Raised Bed Gardening

Raised bed gardening is a versatile method of gardening that provides many benefits for the home gardener.  Raised bed gardening can be done with limited effort in any size space.  Raised bed gardens can be established in small boxes and placed on patios or balconies for those with little or no yards.  Anyone can grow herbs, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants.

Raised bed gardening offers many benefits over traditional in-ground gardens.  The soil mixture can be easily adapted for individual plant needs.  Customizing soil content allows for better drainage which allows roots to develop better.

Because raised bed gardening calls for the use of containers above the ground, you don’t walk on the soil near or above the roots.  This prevents soil compaction which allows your plants’ roots to grow healthier.  This use of space also allows more plants to be planted in a given area.  Both advantages promote higher yielding food crops and more lush plants.

A key advantage for raised bed gardening is that because the garden is above ground, the soil is warmer and drains more quickly.  This makes it easier to plant and harvest in the rainy months and expands the growing season.

Raised bed gardening can be done in waist high boxes, if necessary, allowing accessibility for those in wheelchairs.  Additionally, those with back or arthritic conditions can garden without bending.  Weeding and watering can be accomplished by reaching across the box.

Permanent or portable raised beds can be used in raised bed gardening.  Before you decide where to build permanent raised beds, you should study your growing areas throughout a full day and in different seasons.  This will allow you to determine the optimum areas for the most sun and shade. Remember also you will be walking around your raised bed and you will need an easily accessible walkway area.

A few guidelines to remember in constructing your raised bed are to try to grow in a north/south orientation because it allows direct sunlight to reach both sides of the bed.  Keep your bed narrow, up to four feet maximum for easy access.  While length is not necessarily a key to raised bed gardening, you will want to keep the length of your raised bed container reasonable.  Remember, you tend to the garden from the sides and you need to walk around the bed to access both sides.  Raised bed gardens can be constructed from a variety of materials including concrete blocks, bricks, railroad ties, rot-resistant lumber (such as cedar or redwood), recycled plastic and stones.  Try to avoid any lumber with creosote as the chemicals can leach out into your garden.

Raised bed gardening is a fun and productive method of growing herbs, vegetables and other plants.  You are only limited by your imagination when it comes to your gardens.