If you plan on growing vegetables in the ground in South Florida, you can run into many challenges. Soil conditions may make it difficult to dig because of limestone rock (which is used to create the land we live on since it all was originally swamp). I found this to be the case in my yard as I attempted to dig with a shovel and came across so many rocks that I decided a raised bed would be better. Not to mention the worms, insects and other diseases which may originate from the soil. These are just some of the reasons to create a raised bed garden in Florida.

Area Preparation:

• You will want to make sure the garden gets 6-8 hours of full sun daily. Keep away from trees.
• Make sure all sides are accessible from outside the garden. You do not want to step into your garden. I made that mistake by putting two 4×4 raised beds next to each other. It wasn’t a deal breaker because I could still reach the middle from the outside, but it would have been easier if I had at least a few feet in between to get better access. Live and learn.
• I turned the soil underneath the location so that any grass and weeds were removed. This is not necessary but will help prevent unwanted growth in your garden.
• We then placed cardboard (You can use several sheets of newspaper or special ground cover instead) on the ground and put up the sides of our garden.
• For the sides, you can use cement blocks or as we had some wood and recycled plastic garden sides left over we used those. These can be purchased at any gardening supply store. Either way, you will want the soil to be at least 8 inches deep for most of your planting.
• Once the cardboard is down and the walls are up, then you can add your soil. South Florida has a mix of different soil types but much of it is very sandy or very mucky (muddy and claylike). We recommend getting composted cow manure or mixing your potting soil with compost.
• Once this is complete you will be ready to complete your planning and add your seeds