How Deep Should My Raised Garden Box Be?

If you’re wondering, “how deep should my raised garden box be?” you’ve come to the right place. One of the biggest advantages of gardening in raised boxes is that you get more control over soil, drainage, 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 (for more on soil click here) deep enough for the veggies you’re planting.

At Backyard Boxes, our raised garden boxes have a planting depth of 10″, 16″ or 23″.

Here’s a guide to some of the more commonly planted veggies and their recommended root depth.

Deep Root Plants

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, Beans, Peas

Medium Root Plants

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

Root Veggies (like Carrots and Radishes)
Cucumber, Onions, Garlic, Peppers, Collard Greens,
Chives, Brussels Sprouts, Corn, Celery,
Radishes, Strawberries, Parsnips
Pumpkins, Spinach, Turnips, Zucchini

Shallow Root Plants

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, Herbs,
Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower
Kohlrabi, Lettuce Greens, Peas, Radish

As you can see planting depth all depends on what you’re planning on growing. If you’re not quite ready to commit to a full size box you can ease your way into gardening with our 2 foot by 2 foot, 10 inch deep, raised garden box to start some salad greens.

If you’re looking for some seeds you can buy seeds from Johnny’s Selected Seeds..