To Remove the Grass or Not Remove the Grass—That Is the Question

When my husband Jason and I were ready to install our first garden, we looked around and decided the little strip of grass right alongside our driveway was the perfect spot. We put down some cardboard where the three boxes would go and placed the raised beds right on top. Simple enough!

I couldn't wait to fill the beds with soil and get planting, but that's when we saw the error of our ways. More correctly, the four errors of our ways.

While we proved that you can put raised beds on grass, the real question is, should you? I know it's tempting when you're trying to stick to a budget or get your garden set up quickly, but there are four reasons I don't recommend putting your boxes right on your lawn.

Grass Has to Be Maintained

If you put your raised beds right on top of your lawn, you'll have to be performing regular maintenance work around your raised beds. Not only is it hard to mow and edge around your raised beds, but you can also inadvertently damage the sides. I'm talking about scrapes, scratches, and dents in something you paid good money for.

In my Houston garden, I hated how the lawnmower would toss grass into my kitchen garden. Even worse, the blades of our edger soon damaged some of those cedar boards my husband and I had so carefully inspected for defects and straightness at the hardware store.

I recommend putting something that does not require any routine maintenance down throughout the garden space. An aggregate like gravel or even stone pavers fit the bill. Then, add a border around the entire space. It may seem like extra work now, but trust me, it'll make lawn maintenance so much easier.

Grass Stays Wet for a Long Time

Wet grass pressed right up against a wood raised bed is not an ideal situation. Raised bed materials that come into direct contact with wet grass will rot and decay much faster than beds placed on a material that drains quickly after rain, like gravel. This is especially important in humid climates, where grass lawns can stay wet for long periods of time. (This is why I also don't recommend mulch pathways. Mulch similarly stays wet too long after rain.)

There's also the issue of mud if your lawn stays wet for too long and gets a lot of foot traffic. Nothing can discourage you from stepping outside to tend your garden or harvest something yummy for dinner like mud.

Grass Is Not a Level Surface

When Jason and I set our first raised beds on the grass, our lawn sure looked level to us. As we soon learned, there were all sorts of rises and falls in the garden area. And as soon as the raised beds were placed on top, those changes in elevation became very evident, mostly thanks to the big gaps underneath the bed in certain places. We knew that if we filled the beds with soil, all that dirt would just come pouring out of those gaps.

Poor Jason spent more than a little time placing bricks under parts of the garden here and there to see if he could somehow make the beds level. In the end, it was clear we should’ve done the difficult work of clearing and leveling the ground first. And then—and only then—installed the garden boxes. If done this way, we could’ve skipped all the frustration and moved right to the fun part.

Honestly, no matter what you plan to set your raised beds on, it's critical that you make sure the ground is level first. If you have grass, that means clearing the grass.

Grass Will Grow into the Garden Beds

Unless you're blessed with a lush but non-aggressive grass, you might soon find grass popping its little head up in your garden bed to say hello. Not only do many common turf grasses have rhizomes that can dig down deep, they also have stems that can climb. Some grasses, like Bermuda, can grow almost 3 feet tall! You can see how that will become an issue if your raised bed is only 12 or 18 inches tall, right?

You want the nutrients in your soil to go toward your veggies, not toward grass. The only way to fully keep grass out of your raised beds is to keep it out of the garden space entirely. Clear the area, set down weed barrier or cardboard underneath your beds, and add a border around your garden.

Here's What to Do Instead of Putting Your Raised Beds on Grass

So far, I've really only considered the practical reasons to not plop your raised beds on top of your lawn. There are also aesthetic reasons to separate your kitchen garden from the rest of the landscape by putting down garden pathways and surrounding your garden with a border. Doing so designates the kitchen garden space as something special. It also helps to keep the garden space tidy and elevates the overall beauty of the garden.

Here are the steps to remove grass from the garden space and ensure it stays out:

• Begin by placing stakes at the four corners of the new garden space. Use a shovel or sod breaker to remove all grass or vegetation from the staked kitchen garden area.
• Use a rake to level the area completely.
• Spray the area with a 30 percent vinegar solution to kill any weeds that may attempt to grow in this space (optional).
• Cover the pathways with weed barrier cloth to ensure weeds don’t return.
• Frame the garden with bricks, stone, or steel edging. (Learn how to install garden edging.)
• Spread a durable material like gravel around the entire garden space. (Learn more about creating a kitchen garden pathway.)

Then it's finally time to place your garden beds. I know it's a lot of extra work, but I promise it will pay off long term.

Clear Your Garden of Grass Today for a Better Tomorrow

I know that it's just a bit ironic to destroy what's already growing in your yard so that you can put up raised beds and grow something else in its place. But it's necessary to create a distinct garden space that will remain tidy and productive for years to come. Think of it like starting with a clean slate.

And don't feel bad for the grass. America has too much of it as it is. You can always toss it in a compost pile so it can turn into nutrient-rich organic matter for your raised vegetable garden.

Check out my book Kitchen Garden Revival for more detailed steps on how to clear and set up your kitchen garden space. For maximum help installing your garden, search for a Gardenary-trained consultant near you. They can come out to your space and help you go from plan to dream garden in no time!

Thanks for being here!