How to prepare your land/garden for raised garden beds

Apr 8

So you have an acre of land you want to prepare for raised garden beds. This requires planning, hard work, and some strategic decisions to ensure long-term soil health, efficiency, and productivity. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get your acre ready for a thriving raised bed garden!

Don’t have an acre of land? Don’t worry, the tips I share are useful and important no matter how much land you have, I promise.

Step 1: Plan Your Layout (Because Winging It Won't Work)

Before you start throwing beds together, take a step back and think through your layout. Trust me, you’ll be happy you did!

Ask Yourself:

How many raised beds do I need?

Standard size: 4’ x 8’ is a popular size for ease of access.
Spacing: Leave at least 2-3 feet between beds for walking and tool access.
Consider long-term expansion—don’t overcrowd yourself now if you plan to grow later.

Where does the sun hit?

Most veggies need 6-8 hours of sunlight daily.
Avoid placing beds in low-lying areas that collect water.

What’s my irrigation plan?

Raised beds dry out faster than in-ground gardens.
Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are lifesavers.

Do I need fencing?

Deer, rabbits, and other critters will see your garden as their personal buffet.
If wildlife is an issue, plan for a 6-8 ft fence for deer and hardware cloth for small pests.

Pro Tip: Draw out your garden layout on paper or use an online garden planner to avoid costly mistakes later.

Step 2: Clear the Land (Goodbye, Weeds and Grass)

Unless your acre is already a perfectly tilled blank slate (which, let’s be honest, it’s probably not), you’ll need to remove sod, weeds, and any unwanted vegetation. Time to get to work!

Option 1: Smother the Grass (Simple, Easy & Effective)

Cover the area with cardboard or heavy black plastic.
Let it sit for 3-6 weeks to kill weeds and grass naturally.
Afterward, remove the plastic, and you’re left with soft, workable soil.

Option 2: Tilling (Faster, but more work)

Use a rototiller or tractor to break up the sod.
Rake out grass clumps and debris.
Tilling is great for quick results, but be aware that it may stir up dormant weed seeds.

Option 3: Livestock Assistance

Let pigs root up the land (if you already have them).
Let chickens scratch through the area for bugs and weeds.
Natural and fun, but takes longer!

Pro Tip: If weeds are super aggressive, consider solarization—lay clear plastic over the area during hot months to bake weeds to death.

Step 3: Building Your Raised Beds

You have lots of options when it comes to the material you use to build your beds. For example:

Wood (Cedar or Redwood, specifically) – They’re long-lasting and rot-resistant.
Metal (Galvanized Stock Tanks) – Modern, durable, and great for deep-rooted crops.
Brick or Stone – Aesthetic but labor-intensive.
Concrete Blocks – Budget-friendly but may leach lime into soil.

Bed Depth Matters

12-18 inches deep is ideal for most vegetables.
Shallow-rooted crops (lettuce, herbs) can survive in 6-10 inches.
Root crops (carrots, potatoes) thrive in 18 inches or more.

Pro Tip: Add hardware cloth or chicken wire at the bottom of your beds if you have burrowing pests like gophers or moles.

Step 4: Improve Your Soil (Because Dirt Alone Won’t Cut It)

Raised beds drain faster than in-ground gardens, so your soil needs to hold moisture but still drain well. You do this by having soil that is mixed. Here’s what I suggest:

Best soil mixes for raised beds:

50% Topsoil – Provides bulk and structure.
30% Compost – Adds organic matter and nutrients.
20% Aeration Material (Sand, Perlite, or Peat Moss) – Improves drainage and root growth.

If you’re filling a lot of raised beds, consider getting a bulk delivery from a landscaping company instead of buying expensive bagged soil. Plus, they bring it to you!

Pro Tip: Add worm castings and aged manure to boost soil fertility from the start.

Step 5: Plan Irrigation (Because Hand-Watering Will Drive You Crazy)

Raised beds dry out quickly, especially in summer. So you need to think about how to combat against this ahead of time. The best irrigation methods for a large raised bed garden are:

Drip Irrigation: Directly waters roots, reduces waste, and prevents disease.
Soaker Hoses: Easy and affordable for watering multiple beds at once.
Rainwater Collection: Set up rain barrels to reduce reliance on hoses.

Pro Tip: Mulch, mulch, mulch! Adding straw, wood chips, or grass clippings to your beds retains moisture and prevents weeds.

Step 6: Add Pathways (So You’re Not Wading Through Mud)

Your garden will need paths between beds for you to easily access and take care of your plants.

Here are some of the best pathway materials:

Wood Chips – Free or cheap if you get them from a local tree service.
Gravel – Great for drainage but more expensive.
Straw or Hay – Cheap but needs replenishing often.
Bricks/Pavers – Fancy but labor-intensive.

Pro Tip: Lay weed barrier fabric under pathways to stop weeds before they start.

Step 7: Choose What to Grow (Because Not Every Plant is Worth the Work)

One-acre of raised beds can produce a ton of food, but you need to be smart about what you choose to grow.

Start with easy, high-yield crops like:

Tomatoes – Always in demand, high-profit at markets.
Lettuce & Greens – Quick to grow, multiple harvests.
Carrots & Beets – Long storage life.
Peppers – Thrives in raised beds.
Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Mint) – High-profit, low-maintenance.

Skip the ones below until you have more experience:

Corn – Takes up too much space for too little yield.
Pumpkins & Watermelon – Vine plants sprawl and take over.
Asparagus – Takes years to establish (the more you know!)

Pro Tip: Use vertical trellising for cucumbers, beans, and peas to save space.

Step 8: Keep the Pests Away
(Before They Move In)

Your new garden will attract every bug, rabbit, and deer within a five-mile radius. Trust me. Here are some prevention tips so you can enjoy what you’ve worked so hard to grow!

Pest Prevention Tips:

For rabbits: Add hardware cloth fencing around the base of beds.
For deer: Install a 6-8 foot fence around your garden.
For insects: Use companion planting (e.g., marigolds to deter aphids).
For chickens (if free-ranging): Use row covers to keep them from scratching up seedlings.

Pro Tip: Sprinkle crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth around plants to deter slugs and snails.

Now you’re ready to GROW!

Prepping your one-acre raised bed garden takes planning and effort, but once it’s set up, you’ll have a thriving, productive space for fresh food, extra produce to sell, and the satisfaction of growing your own farm-to-table goodness.

Quick Recap:

Plan your layout for efficiency.
Clear and prep the land to avoid long-term weed battles.
Build solid raised beds (and use quality soil).
Set up irrigation before summer heat kicks in.
Choose high-yield crops that make sense for your family and sales.
Protect your garden from wildlife and pests.

Now, put on your gardening gloves and start prepping your future farm-to-table experience right at home!

Did this help? Let me know in the comments :)

Mayberry Farms