that might help…http://www.amleo.com/netting-square-mesh-bird-control/p/VP-PBN/
Very good plans and easy to understand diecrtions! Thanks! Here is my Sundae Scoop offering this week:http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2012/04/crafting-on-with-needle-and-thread.html
Great concept and clear directions! Thanks! I am going to use that this fall for a fall crop of lettuces and such. Good luck with gardening?
Very nice! DH and I have been trying to come up with something similar to extend our growing season into the fall.
Thanks Elise! I’m looking forward to our extended growing season.
thank you so much for sharing this idea.
Thanks Tammy! And thanks for pinning too 🙂