Use whatever fits your space. Make sure it get plenty of direct sun first, then get a professional soil test.

I like to have at least 4ft of walkway or perimeter around my beds to work in. If that means 3x8ft so be it.

What size is the fenced in area?

The fenced area is an irregular shape because it follows a ditch & our property line but its approximately 40'x40'

You get more usable space from 4' x 16'. I don't build walls around my beds, but they range from 3 1/2' - 4' X 14' - 20'. I personally don't like to go more than 20' or it's too much of a hassle to walk around to the other side. I don't space my beds 4' apart along the lengths, but I do allow 3' - 4' distance on the ends.

Think one consideration is extra supports that may be needed for a longer bed. Also as mentioned above, longer to walk around if you need to. I struggled with the balance between maximizing growing space but also aesthetics as my garden is highly visible in the back yard. I compromised a bit, ending up with less growing space but it looks lovely and glad I did.

Also forgot to mention (esp. IF this is your first garden) - start small but leave room to enlarge it. It is easy to make a garden bigger than we can take care.

40x40 is a good size garden area. Whatever you do don't make your beds any wider than 4ft, that way you can reach the middle without walking on the planting soil.

Make a list of the things you like to eat and grow those. Prepare the soil the season before planting. Grow any vining plants up to save room. Read up on SFG (Square Foot Gardening) to save more room.

My first container garden was 10 years ago. I've slowly increased/upgraded. I currently have 2 4x16s & 3 4x8s in my 40x40 fenced area but I'd like to finalize the layout. I definitely don't want 4'+ width. I may even go somewhere between 48"-42". I LOVE vertical gardening. I have 12 4'x5-6' conduit trellises.

Excellent. Each year is a new adventure. Are you drawing anything out on paper?

IF you don't compost, I would leave a spot in there to compost also.

It definitely is a new adventure every year! I was drawing it out but recently got a subscription with GrowVeg.

Our compost bin is a 3bin placed outside the fenced area.

I recently moved my compost right next to a garden bed. I wanted to move it right into a bed then garden in that bed next year.

I have two single bins I moved from the wooded area into the garden - I like that much better.

Gumby, I've done that in the past (moved into town this year, not much gardening space) I've done it over the winter and spread it in the spring and I've done it year round. I placed the bin between 2 squash plants in a 4x8 raised bed.

Just rake it out and you're done!

The critical dimension in my opinion is the width - 48” is probably the maximum I would go. You need to be able to reach from both sides into the middle.

Length doesn’t matter as much. I have two 4x12 beds and two L-shaped 12x8 beds. I find the 12’ length is good for me as it gives me some paths in between as has been mentioned so that going around a bed isn’t a long walk.

My beds are 11” high, two 2x6 cedar boards stacked on top of one another. Anything taller will require much more soil - I needed 3 yards of soil and some of my own compost to fill these beds (and they are not completely full).

Here’s a photo from springtime:

I hope to make my plans available soon on my blog.

Your beds are beautiful! I have a few beds that are 49.5" wide because I used a 48" wide board for the width. I've been considering making them anywhere between 42"-48" because I am petite.

i haven't used cedar before, only the "top choice" from Lowes. But I'm considering cedar this time around. I'm excited to see the plans for your raised beds.

<I have a few beds that are 49.5" wide because I
used a 48" wide board for the width. I've been considering making them
anywhere between 42"-48" because I am petite.>

The width is all in the way you screw/nail the corners together. 36in is another common width or even 24in in tight spots.

I also made a bin 6in wide (12in deep) 6ft long from a pallet (but up off the ground) I use for carrots. The slugs were eating the seeds as soon as they germinated - this solve that problem.

Yes, I wasn't sure how to describe how I attached my boards but when you look at the wide end, you see the 48" width plus the end of the 2x12x8 that I have covering the length.

Which will be 1.5" on each side so 3" total. For example, If you want to redo it for 36" just add the width of your 2x lumber so you will cut the 48" piece down to 36+3=39" then be sure to place this piece so it doesn't determine the width but is a cap, if that makes sense? Then you will have 3ft by 12ft if done that way.

Prob a good fall or winter project. But yea we are all diff sizes. Make your garden fit YOU. <grin>

A cap! That's a great way to describe it I know exactly what you mean. 36 inch wide beds would be great for reaching in to tend to the bed. But I feel like with 36 inches I'm not getting as much bang for my buck yknow?

I had a petite space to work with, went with 6 beds 3 feet wide by 5 feet long by 22" high and 3 feet in between the boxes. Picture from early July pasted below. Am glad I allowed 3 feet in between now that plants are growing and flopping over in the paths. Of course the height required extra soil (in my case 8 yards) but so worth it. The tomatoes are loving it and not having to do as much bending is good for my back. I am in my mid-50's and thought a taller bed would be appreciated as I age. I re-purposed some redwood so there was some cost savings there.

<Am glad I allowed 3 feet in between now that plants are growing and flopping over in the paths.>

Most forget about the growing part when designing the layout. But that is exactly why I like 4ft IF there is room, so you can get down the walkway at harvest time.

Yes agree. I am in a small suburban lot so could not afford 4 feet but if I could that would be great!

I have probably just overlooked this before but I do not recall seeing this discussed. Dog-Ear Fence Picket would probably be the least expensive, and rather durable, material for raised beds. The finished bed would be about 6X3, A bit less if you want to cut of the dog ear for esthetics.

What Albert said!

I built a series of raised beds last year using cedar fence pickets. They were inexpensive compared to using regular cedar lumber and have stood up two seasons so far. I have four 3x6 beds and four 4x6 beds. The 4x6 are set next to each other to form two 4x12 beds, with a four foot walkway between over which I have an arbor for green beans.

You wouldn't want to go any wider than 4ft, of course, but honestly the 3ft width is easier to work with when reaching in to work in the beds.

I also like my 3 foot width. Comfortable, do not need to stretch or lean excessively. Comfy!

I prefer the 4' wide beds because I can plant 2 rows of things like broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, asparagus, etc in each bed. With only 3' it would be pretty crowded doing that.

LoneJack, that's my exact thought. While I'd love the ease of reaching into a 3' bed, it means less plants or risk overcrowding.

I think I'm going to go with a 44" wide bed because the reach will be easier for me than 48".

To each his own of course. I love seeing & hearing about other people's gardens.

The extra 1' of width of a 4' bed really doesn't require you to reach any further unless you plant 3 rows of something like bush beans with one row down the center or plant a single row of something down the center. It just give the plants more space between the rows so they are not crowded. I've planted 3 rows of bush beans in a 4' bed but I just pick the center row once or sometimes twice and then just let the pods that form after that mature for seed saving.