A three-tier raised planter bed in fir wood, with nine separate compartments arranged across graduated levels; it suits anyone who wants to grow a range of plants in a small footprint, whether on a balcony, a patio or beside a lawn.
The three tiers are not merely decorative. Each level sits at a different height, which means shallower-rooted herbs and salad leaves can occupy the upper compartments while deeper-rooted plants take the lower ones, where the soil depth is greater. The nine separate sections also make it straightforward to keep plants with different watering or feeding requirements apart from one another, without resorting to separate pots dotted about the place.
The interior is lined with a non-woven fabric, which allows water to drain through freely while keeping the soil where it belongs. The painted surface wipes clean without much effort, and the fabric lining means the timber is not in constant contact with wet compost, which is the thing most likely to shorten the life of a wooden planter. Worth keeping in mind when you position it: good drainage beneath the bed will help it last.
Assembly is required, but the structure is straightforward once the parts are laid out.
Three-tier fir wood raised planter bed with nine planting compartments
Overall dimensions: 117L x 100W x 54H cm
Top tier interior: 105L x 27.5W x 54H cm; middle: 105L x 29W x 42.5H cm; bottom: 105L x 29W x 30H cm
Put it together before the growing season begins rather than in a rush when planting time arrives, and take a moment to position it where it will receive the light your chosen plants need. A bed like this, kept clean at the end of each season and stored with the lining dry, will give you several years of productive use before it asks anything of you.
