Finish and Shape

To complete a freshly dug bed, break up any chunks of earth with a garden fork or hoe. Level the top of the bed with the back of the rake. Remove any large rocks. Sides should slope gently downward at a forty-five-degree angle. Creating a lip of soil around the top edge of a new bed will help reduce erosion.

Because a freshly built mounded bed is loose and full of air, it settles initially and can easily erode. Four to six inches is usually all the height you can expect from a mounded bed. Add more soil, organic matter or compost if the bed loses height. Then top with a layer of mulch to help control weeds and retain water.