“We'd lost tomatoes two summers running by planting in March. The calendar said mid-April, and this is the first year we've picked more than we could eat.”
Sharonda M.Two raised beds, Kirkwood
Edible landscaping and raised beds
Grow dinner in the yard you already have
We build raised beds, plant fruit shrubs and herb borders, and hand you a month-by-month calendar for Atlanta's zone 8, so you know what to plant and when.
- Built for red clay
- A zone 8 planting calendar
- Written estimate first
Planting calendar, zone 8
What to plant, month by month
Atlanta's average last frost falls in late March or early April, and the first frost around mid-November. Both move a week or two each year, so check the forecast before you plant.
Dormant season
January
Too cold for most seed, right for building beds and planting dormant fruit.
Plant: Bare-root blueberries, figs and fruit trees while they are dormant
Pick: Collards, kale, turnip greens and any carrots still in the ground
Cool-season sowing
February
The first seed goes in, and the tomatoes start indoors.
Plant: Peas, spinach, radishes and lettuce, then potatoes from mid-month
Pick: Kale, collards and overwintered greens
Cool-season planting
March
Cool-season transplants go out while a late frost is still possible.
Plant: Broccoli, cabbage and kale transplants, plus beets, chard and carrots
Pick: Spinach and radishes toward the end of the month
Warm-season planting
April
After the last frost, the summer garden goes in.
Plant: Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, then beans, squash, cucumbers and basil
Pick: Lettuce, peas, radishes and spring greens
Warm-season planting
May
Heat-lovers go in, and the cool-season crops finish.
Plant: Okra, southern peas, sweet potato slips, melons and pole beans
Pick: The last lettuce, peas, herbs and early squash
Summer harvest
June
The first tomatoes come in, and the bed needs water every day or two.
Plant: Okra, southern peas and sweet potato slips through mid-month
Pick: Squash, cucumbers, beans, the first tomatoes and rabbiteye blueberries
Summer heat
July
Pick every day, and start the fall garden's seed indoors.
Plant: Bush beans and cucumbers for fall, broccoli and cabbage seed indoors
Pick: Tomatoes, peppers, okra, blueberries and the first figs
Fall garden starts
August
Still hot, but the fall garden begins in the last weeks of the month.
Plant: Broccoli, cabbage and collard transplants, then carrots and beets late
Pick: Figs, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and the first muscadines
Fall planting
September
Cooler nights bring the second planting season.
Plant: Lettuce, spinach, radishes, turnips and kale, plus more carrots and beets
Pick: Peppers, muscadines, and sweet potatoes toward the end of the month
Fall planting
October
Garlic goes in, and so do the fruit shrubs.
Plant: Garlic and shallots from mid-month, spinach, lettuce, then blueberries late
Pick: Sweet potatoes before cold nights, peppers and persimmons
First frost
November
The first frost usually lands around mid-month, so pick what can't take it.
Plant: Garlic through mid-month, fruit trees and shrubs, spring bulbs
Pick: Peppers and green tomatoes before the frost, then collards and kale
Dormant season
December
A quiet month for greens, bare-root planting and plans.
Plant: Bare-root blueberries and fruit trees as the dormant season starts
Pick: Collards, kale, turnips, carrots and lettuce under cover
Raised-bed install
From a patch of clay to a planted bed
This is what happens, in order, from the first walk through the yard to the care sheet we leave behind.
- 01
Step 1: Walk the yard
We check the sun hour by hour with you and find the hose bib, the slope, and where the kids and the dog run. Vegetables want six hours of sun or more.
- 02
Step 2: Mark and level
Each bed is strung out, set level on the slope, and laid over cardboard to hold the weeds down while the soil settles.
- 03
Step 3: Build the frame
Frames are cedar or galvanized steel, low, standard or tall enough to garden standing up. Corners are screwed, not stapled.
- 04
Step 4: Fill with real soil
We fill with screened topsoil and compost, ordered by the cubic yard. Your red clay stays in the yard and out of the bed.
- 05
Step 5: Run the water
A drip line on a timer goes in before planting, so the first dry week of July doesn't undo the work.
- 06
Step 6: Plant and hand off
Seedlings go in on the calendar, then mulch, plant labels and a one-page care sheet for your first season.
What we do
Beds, fruit, herbs and the watering to keep them going
Raised beds
Cedar or galvanized steel, built level on your slope and filled with a topsoil and compost blend.
Fruit and berry plantings
Blueberries, figs and small fruit trees picked for Atlanta's heat, clay and the sun you have.
Herb borders
Rosemary, thyme and other herbs along a walk or a fence, where you'll actually pick them.
Drip watering
A drip line on a timer, so the beds keep their water on the days you don't.
Seasonal planting
We come on the calendar, pull what's done and plant what's next.
Garden plans
A drawn plan for the whole yard, built in one go or over two seasons.
Why raised beds here
Atlanta clay holds water, then sets like a brick
Red clay drains slowly in spring and cracks open in August. A bed filled with a loose blend of topsoil and compost gets around both.
What a raised bed changes
Roots stay above the clay and above old yard soil
Beds drain and warm earlier in spring
A soil test from your county extension office tells you what is in the ground
How pricing works
Every yard is different, so we write the number after we see it. This is what moves it.
What decides the price
Bed size and height, the frame material, how much soil it takes to fill, how far the crew carries it, and how close the hose is.
Cedar or galvanized steel frames
Low, standard or tall height
Cubic yards of soil to fill
Slope and access to the yard
Length of drip line
What the estimate includes, and what it doesn't
A written scope with a sketch, frame and soil specs, the drip layout, start and finish windows, and cleanup. Plants are listed by name and count on their own lines.
Not included: fences, decks, tree removal or permits for structures
What happens at the visit
Brianna walks the yard with you, checks the sun, measures, and asks what you want to grow. It takes about an hour. Your written estimate comes by email after the visit, and we tell you before we book it whether the visit has a charge.
Materials and who buys them
We buy the lumber or steel, soil, compost, drip parts and mulch. You choose the frame material and the plants, and any plant on the list can be swapped before the build.
How and when you pay
A deposit books the build and buys materials. The balance is due when the beds are planted and you've walked them. The invoice says which payment methods we take.
If the job changes
If you add a bed or change a size after the estimate, we write the change and its cost down, and you agree to it before we start.
Sample reviews
What a first season looks like
“I wanted something I could reach without kneeling. The tall bed went in on a Tuesday, the drip line was on a timer by lunch, and the lettuce was up in two weeks.”
Corey B.Tall bed and drip line, East Atlanta
“Two blueberry bushes and a fig along the fence, and an herb border by the back door. It still looks like a yard, and the kids know which plants they can pick.”
Griselda R.Fruit and herb planting, Brookhaven
Sample reviews.
Service area
Atlanta and the towns around it
Mostly inside the Perimeter, from Kirkwood to Dunwoody.
Atlanta neighborhoods
- Kirkwood
- East Atlanta
- Grant Park
- Inman Park
- Candler Park
- Virginia-Highland
DeKalb County
- Brookhaven
- Chamblee
- Doraville
- Dunwoody
Fulton County
- Sandy Springs
Cobb County
- Vinings
We don't build beds in Gwinnett, Cherokee, Forsyth or Henry counties, or south of I-20.
ZIP codes: 30303, 30305, 30306, 30307, 30308, 30309, 30312, 30316, 30317, 30318, 30319, 30324, 30326, 30329, 30338, 30339, 30340, 30341, 30342, 30346, 30360
Questions
Before you call
How much does a raised bed cost?
It depends on the size and height of the bed, the frame material, how much soil it takes and how easy the yard is to work in. We write the number after the visit, with each part on its own line, so you can change a size or a plant and see what moves.
How soon can you start, and how long does a build take?
Spring and fall are the busy seasons, because that's when people want to plant. We give you a start window in the written estimate. Most yards take a day or two of building, and planting follows when the calendar says it's time.
Are you licensed and insured?
We are registered with the City of Atlanta and carry general liability insurance. The registration number is in the footer of every page, and we send a certificate of insurance on request, before work starts.
What happens at the estimate visit?
We walk the yard with you, check how many hours of sun each spot gets, find the hose bib, measure, and ask what you'd like to grow. You get a written estimate by email afterward, with a sketch of where the beds go.
How do I pay?
A deposit books the build and covers materials, and the balance is due when the beds are planted and you've walked them. The invoice lists the payment methods we take.
What if it rains or freezes?
Wet clay is hard on a yard, so we move a build rather than tramp through mud. A freeze day moves planting, not building. We call or text you to set the new day.
What should I do before you arrive?
Clear the spot of toys and furniture, tell us where the water and the dog gate are, and leave a path for the soil delivery. If you have a soil test from your county extension office, set it out for us.
What about lead and old yard soil?
Older in-town yards can carry lead, especially near houses with old paint. A soil test through your county extension office tells you what is in the ground. A raised bed filled with bought soil keeps your plants' roots above the old soil, and we can lay cardboard and landscape fabric under the frame.
Contact
Plan my beds
Tell us about the yard and what you'd like to grow. We'll set up a time to walk it with you.
Call(404) 555-0101
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- SundayToday
- Closed