What to Plant in a Raised Garden Bed

Need to know what to plant in a raised garden bed? We are going to share with you the best plants for raised beds!

If you don’t have a lot of time to do any gardening or are looking for something you can do, no matter what garden size you have, raised bed gardening is a great option! Raised bed gardening is like a secret shortcut to having a beautiful harvest even during your first year!

Given the right conditions, you can grow practically anything! If you think you want to get started with raised bed gardening, here are the best vegetables and herbs to plant in a raised bed.

If you are looking to grow some vegetables and herbs but don’t have good soil, these tips will help you grow a bountiful harvest just in time for summer!

close up of a hand planting in a raised garden bed.

What to Know About Planting in a Raised Bed

Gardening in a raised bed offers you more possibilities than directly planting your vegetables and herbs into the soil. However, you do want to resist the temptation to try and fit as many plants in your garden bed as possible.

Overcrowding your plants will keep them from getting air circulation, nutrients, and water, which help them grow. While you could plant from a seed, you may want to start with a plant instead to shorten your harvest time to see a harvest before the first frost.

To keep things organized, you can make your own Garden Markers like these Wooden Spoon Garden Markers.

It is important to know when to plant which is based on your growing zone. If you're not sure what zone you are in, use the USDA Hardiness Zone Finder here.

Close up of lettuces growing in a raised garden bed

What to Plant in a Raised Garden Bed

While the possibilities of what you can grow in a raised garden bed are endless, there are some vegetables and herbs that are easier to grow.

The Easiest Vegetables to Grow in Your Raised Bed

Bush Beans - It takes less than two months for bush beans to grow from a seed to their first harvest. This means you can easily grow a ton of beans in a short amount of time!
Garlic - Garlic is a great thing to grow in a raised bed because it's the type of vegetable you can plant and then forget about it. They are rarely bothered by pests, making them pretty low maintenance.
Lettuce - Any type of salad green will grow pretty fast, but they are also easy to grow! As long as you keep the bed moist, you’ll be able to grow a ton of great baby greens and other salad greens right there in your garden. You can even clip the leaves, and the center will keep growing.
Peas - Peas grow well in containers and other small planters, making them a great option. Make sure you choose a dwarf variety, which only grows to be about six inches tall. Make sure you also add a pea trellis before you plant them.

What to Plant in a Raised Garden Bed - two garden boxes planted with corn, cabbage and other vegetables.

Best Plants for Raised Beds

There are a ton of great vegetables and herbs you can grow in your raised bed garden, but only a few are hands-off and easy to grow! These are all still pretty easy to grow, so if you’re looking for more options, this list will help you out!

If you’re looking for more herbs and vegetables to grow, here are some more options that would work great in a raised garden bed: