Raised Bed Depth for Vegetables: Complete Guide
Getting the depth right for your raised bed makes a significant difference in what you can grow and how productive your garden will be. Lettuce and herbs can thrive in just 6 inches. Most vegetables do well at 12 inches. Tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes benefit from 18–24 inches. This guide covers recommended depths for all major vegetables, and the calculator above lets you see exactly how much soil each depth requires for your specific bed size.
How to Use This Calculator
Select your bed shape (Rectangle, Square, or Circle), choose your unit of measurement, then enter your dimensions. For rectangular and square beds, enter length, width, and depth. For circular beds, enter the diameter and depth. Click Calculate Soil Needed to see your results instantly in cubic feet, cubic yards, liters, and gallons — plus bag counts for all four standard bag sizes.
Understanding Your Results
Cubic feet is the unit printed on most bagged soil at garden centers. Use this number to count bags. Cubic yards is the unit used by landscape bulk suppliers — divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Liters is the metric equivalent (1 cu ft = 28.32 liters). Gallons is helpful for smaller container calculations (1 cu ft = 7.48 gallons).
Soil Mix Recommendation
The best all-purpose raised bed mix is 60% quality topsoil, 30% compost, and 10% perlite or coarse sand. This blend drains well, retains moisture, and provides the nutrients plants need. Avoid filling raised beds with pure topsoil — it compacts and restricts root growth. Always include at least 25–30% organic matter.