Are you trying to decide how to plant your garden this year? Maybe you have heard that a lot of people are using raised garden beds instead of using the traditional garden methods. There are some very good reasons why they are doing this. In this article we’ll talk about 10 reasons to choose raised bed gardening for your plants this year.
Raised Beds vs. Garden Boxes You may also hear people refer to raised beds as garden boxes. Simply put raised beds are when soil is raised above the surrounding soil and is enclosed in a frame made of wood, rocks, concrete blocks, or other creative methods. Raised beds are not the same thing as garden planters. Planters are elevated containers that have bottoms to prevent the soil from falling out. Raised beds do not have bottoms.
So, what are 10 reasons to choose raised bed gardening?
1. Less Strain
One huge benefit you get when using raised garden beds is less strain on your back and knees. Who wouldn’t like this benefit! This is because raised beds are built with walls that are at least 6 in. to 1 ft. high thus eliminating the need for you to bend over so much as you work in your garden. If you build your beds with 4 ft. sides you will find working in your garden even that much easier.
I like the idea of using building materials that are several inches thick as well, so that we will also have a very comfortable sitting area. We can pull out weeds, check on our vegetable growth and health of our plants while comfortably sitting instead of being hunched over. This will make working in your garden much more pleasant especially if you have mobility struggles.
You can get really creative when building your garden beds. Raise your beds to standing level if you want. I have seen some tables turned into garden beds. You can even put wheels on them to make them mobile. Be creative and do what is going to be comfortable for you. Of course some people might argue that these are planters and not garden beds. It’s really just semantics. Raised garden beds do not have bottoms.
2. Opportunity
With raised garden beds everyone has the opportunity to start a garden no mater where you live. Raised bed gardening is really starting to grow in popularity because people are catching on to the fact that you don’t have to have acres of fertile land to have a productive garden. Even when outdoor space is limited or you only have access to a paved surface you can still be a successful gardener with raised garden beds.
I wish I had known about garden beds when I was trying to plant a garden in our hard dessert soil in Utah many years ago. I would have been so much more successful if I had used them rather than fighting with the unfriendly dessert soil. The key to using garden beds on pavement is to make sure that they are level, don’t get waterlogged, and have adequate organic mater so that they can soak up the water. Using mulch is also a necessity for any garden bed. Your mulch could be straw, hay, wood chips or pine bark. The mulch will suppress weeds and keep moisture in the soil.
Of course the most ideal situation for raised garden beds is that they be placed on top of bare soil. If you are building on top of hard surfaces like cement or pavement be sure to build the depth of your garden beds to at least 18 in. This allows the roots enough space to grow and be healthy. In raised garden beds that are built on bare soil, the depth of the bed might not need to be that deep because the roots can extend into the ground soil as well.
3. Early Planting
By late winter, most gardeners are chomping at the bit to get their seeds in the ground. If you live in a cold climate, like the northern parts of the US, you may be used to a short growing season. For example in Idaho, the growing season is estimated at 167 days. As compared to parts of California that have around an estimated 300 days of growing time. That’s a big difference, so you can see why early planting is very appealing!
In the winter the ground is frozen, and takes a long time to warm up. A great thing about garden beds is that the soil in them tends to be warmer than ground soil, which means earlier planting and a longer garden season. This is great news if you are accustomed to a short growing season and would like to see your garden started sooner in the spring!
Soil that froze solid in the winter is going to take some time to warm up. It’s a slow process at first. Raised beds that have been filled with a balanced soil composition will drain efficiently and hold the sun’s heat. That’s why raised garden beds allow you to start your garden earlier than traditional gardens.
Hardy plants like lettuce, radish and peas, can be planted when the soil is consistently 44.5 °F (7°C). You can also try using black plastic to help warm up the soil and dry it out a bit. One tip is to position your garden beds so that they will get the most out of the midday sun and aren’t going to be shaded by trees or large structures.
4. Less Weeds
Enough said! I’m sold! Raised garden beds reduce the number of weeds you will need to pull this garden season. There are many reasons why this happens but simply put, it’s because of the garden bed’s design. Let me explain. You start by cleaning the ground that your garden bed is going to rest on. This involves at minimum removing any grasses and weeds from the top soil. It’s best if the ground is tilled 18 inches and rocks are removed as well.
In addition to starting with a clean surface, many people choose to lay newspapers, cardboard, landscape fabric, or hardware cloth under their garden bed to prevent anything from growing back. The newspapers and cardboard will decay and provide nutrients to your plants eventually.
Garden beds are then filled with soil that is nutrient rich and any weeds that do grow can be pulled very easily because the soil is so nice and loose. And remember that pulling any weeds that do come up will not break your back because you are not hunched over on the ground to get to them. Win! Win!
5. Rodent Prevention
What rodents are you used to that tunnel under your garden and ruin your vegetables? There are a number of rodents that fit into this category. The list includes: Voles, Moles, Gophers, Ground Squirrels, or any other ground-dwelling rodent. With raised garden beds you can prevent rodent attacks very easily.
This takes a little forethought on your part when you are planning out your garden beds, but it’s very painless. I’d recommend laying chicken wire along the bottom of your bed before filling it with soil and extending several inches beyond the bed to protect it. If you are not accustomed to dealing with burrowing rodents you may just skip this step. But, if this is your first time gardening or you are trying out a new location, I highly encourage you to be proactive and place chicken wire along the bottom of your garden bed.
You wouldn’t want to have to dismantle your beds to lay wire as an afterthought. That could turn in to a long process.
6. Loose Soil
Loose soil allows for the roots of your plants to grow freely and produces healthy plants. Raised garden beds accomplish this effect if you design them well and fill them with a healthy mixture of soil. When you are designing your garden beds make sure that you can reach across them with ease. In most cases this will mean no wider than 4ft. Sometimes you may want them even smaller than that.
The reason that you don’t want them too wide is so that you will never have to get in them to do any planting, weeding, pruning, harvesting, etc. You only want to have to reach in, not get your whole body in there. If you step and walk around on the light, loose soil that you have carefully selected, your garden bed will begin to compact. Compacting the soil makes it more difficult for the roots to penetrate and makes for weaker less healthy plants.
Don’t worry though if your beds are too wide and you have to get in the bed for some reason. There is a solution. Just take a board and lay it across your garden bed and walk on that instead. This will prevent the dirt from compacting.
7. Good Drainage
One thing that you have to consider if using traditional garden methods is how well your garden drains. With raised garden beds this issue is taken care of. I love how so many of the problems of gardening are solved just by choosing to garden with raised beds.
Raised garden beds allow the water in the soil to drain freely so that adequate air is available for the roots of your plants. If you have excess or standing water it can choke your crops. While plants have differing drainage needs, few can tolerate sitting in stagnate water. Healthy roots mean healthier plants.
When choosing a well-draining soil for your garden beds remember that soils that are rich in organic matter and nutrients will provide you with the best results. Potting soil is not a good choice because it drains too quickly. Also be careful how much manure you include in your soil mixture because manure is high in nitrogen. Too much nitrogen may stunt the growth of your fruit. Doing a simple soil test using a home test kit like this one is a great way to figure out what amendments you need to make to your soil. It only costs about $15 and test soil pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash levels.
8. Organized
Being organized is one of the best things you can do to ensure that you have a successful garden this year. Raised bed gardening helps you accomplish this goal. Check out this book on square foot gardening. By implementing the suggestions in the book you can maximize your garden beds in a systematic and productive way.
Another benefit you will notice when using raised garden beds is how organized your whole yard is. I like organization so maybe that is why I really like this point. There are clear spaces around and in between your garden beds. It’s a good idea to allow at least 2-3 feet of space between beds. This will give you plenty of room to move around or push a wheel barrel through.
By being organized with raised garden beds you will also appreciate your plants not getting trampled on by kids playing or animals meandering around. Not planning ahead is one of the twenty-one beginner gardener mistakes I talk about in my article here. You might want to check out that article and save yourself some headaches in the future.
9. Prevent Soil Erosion
This is not a point to be taken lightly. Preventing soil erosion by using raised garden beds can be a significant selling point especially if you live in an area that receives lots of rain. A lot of gardeners have to deal with their soil being washed away, which means a lot more work for you, the gardener. And don’t forget the added expense of buying more soil.
I guess it’s an obvious point to say that the sides of your garden beds keep your valuable garden soil from eroding or washing away during heavy rains. While wood is the most common choice, it’s not the only choice you have. Some people choose to use rocks or cement blocks for the sides of their beds. Something to keep in mind though is how heavy those are. This might be inconvenient if you ever want to move your garden bed at some point.
If you have slots or open spaces on the sides of your beds it might be a good idea to line the sides with plastic sheeting. This will prevent the soil from escaping through those spaces. Also, don’t forget to level your raised bed in all directions. If it isn’t level, the rain water or water from your garden hose can run off and out of your bed rather than soaking into the ground. You don’t want this to happen because water that runs off can also carry away your good soil and leave trenches that you’ll need to fill in.
10. Attractive
This might be one of the top reasons some gardeners choose raised garden beds! Raised garden beds are so cool! You can use your creativity and imagination to design a garden bed in any shape! Some people choose to use them to accent their yards and turn their gardens into a center piece. Follow some basic guidelines like keeping them under 4 ft wide but go crazy with design ideas!
When considering what materials to use to make your raised beds I would highly recommend you don’t use pressure treated wood or railway ties which contain harmful creosote. The chemicals from the pressure treated wood can leak into your plants. Not good.
If you are unsure how to build your own raised garden beds you can start with a kit like this one. It is made out of cedar boards and uses dovetail interlocking joints which makes assembling it really simple. This might be the way to go it you want a stress free experience your first time. I’m really partial to U-shaped raised garden beds!
As you can see there are so many reasons to choose raised garden beds this year for your garden. This list is in no way comprehensive. I’d love to hear more of your ideas in the comments. Let me know why you like raised garden beds and if you have any suggestions that will make ours better please let us know! Keepsm:)ing!
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