Garden Box Height and Planting Depth

One of the advantages of gardening in raised beds is that you get more control over soil and root depth.  Plants absorb nutrients through their roots and some root systems for commonly planted vegetables (tomato, eggplant) can extend as deep as 2 feet.  You can improve your garden and the food it produces by ensuring you have high quality soil deep enough for the veggies you’re planting.

Here’s a guide to some of the more commonly planted veggies and their recommended root depth.  At Backyard Boxes, we make different height boxes so you can ensure you’re giving your veggies plenty of room to grow. 

Deep Root Vegetables

These plants like to grow their roots deep (18” – 24”) often to support tall above ground structures and heavy fruit.  If you’re planning on growing these, we recommend doing so in our Tall (23”) Raised Garden Boxes.

Asparagus
Eggplant
Horseradish
Peppers
Potatoes
Rhubarb
Tomatoes

Medium Root Vegetables

These plants will thrive with their roots reaching 12”-18” deep.  Our Standard Height (16”) Raised Garden Boxes or Planter Boxes are the ideal height to support these veggies.

Carrots
Celery
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Onion
Parsnips
Pumpkins
Spinach
Turnips
Zucchini

Shallow Root Vegetables

These plants do not require particularly deep roots to be successful.  Our Elevated Boxes and 9″ tall boxes can be a great option for growing these.

Beans
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Peas
Radish