Raised Garden Bed: Build It, Fill It, Plant It (and Have It Last a Decade)
Cedar or galvanized for the frame, 60/30/10 mix for the fill, 12 inches deep for most crops. The plan, the costs, and the mistakes to skip.
Build a 4×8 raised bed 10-12 inches deep. Cedar lasts a decade; galvanized longer. Fill with 60% screened topsoil, 30% compost, 10% peat or coir. Skip pressure-treated lumber against food crops. Total cost: $100-250 materials, half a Saturday to build. Pays back in vegetables by the end of summer one.
Why raised vs in-ground
Three real reasons: known soil (you control what goes in, native ground quality doesn't matter), warmer soil in spring (a few weeks earlier planting), and easier access (no bending). The downside: cost, and the soil dries faster than in-ground. Worth it for vegetables, herbs, and small flower beds. For trees, shrubs, and large perennial gardens, in-ground is usually better.