DIY Growing Locations

Ensure that your plants grow in safe soil with these strategies.

Beds

Raised Beds

This classic strategy uses barriers to separate your garden’s soil from potentially unsafe soil in your lot. The University of Minnesota provides instructions for cedar timber raised beds, or you can take a look at this print-out guide.

Berms

Vegetable Berms are a low-cost way to ensure safe growing practices without raised beds. Use berm-building instructions from the University of Minnesota, or check out the Patchwork Farm on Chicago Avenue for a beautiful example of vegetable berm design and production capacity.

Keyhole Gardens

Another low-cost bed format that cleverly conserves moisture and replenishes soil nutrients.

Container Gardening