Best Wooden Planters for Growing Vegetables

Vegetables are less fussy about the shape of a planter than they are about two things: how deep the roots can go and how much compost is available to hold water. Get those right and almost anything will grow. This guide explains what depth different crops need, how that maps on to the planters we build, and what to do once the bed is filled.

How much depth does each crop need

Which of our planters suits which job

A full vegetable patch

The 120 x 60 cm raised bed is the one to start with. It holds roughly 200 litres, gives 30 cm of depth across a large area, and the base is left open so roots and worms move freely between the bed and the ground beneath. That open base is the reason it behaves like a piece of garden rather than a large pot.

A narrow strip along a wall or fence

The 100 cm trough is only 30 cm front to back but gives about 34 cm of planting depth. It suits a row of salad crops, dwarf beans or a line of herbs where a square box would take up too much ground.

Herbs and salads without bending

The herb planter table puts the soil at 80 cm. The tray is about 19 cm deep, which is right for herbs, cut-and-come-again leaves and radish, but not for carrots or potatoes.

A single crop in a small space

The 50 cm square gives about 38 cm of depth in 80 litres, which is enough for one courgette plant, a wigwam of beans or a decent crop of new potatoes.

Climbing crops

The 45 cm planter with trellis has the support built in, so runner beans, peas and cucumbers have something to climb from day one.

Filling and looking after a wooden vegetable bed

• Use a soil-based mix, not pure multipurpose compost. A blend of topsoil, garden compost and a peat-free multipurpose holds water far better through a dry spell and does not slump as quickly.
• Do not line the base. Our planters drain through an open base and a permeable liner protects the timber while still letting water out. Sealing the bottom is the quickest way to rot the wood and drown the roots.
• Water more often than you expect. Any raised container dries faster than open ground, especially in the first summer before roots establish.
• Top up each spring. Compost settles. Adding 5 cm of fresh material each year keeps the depth you paid for.
• Rotate what you grow. Moving crop families around between beds each year reduces the build-up of pests and diseases.

Is pressure-treated timber safe for food crops

Every planter we build is lined with a permeable membrane before it leaves the workshop, so the growing medium is not in direct contact with the timber. If you would like the specifics of the treatment process, ask us and we will tell you exactly what our timber supplier uses.

Still not sure which size fits your plot ? Compare every planter side by side, or ask us to build one to your measurements.