Elevate Your Yard (And Your Plants) With These Raised Metal Garden Beds

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Don’t let the seeds you planted this season go to waste. DIY chicken wire fences are great for stopping critters, but few options keep your garden healthy as effectively and affordably as raised metal garden beds.

Because these beds lift your plants above the soil in your yard, which has tons of variables like hydration level and contaminants, you can ensure this year’s harvest only gets nutrient-dense topsoil. Raised metal beds also improve soil drainage and the looser soil offers better aeration than packed earth—all important things for keeping your plants healthy and growing.

Moreover, raised metal garden beds can save your joints—much like vertical gardens, they lift you off your knees for easier, more accessible planting and harvesting.

Whether you’re an amateur gardener looking to get started or a pro searching for an upgrade, check out the best raised metal garden beds to make sure this year’s harvest is bountiful.

The Best Raised Metal Garden Beds

• Best Overall: Land Guard Galvanized Metal Raised Garden Bed

• Best Budget: Foyuee Galvanized Raised Garden Beds

• Easiest Assembly: King Bird Raised Metal Garden Bed

• Best Modular: Vego Garden Modular Metal Raised Garden Bed Kit

• Most Protective: Best Choice Products Outdoor Metal Raised Garden Bed

What to Consider

Material and Design

Most of the picks on our list are made of galvanized steel. Galvanized steel is treated with a coating of zinc which protects against rust and corrosion. This extends the life of your raised metal garden bed and protects your soil from rust contamination. Because of the constant interaction with water, soil, and inclement weather, we only recommend garden beds made of galvanized steel or other treated metals.

In addition to coatings and treatments, many garden beds are made of corrugated metal. Corrugated metal has large waves or grooves bent into it. These waves improve the strength and structural integrity of the metal, so you can fill your garden beds to the brim with soil and plants without the metal bowing out or collapsing.

Type

There are two main types of garden beds: supported and containerized. Supported beds serve more like a border and soil barrier for your garden, with the bottom mostly open for free drainage and direct contact with the land.

Containerized beds are designed like large planters, with the entire garden held inside of it—no contact with the earth below. These beds have drainage holes and can move anywhere in your yard without significant disruption to the garden or ground, whereas supported beds are likely to become entrenched after a few years (especially if your plants have extensive root systems).

Containerized garden beds include elevated options, which are raised completely off the ground—usually several feet—and a great pick for those who don’t want to bend down at all. These are typically smaller, more mobile garden beds meant to move around to catch sunlight and keep your plants away from potential ground-level threats.

Size and Shape

The most common shape for raised garden beds are ovals, rectangles, hexagons, and squares. While the shape makes very little difference to your garden’s growth, they do make a difference in how you plant your seeds. Oblong shapes give you space to plant rows of veggies or herbs while more circular options might work better for flowers.

Pay close attention to the dimensions of the garden bed in relation to the size of your yard to ensure it fits well without overtaking all of your space.

How We Selected

We conducted extensive research across multiple gardening forums, hundreds of verified customer reviews, and trusted online publications to survey the metal garden beds on the market. We selected these beds based on their function first and foremost, paying special attention to the quality of the metal and how well the design works. We also took into account size, price, durability, and aesthetics. We made sure to include garden beds of different shapes and types to provide quality options regardless of your personal preference.

Galvanized Metal Raised Garden Bed

Both the most popular amongst Popular Mechanics readers and our best overall pick, this raised metal garden bed from Land Guard provides exactly what you need at a very affordable price.

The 0.78-millimeter-thick metal prevents pests from breaking through to your plants and the galvanized exterior protects the metal from rusting or degrading over time. This raised garden bed also has a corrugated structure and oval shape that are designed specifically to withstand pressure from the soil and water inside. Even if you fill your garden bed to the brim with soil, it should hold together solidly.

At the same time, the open base allows for easy drainage while still protecting the roots of your plants.

Galvanized Raised Garden Beds

This raised metal garden bed offers the protection, elevation, and size for your garden to thrive—all for a reasonable price. The steel plates have an eco-friendly coating that prevent soil damage, and the center of the garden bed has crossbars that strengthen the frame against wind and densely-packed soil.

You can grab this garden bed in two different sizes, including a two-pack option if you’re ready to build up your garden right away. That said, make sure to not pack those gardens too tightly, as the metal plates have been reported to bow out.

Raised Metal Garden Bed

With pieces that slide into place without screws or small hinges, this raised metal garden bed from King Bird is the easiest to assemble. While the company recommends using screws for a sturdier end product, those who are particularly averse to building can just hammer the sides in and use it right away.

All three colors of the garden bed are covered in galvanized paint to protect against rust. The vertical stripe-style metal plates are designed to increase durability while the card frames on the top and bottom of the bed improve structural integrity.

Modular Metal Raised Garden Bed Kit

Build a raised metal garden bed to your exact specifications. Unlike other options on our list, the Vego Garden kit provides multiple configurations for your raised garden bed. Because of its modular design, you can connect the panels together in nine different shapes and sizes.

If you have an awkwardly shaped yard, this garden bed has a configuration that’ll fit.

This bed is also remarkably weather-resistant. Made of galvanized steel and coated with aluzinc (an aluminum, magneisum, and zinc combination coating), the exterior withstands rain, snow, or humidity with relative ease.

Outdoor Metal Raised Garden Bed

The powder-coated steel plates of this metal raised garden bed from Best Choice Products protect your plants from the weather outside as well as the dirt. The metal barrier prevents excess nitrates in the outside soil from coming in as well as rainwater or heavy winds from leaching away the nutrients in the soil you poured.

The garden bed actually has designs to protect you as well. The squared-off corners reduce cuts or scrapes that happen on sharp edges, and the rust resistance keeps you from handling dangerous, corroded metal.

Raised Metal Garden Bed

Both raised and elevated, this garden bed takes you off your knees for plant care without the joint pain. The garden bed also comes with two drainage holes that promote root health and improve soil quality.

Unique to this model, the garden bed is actually designed to thrive in both outdoor and indoor spaces, so if you don’t have a big backyard, this may be the right choice for your indoor herb row. Just make sure to add a tray or mat to catch water if you plan to use this inside.

Raised Metal Garden Bed

The hexagonal shape of this raised metal garden bed from Sunnydaze lends itself well to planting flowers. Much like barrel planters, the bed has a unique design that stands as both a stylistic choice and a utilitarian one.

This shape means you can center flowers in the middle, border your plants with a rim of flowers or fill it to the brim for an aesthetic splash of color in your backyard and in your garden.

The garden bed is also notably deep for its size, with up to 80 gallons of soil and plant capacity. The depth provides your plants more space for root development and makes planting seeds close together much easier.

Raised Metal Planter Box

This raised metal garden bed is more than just a spot for your plants. Underneath the elevated garden bed is a storage shelf for gardening essentials like watering cans, hand tools and gloves.

The garden bed also comes with two back wheels and a handle. You can transport your delicate plants inside during heavy rain, back outside for the sunshine, and in again during the cold months without breaking a sweat.

The main planter box features a drainage hole to help aerate the soil and remove excess water, so make sure you place a bucket or tray underneath if the cart is inside.

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