10 Best Raised Garden Beds For Small Spaces – Reviews & Buying Guide (2023)

The pandemic has turned a lot of us into gardeners. With the movement of taking care of plants, even highly-urbanized areas experience a rise in urban gardening. 

If you’re an urban gardener, you’re probably looking for the best raised garden beds that will suit your space and style.  

Any gardener can always build their own raised garden beds. However, if you don’t want to spend a lot of time building one, you can count on ready-made raised garden beds. They are easier to assemble and can help you jumpstart your gardening goals. 

In this post, we will share with you the different types and designs of raised garden beds for urban gardening. 

Our list includes raised garden beds that are suitable for a variety of flowering plants, fruits, and vegetables.

Let’s start!

(You could use the table of contents below to jump to the sections that are most important to you.)

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10 Best Raised Garden Beds For Small Spaces – Reviews in 2023

1. Victory 8 Fabric Raised Bed

Victory fabric raised beds are one of the new versions of raised garden beds today.

The fabric is made of polypropylene which contributes to its high durability and withstands extreme weather conditions. It is also made with AeroFlow technology which helps aerate the soil and promote good water drainage. 

Compared to the traditional raised garden beds, you no longer need to assemble a raised fabric garden bed which makes it suitable for busy gardeners. 

All you have to do is fill it up with a potting mix or soil. The fabric used also contains natural carbon for UV protection to keep the roots and soil organisms safe from the harmful rays of the sun. 

This product also comes with optional sectioning for gardeners. You can place it anywhere on your porch or patio. You can also put it on top of a table so you no longer need to bend over every time you need to check on your plants.

2. Best Choice Outdoor Wooden Raised Garden Bed (96x24x10in)

If you are into a nice-looking planter box to complement the aesthetics of your yard, a wooden raised garden bed won’t fail you. 

Best Choice Outdoor Wooden Raised Garden Bed is made of Chinese fir wood with a length of 96 inches, a width of 24 inches, and stands for a height of 10 inches.

The Chinese fir wood used for this raised garden bed is known for its durability and rot-resistance. 

With proper care, it can last for 5 to 7 years in your garden. The wooden materials are pre-sanded so you no longer need to do the extra work of grooming the wood.  

This raised garden bed is divided into two to help gardeners organize their plants based on their types. It is also lengthier than other raised garden beds to help you maximize your space and put all your plants in one area. 

If you love the wood accent in your garden but don’t have the patience to build a wooden planter box from scratch, this product is your best bet. It comes with a liner so the soil can be separated from the wood and prolong its lifespan. 

It is designed to be assembled without the use of any equipment. The wooden panels should be sliding smoothly on the posts until everything gets settled and fastened using dovetail joints. 

However, in the previous years, the product had an issue with parts breaking apart during assembly. 

The supplier was quick to improve their product and addressed the issue with the breaking parts and most likely oiled the joints and sliders. 

Today, many gardeners are satisfied as they no longer need to use a mallet or any tools to assemble this raised garden bed.

3. Best Choice Elevated Raised Garden Bed with Lockable Wheels (48x24x32in) 

Back problems can be a challenge in gardening especially for the elderly. Good thing, there are now raised garden beds ergonomically designed so you no longer need to bend over to tend your plants. 

Best Choice Elevated Raised Garden Bed is a modified raised garden bed for increased mobility and makes gardening more convenient. 

This raised garden bed has a length of 48 inches, a width of 23 inches, and stands at 32 inches.

This product has a depth of 8.75 inches, four drainage holes, and four lockable wheels on each leg. It also comes with a shelf where you can place all your gardening essentials like shears and gloves and keep them organized in one place. 

It comes with a garden bed liner to help separate the wood from the soil and preserve the wood. 

The wood material used is fir wood which is known for its durability and rot-resistance. It can carry a weight of up to 100 lbs. However, it works best if the weight of the garden bed would be less than the maximum limit.  

What makes this product attractive is its rustic vibe and the convenience of just rolling the garden bed where the sun shines best. 

You no longer need to bend and lift your plants and just let the wheels do the work for you. It is most suitable for herb gardening like basil and cilantro. 

Though it is aesthetically pleasing, this product needs extra attention when you place the legs. 

Most gardeners have the mistake of assembling the legs, leaving the hole for the screws on the wrong side of the garden bed. You may also need to create holes on the liner to make room for the drainage holes. 

It comes as bare wood and you must stain and seal it before assembling to preserve the wood and prevent it from falling apart. 

Some gardeners also gave it a new look and painted it which added more vibe and aesthetic to this elevated garden bed.

4. Gardzen Divided Raised Vegetable Bed

Gardzen Divided Raised Vegetable Bed is another variant of a fabric raised garden bed. It is made of non-woven felt fabric with a dimension of 2×2 feet and a height of 11.8 inches. 

This raised garden bed is divided into four sections so you can organize your plants easier. Since it is made of fabric there’s no need for you to assemble it. 

This raised garden bed is made of 400 gsm felt fabric which is thick enough to stand on its own and hold the soil. It can be a bit soggy when you start filling it with soil.

However, when all sections are filled evenly, the soil preparation is easier. Each square can hold 7 gallons of soil. 

The fabric material promotes good soil aeration which is essential in the development of healthy roots in plants. Excess water will also gradually leak out from the fabric to prevent overwatering your plants. 

Thus, making gardening a whole lot easier and manageable, 

It is also more affordable than building a traditional wooden or metal raised garden bed. 

You can either place it on your patio or place it on a table for better access. Many gardeners use it for transplanting seedlings and can be reused for the next growing season. 

This is a perfect raised garden bed for small spaces since you can place different plants in one bed on your balcony.

5. Infinite Cedar Raised Bed Garden Kit (72x36x11in)

When it comes to durability, you can never go wrong with cedarwood. Infinite Cedar Raised Bed Garden Kit is one of the quick-to-assemble raised garden beds in the market. 

The planks are made of untreated cedar wood planks connected by the rods inserted in half-tapped boards on the corners. It is 72 inches long and 36 inches wide with a height of 11 inches.

Cedar is among the sturdiest and most durable wood for raised garden beds. Just like fir, it is rot resistant and can last for a long time if well-maintained. 

The manufacturer claims that it is not treated with chemicals. What’s more, it comes with a 5-year warranty.

The best thing about its simple assembly design is it gives the wood a space to swell and shrink whenever the weather changes. 

Thus, preventing gardeners from adjusting screws from time to time. Wood absorbs moisture and swells when the air is humid and while it loses moisture and shrinks when the air is dry. 

The only issue that you may encounter with this product is when the holes for the aluminum rods don’t match and stain the bare wood. You can always paint or weather-proof this raised garden bed based on your preferences. 

If you are planning to put this raised garden bed on your deck, it has no bottom, so you will need a liner to prevent the moisture from damaging your deck boards.

However, you can freely place it on the ground or a concrete patio.

6. Amish Wagon Decorative Raised Garden Bed

If you want to add some twist to your usual garden bed, perhaps you need a planter with a different style and accent. 

Amish Wagon Decorative Raised Garden Bed is a small raised garden bed designed as a small version of a wagon. It is made of a wooden cart and rolling iron wheels. 

The mainframe for the wagon is made of fir wood painted with a weathered texture. The dimension of the cart is 43x14x15 inches. 

The overall look of the wagon features an American rustic or country design. Many gardeners love this wagon garden bed as it adds a personalized touch to their garden or patio. 

Amish wagon may look intimidating to build but it only takes 12 steps to assemble. It can also be reused and repurposed every season. 

After the growing season, some gardeners decorate these wagons as a pumpkin wagon or a part of their Christmas decoration. 

The finish of the wood concerns most gardeners. So, they repaint them to protect and prolong the lifespan of the fir wood. Though it acts as a decoration with a purpose, the wheels turn like a real wagon. 

To complement its design, this small raised garden bed is suitable for small flowering plants. 

The size of the wagon on online sites can be deceiving at times. So, you must refer to the actual measurements of the wagon to set your expectation. It’s most likely a few inches higher than a big bottle of coke.

7. Outland Living Vertical Raised Garden Bed

If you want to grow more plants in a limited space, the only way is to go up by utilizing vertically raised garden beds. 

Outland Living Vertical Raised Garden Bed is a 5-tier vertical garden bed with boxes made of propylene plastic. The mainframe that holds the garden beds is made of 304 stainless steel which is known for its durability. 

Each box is 22 inches long and can fit two to three herbs or any kind of plant. The plastic used for the garden bed is BPA-free and safe to use in growing vegetables, herbs, and fruits. 

The 5-tier garden bed also allows gardeners to organize their plants in one area making it space-saving and convenient especially for those who are living in condominiums and small spaces. 

Aside from its space-saving feature, this vertical garden bed has an ergonomic design that helps gardeners with back issues to still enjoy gardening and tending to the needs of their plants. The supporting frame of the rack is also designed to support the weight of the raised garden beds with soil and plants in them. 

This vertical raised garden bed is easy to assemble and doesn’t need the help of power tools. However, you must drill holes on the garden beds as it comes with no drainage holes. 

Aside from that, it is aesthetically pleasing, space-saving, and long-lasting due to the durable materials used.

8. EMSCO Easy Picker Raised Bed Grow Box

EMSCO Easy Picker Raised Bed Grow Box is a self-watering raised garden bed elevated 30 inches above the ground. It is a mobile garden bed with 4 wheels so you can easily move it across your patio or indoors. 

What makes it stand out from the rest is its self-watering feature. 

This raised garden bed has a two-gallon reservoir that waters your plants for you. It is also built with drains to prevent overwatering your plants. 

Aside from its watering system, the soil is also placed on top of an aeration screen or mesh to allow the soil microorganisms and plant roots to breathe.

Since this raised garden bed is also elevated, gardeners no longer need to bend and kneel to tend to their plants. 

Thus, making it suitable for those who have back problems and senior citizens. The plastic materials are made of HDPE or High-Density Polyethylene which is BPA-free and safe to use for growing herbs, vegetables, and fruits.

The dimension of the garden bed is 24.25×20.25×4.27 with an 11 inches depth. It also has a built-in storage shield below the garden bed where you can store all your gardening tools. It is recommended to use potting mix for this garden bed as it is lighter. 

The only concern you might experience with this raised garden bed is you cannot place heavy soil and plants in it. It can only hold a certain amount of weight to function well. 

Small herbs like basil or plants like Aloe Vera would be fine. With too much weight, the legs or wheels can break easily.

9. Lifetime Raised Garden Bed Kit

Lifetime Raised Garden Bed Kit is probably one of the best raised garden beds on our list. It is made of lightweight high-density polyethylene with a vinyl enclosure. 

Gardeners who are not fans of wooden garden beds love the lightweight features of its panels as it makes it easier for them to move the raised garden bed easily. 

It is a 4×4 ft raised garden bed designed to retain the warm temperature in the soil through the plastic panels and its vinyl cover.

The walls are 9 inches high which also makes it a good option for your child’s sandbox. However, it doesn’t have a bottom, so you’ll need to cover it if you wish to use it indoors. 

The common misconception with the vinyl enclosure is it is for driving insects and pests away. 

However, its main purpose is to retain the warm temperature and protect the plants from frost during early spring and cold temperatures at night. 

There are also gaps opening between the enclosure and the garden bed for good air ventilation and convenient access when you water the plants. 

The panels are locked with zinc-coated screws that can be easily adjusted when you wish to disassemble the garden bed. You will need about 12 cubic feet of soil to fill this raised garden bed. 

If you will place it above the ground, it’s best to seal the bottom with a wire mesh and cardboard to make sure that no pests overwintering in the soil can infiltrate your raised garden bed.

10. Jumbl Raised Canadian Cedar Garden Bed

Jumbl Raised Canadian Cedar Garden Bed is another raised garden bed on our list that is made of 100% untreated cedarwood. 

The manufacturer claims that it doesn’t warp, shrink or swell, and is rot-resistant. It is elevated from the ground which helps to protect your plants from in-ground pests like rabbits and deers. 

The elevation helps boost the comfort of gardening since you no longer need to bend over to tend to your plants.

It has a depth of 9 inches which makes it a good garden bed to grow herbs like basil, rosemary, or thyme. It comes with a plastic liner to separate the soil from the wood and preserve its good condition. 

Another advantage of using a cedar-raised garden bed is it adds a rustic feel to your patio or garden and creates a homey feeling. It also has a space in the middle reserved to drain the water from the soil. The plastic liner also comes with holes to promote proper water drainage.

Despite its good features, gardeners should use a power drill to assemble this garden bed properly. Some of its parts are pre-drilled but the sides have no holes in them. 

While it’s easy to just screw it up, cedarwood is too hard, and forcing a screw through it can cause it to split and crack. It is recommended to use a power drill in creating holes on the sides to avoid damaging the wood.

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4 Factors To Consider in Buying a Raised Garden Bed

Using a raised garden bed to grow your plants is a smart move since it promotes good drainage and keeps your plants away from weeds and other in-ground pests. 

However, it can be hard to choose the best type of raised garden bed for your needs.

To help you get the right type of gardening bed for the first time, here are some factors you need to consider:

1. Size: The size of your raised garden bed will mostly depend on the size of your garden and the type of plants that you plan to grow. Root crops, for example, will need around 18 to 20 inches of depth to grow well. 
2. Material: The material used for your ideal raised garden bed is mostly dependent on the design and look you want to achieve in your garden. There are now a lot of materials to choose from in the market like cedar and fir wood, polyethylene plastics, non-woven fabric, and metal. 
3. Ergonomic features: If you have back problems, you may want to choose an elevated garden bed where you can tend to your plants while standing and avoid constantly bending over
4. Self-watering features: Gardening technology today can help you care for your plants and ease some tasks off your plate.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this post has been helpful in your quest in finding the best raised garden beds for your plants. 

It can be quite overwhelming to search, but it will all boil down to your needs, the plants you plan to grow and your space that you can spare for the raised garden bed.

If you find this post informative, please share this post with your friends and let us know your experience in the comments below.

Enjoy gardening and harvesting your home-grown veggies and herbs!