If you’re looking to transform your yard into a productive and beautiful growing space, a raised garden bed is one of the best investments you can make. Whether you want to grow organic vegetables, vibrant herbs, or native Texas plants, raised beds offer better soil control, improved drainage, and easier access for planting and maintenance. In this guide, we’ll walk you through our wide selection of raised garden bed options—from natural stacked rock beds to modern hybrid metal and cedar designs—complete with images, pricing, and installation details tailored to the Central Texas climate. Let’s find the perfect raised garden bed to suit your space, style, and growing goals.
Table of Contents
Note: This menu is intended to provide our clients with brief descriptions and pictures of the raised bed options we install. Prices are close estimates, but may vary depending on the particular conditions of your property and fluctuations in material costs. These prices assume that the ground is flat or gently sloping, that the ground is workable, and that soil/mulch/etc can be dumped close to the garden area. Steeper slopes, rocky ground and difficult access may increase the price. All options come with drip irrigation tubing, which sits on top of the garden soil and is covered by a light topping of hardwood mulch. Irrigation tubing is connected to an automatic irrigation controller, which connects to a normal hose spigot.
In-Ground Garden Beds
Our most cost effective option. Ideal for large gardens and maximum food production. We lay down alternating rows of mulch (paths) and premium garden soil (growing beds); each path is 2 ft wide and each growing bed is three feet wide. The garden soil is 8” deep in the middle of the bed and slopes gently down to 4” on the edges, where it is contained on both sides by the pathway mulch. Finally, we lay down a containment border to hold all the materials in place, using limestone rocks (or other locally available rocks) or cedar logs (see foreground of image 2 for example of cedar logs). The garden in image 1 is 1,000 square feet; this is the minimum size for this type of garden installation. The newly established garden can be fertilized with a custom soil drench that contains trace minerals, live beneficial microorganisms, algae, humic/fulvic acid, and biochar.
Pricing for in-ground beds:
1,000 sq. ft. garden (600 sq ft planting space, 400 sq ft of mulched pathways)…$4,595 ($4.59/ sq. ft.)
Biofertilizer soil drench $8 per 1000 square feet ($350 per acre)
*Optional- Inoculate paths with gourmet edible mushrooms (Oyster, Shiitake, Lion’s Mane)… $1,000
(For gardens over 1,000 sq ft, the price per square foot will decrease. The larger the garden, the greater the savings will be on the price per square foot)
Stacked Rock Raised Garden Beds
If you prefer a natural aesthetic with curving walls, we recommend this style of stacked rock garden beds. Limestone rocks (or other rocks other than granite which is an option but more expensive due to the increased density/weight) of assorted sizes are dry stacked to a height of 16” and beds are filled with 15” of soil, which reinforces the rock wall and provides long-term stability. We fill the beds half way up with sandy loam fill soil, then add 7-8” of premium garden soil and top with a light layer of mulch. The planting space in the beds is 4 ft wide, with 18” thick walls on both sides, for a total width of 7 ft.
Pricing for stacked rock garden beds:
1,000 sq. ft. garden (two long, curvy beds and two ovular keyhole beds combine for a total of 600 sq ft of planting space). Mulched pathways around beds are 400 sq ft…$12,000 ($12/ sq ft)
Biofertilizer soil drench $8 per 1000 square feet ($350 per acre)
*Optional- Inoculate paths with gourmet edible mushrooms (Oyster, Shiitake, Lion’s Mane)… $1,000
*Optional- Inoculate paths with gourmet edible mushrooms (Oyster, Shiitake, Lion’s Mane)… $1,000
(For gardens over 1,000 sq ft, the price per square foot will decrease. The larger the garden, the greater the savings will be on the price per square foot)
Shou-Sugi Ban / Yakisugi / Charred Wood Raised Beds
These raised beds are built using any wood but typically we use yellow pine or cedar wood. We thoroughly charred to preserve and greatly expand the life of the wood used in the raised bed. The charring method is totally non-toxic, beautiful, and increases the water/nutrient holding capacity of the soil inside the bed by essentially creating a plantable biochar basin. When combined with a non-toxic stain the beds could last for decades. The bed dimensions can be customized to each client, but as a baseline we build them as 6 feet in length, 4 feet wide, 11 or 22 inches in depth.
Pricing for Shou-Sugi Ban / Yakisugi / Charred Wood Raised Beds:
$1100 per Bed:
- $120 yellow pine lumber (4 planks 2” x 10” x 10’v + 10 ft dimensional stud, 100 sq ft roughly) + $240 (4 hours) to char + $50 propane + $10 heavy duty black carpenter screws + $240 (4 hours) to build each bed + $250 1.5 yards soil, mulch (0.08 yards), and amendments (lava sand, kelp meal, compost, biofertilizer) + $150 to fill bed (2.5 hours)
- Add On: Fine mesh metal scrub and exterior application of Lifetime non-toxic plant based wood stain that further preserves the wood by chemically petrifying the wood, requires no additional applications. Water based pigments can be added. Tung Oil can also be used. +$60 (1 hour) per bed.
- Add On: Non-Toxic Old Fashioned Milk Paint + Top Coat of Tung Oil
- Add On: Electroculture antenna set up +$25 per bed using shou sugi ban cedar post wrapped with 8 gauge copper wire
- Add On: Olla Irrigation Clay Pot, +$60 per bed
Red Cedar Raised Beds
These garden boxes are built with eastern red cedar wood, which is harvested in Texas and processed at a local mill. The boxes are 17” tall and filled with 15” of premium garden soil. This design combines simple, rectangular construction with the irregular beauty of the cedar bark and wood grain, for an aesthetic that is neat yet natural. The interior of each box is lined with thin metal flashing to protect the wood and prolong the lifespan of the box. The exterior can be preserved with Lifetime non-toxic plant based wood stain that chemically petrifies the wood and requires no additional applications.
Pricing for 3’x12’ red cedar garden boxes(see image 5) (36 sq ft of planting space per box):
We have a four box minimum for this style. The price per bed will drop as the installation size increases.
- 4-6 boxes…$950 per box
- 7-9 boxes…$875 per box
- 10+ boxes…$800 per box
Biofertilizer soil drench $8 per 1000 square feet ($350 per acre)
Optional 2×6 “bench” attached to top of walls (see image 9 below). Adding a bench reduces your need to bend over and makes tending your garden more comfortable… $200 per box for installations of 4-9 boxes, $150 per box for installations of 10 or more boxes
Prefabricated Metal Garden Beds
These garden boxes are great because they are modular and can be assembled into a variety of different shapes and sizes, making them a great option in urban/suburban settings where space is limited. They are available in two colors, silver and brown. All metal construction means they are built to last.
Pricing for Prefabricated Metal Garden Beds:
We have a four box minimum for this style. The price per bed will drop as the installation size increases.
Straight 10 ft box as seen in image 7, but filled with premium soil, irrigated and mulched. Mulched pathways.
- 4-6 boxes (includes 1 trellis)…$1,225 per box ($35/sq ft)
- 7-9 boxes (includes 2 trellises )…$,1155 per box ($33/sq ft)
- 10-12 boxes (includes 3 trellises)…$1085 per box ($31/sq ft)
Keyhole garden with two trellises, as seen in Image 8, 130 sq ft (price includes mulched path around the garden, but not the limestone block border seen in the bottom of the image)… $4,550 ($35/ sq ft)
1,000 sq ft garden. 17 of the straight 10 ft boxes, at 35 sq ft each, is about 600 sq ft, plus 400 sq ft of mulched paths. Includes 4 trellises… $16,800 ($28/ sq ft)
Hybrid Metal and Lumber Raised Garden Bed
Our premier garden box design. Sheets of roofing metal are attached to the inside of a 2×6 cedar lumber frame. At 28”, these are our tallest garden box options, which means less bending over. Additionally, we attach 2x6s to the top of the walls to create a little bench you can sit on while gardening. Boxes are filled with 13” of fill soil on bottom and 13” of premium garden soil on top.
Pricing for Hybrid Raised Garden Bed:
We have a four box minimum for this style. The price per bed will drop as the installation size increases.
3’x8’ hybrid box, 24 sq ft (as seen in front in image 9)
- 4-6 boxes… $1,375 per box
- 7-9 boxes… $1,325 per box
- 10-12 boxes… $1,275 per box
New Addition (not tested by us yet but highly recommended by some of our colleagues in other states, comes with a 20 year warranty.)
https://faswall.com/raised-garden-bed-kits/
Approximately – $1,250/ bed – 4’ wide x 8’ long x 2’ deep
Approximately – $1,150/ bed – 4’x wide x 8’ long x 1’ deep
Amendments (to be worked in top 6-8 inches of raised garden beds):
(Local) Austin Worm Lab Biochar
Why: for a thousand years of organic matter and water retention
Application Rate: $4 a gallon for ½ yard (maximum pick up), 5 lbs per gallon, about ½ yard per 1000 square feet or whatever budget allows (one-time application rate is up to 460 lbs per 1000 square feet)
Methodology:
- Spray with iron sulfate or mix with lava sand
- Fish Brew OMRI Listed Organic Fish Hydrolysate Fertilizer 2.0-3.0-0.24
- Spray with Biofertilizer from Chris
Location: 501 East Stassney Lane
Austin TX 78745
Contact: Text: 832-270-5930
Logistics: Schedule one week ahead of time
(Local) Austin Worm Lab Vermicompost
Why: for kickstarting the soil food web
Application Rate: $0.75 a lb over 100 lbs, $1 a lb less than 100 lbs, 1 yard maximum (will have bulk orders by fall of 2024 at $450 a yard). 20-25 lbs per 100 square feet is ideal, a sprinkle is still useful, up to 50 lbs per 100 square feet is unlikely to cause nutrient imbalances but this higher rate is less economically viable and not necessary unless land is very degraded and low in SOM.
Methodology:
- Mix with treated biochar
- Mix in kelp and pumice from Austin Worm Lab
- Mix with Bokashi
Location: 501 East Stassney Lane, Austin, TX 78745
Contact: 832-270-5930 (text)
Logistics: Schedule one week ahead of time
Brothers Worm Farm can supply bulk at $450 a yard + freight shipping ($250 for 1 yard, $450 for 4.5 yards)
(Local) Biofertilizer Soil Drench
Why: for plant immune support and feeding the soil food web
Application Rate: $50 per 5 gallons, 5 gallons per acre, additional cost per gallon with all add ons (linked in full document)
Methodology: Spray with backpack sprayer or electric spot sprayer
Contact: Chris Jones (917-273-8484)
Logistics: Schedule one week ahead of time
Notes:
Seed treatment: Mycorrhizal Fungi from MycoWP
Seed treatment: Biocoat Gold
General Raised Bed Soil Profile:
- Base (add standard amendments to all, biochar, basalt, vermicompost, chicken compost, pumice, expanded shale, powdered kelp):
- Growers mix from Austin Landscape Supply
- Gardeners Magic, source from Barton Creek Nursery
- Heirloom soils from natural gardener
- mixed with loam to reduce cost,
- Geogrowers thunder garden mixed with peat moss
- Custom: Screened Chocolate loam from kinser ranch mixed with biochar, vermicompost, chicken compost, sulfur, basalt, pumice, expanded shale, kelp. Biofertilizer drench
- 40% Loam or Base as listed above
- 10% Biochar
- 20% Vermicompost, Chicken Compost, Kelp
- 30% Basalt/Lava Sand, Expanded Shale, Pumice
In ground bed Soil Profile:
- Mix amendments together
- +add on expanded shale, pumice, kelp
- Spread out materials evenly
- 50% Biodynamic Biofertilizer drench with water trailer
- Till in 6 inches baseline blend
- Follow up spray (ideally same day), add on with Humic acid/fish hydrolysate/algae drench
Complete Guide to Raised Garden Beds in Central Texas
Table of Contents Note: This menu is intended to provide our clients with brief descriptions and pictures of the raised bed options we install. Prices
Seasonal Land Care in Central Texas: The Importance of Ecological Forestry in Winter
Ecoforestry is a sustainable land management approach that aligns forestry practices with ecological principles to maintain and restore healthy forest ecosystems. In Central Texas, timing forestry activities to coincide with seasonal conditions is crucial for promoting tree health and preventing diseases such as oak wilt. Conducting forestry work during winter and summer, when disease-spreading insects are less active, helps protect trees and supports biodiversity. Winter also offers advantages like cooler temperatures and better visibility due to leafless trees, making it an optimal time for tasks such as pruning, removing hazardous limbs, and improving land access. Implementing ecoforestry practices during these periods ensures the long-term health and resilience of Central Texas forests.
Texas Hill Country, The Rise, Fall, and Repair: Regenerative Agriculture in Texas
The connection between humans and the land is a cycle of both giving and taking—a relationship that shapes our lives every day and will continue
Planting 3,000 Trees: A Hopeful New Beginning in Texas
Our Client Named This Project Arborgasm In the heart of Texas, a former olive farm is getting a fresh start. This 78-acre piece of land,
How to Start Controlling Pests Organically
by Using Permaculture Principles in Your Garden After a long romance with the power of information technology, the modern world is turning it’s attention back
Turn Your Garden Into a Gourmet Pizzeria
What if the best pizza place ever is only steps away from your kitchen? What if the gourmet pizzeria you’ve been looking for is right
