About Raised Garden Beds

Raised garden beds are a style of gardening which can be used over several acres or in a small corner of your back yard. The shape of each bed can also vary. However, they are usually squares or rectangles and most often made from wood or plastic. But, a raised bed can be created from stone as well. Because the garden is above ground level, it is a convenient, and sometimes necessary, manner of gardening if you have a disability such as the use of a wheel chair or an affliction that makes it difficult to bend over.

Benefits

A raised garden not only makes it easier for the gardener to plant, weed and harvest the garden, but it makes for a neater, more organized area. When planting at ground level you generally use the soil already available, even though you may need to adjust the nutritional value with compost or fertilizer. With a raised bed you will be adding soil into the frame. This gives you the opportunity to use the finest garden soil that is already premixed. This saves time and you are assured of quality soil that will result in healthier plants and a heavier yield. Raised beds also keep pathway weeds from your garden bed, as well as such pests as snails and slugs, while also keeping the soil well drained.

Types

The most traditional type of raised bed frame is made from wood. Wood is probably the most economical building material to use, especially if you are planning a larger garden; 2-by-6 inch cedar is a good size and wood to use for this purpose. The boards can be stacked to create a higher bed. The boards can be nailed together in the square or rectangular shape, however, metal corner brackets that are screwed in at the inside or outside of the frame corners increase strength and durability. 4-by-4 inch stakes, galvanized spikes or anchor joints can be used at the inside corners of the raised bed frames to keep them in place. Although less used, raised garden beds can be made from stone, brick or paving blocks. Giving the beds a more decorative appearance, you might use this method for a flower garden or other landscaping plants. Plastic kits for raised beds are also now available. They make the job simple with a snap-together method that creates a frame for your raised garden quickly. Put your garden frames in the sunniest part of the yard for the best growing conditions.

Considerations

Consider drawing a map of your raised bed garden as the first step of your gardening plan. Graph paper works well for this purpose. Measure the garden area you have available and decide how large and what shape the frames will be. Paths between raised beds must be wide enough for your garden cart or wheelbarrow. If your raised garden beds are rectangular, they should run east to west so that all your plants get adequate sunshine. Plant your tallest plants at the north end and the shortest ones at the south end of the garden. With your plants in these locations the taller ones will not shade the shorter ones.

Warning

When choosing boards for your raised garden frames you may be tempted to purchase treated lumber because the wood will not rot. This may not be the best choice for a vegetable garden if the wood is treated with CCA (chromated copper arsenate), acid copper arsenate or ammonical copper arsenate. The arsenic from these products could get on your hands or leach into the soil and into your vegetables. Wood treated with an organic compound is a safer choice. The best choice, however, is to choose a wood that is naturally rot-resistant such as red cedar, Port Orford cedar, redwood or black locust. A raised bed frame built from any of these woods should last 10 to 20 years. A more recent option that might be considered is recycled plastic composite lumber. It is insect and rot resistant.

Misconceptions

Many new gardeners think once they've picked their last cucumbers the job is done. Although raised garden beds make gardening easier, in many respects there is still much to consider for next year's garden. If you live in a location that has a short gardening season, you may want to consider starting seeds indoors. Tomatoes, peppers, beans and peas are good choices for this. You also may want to purchase hoops and black plastic to cover your raised garden beds to heat the soil. Reconsider if using cocoa mulch is right for your garden (although it does give off a wonderful aroma). If you have dogs and there is a chance they might get into your garden, cocoa mulch is poisonous to them. Also, this mulch has a tendency to mold, so if you decide to use the cocoa mulch, make sure it is as fresh as possible and that it is stored in a cool, dry location.

Resources

• Raised Garden Bed Video