Raised Garden Beds For Ease in Gardening

By Barbara Volkov

Garden beds that are raised add a new concept to the experience of gardening. These beds are raised mainly to be useful for the gardener that has a limited space for gardening, and is easy to reach for the disabled, those with arthritis, and the elderly. These raised beds can be built at a level that reduces aches and pains caused by bending or kneeling on the ground for any length of time.

Plants generally grow better in elevated beds than they do in the ground because compacting of the soil will not occur plus the drainage is much better. Elevated garden beds usually get warm quicker in the spring and continue to stay warm during fall which means your growing season will be longer. Because the soil is above the ground in these raised gardens the sun and the air will warm it up quicker. This allows you to plant earlier to get better germination if you live in northern climates.

Some of the other benefits to having garden beds that are raised are of course they are reachable which makes maintaining and harvesting the garden more of a joy instead of a task. The drainage is much better eliminating waterlogged soil; the soil content is more organic because you will be bringing in manure, compost, and organic soil instead of ground soil. The appearance of your raised garden will be more attractive because you will find it more of a joy to maintain.

Gardening in raised beds means you are growing your plants in containers that are above the ground, you can also terrace your garden beds at the same time. You can build a wooden framed structure and fill with soil; you can also use concrete blocks, bricks or any type of material you can find to build your structure. You can also purchase raised garden bed kits at your local garden nursery or home improvement center.

If you decide to have raised vegetable garden beds it is a good idea to consider companion planting. Companion vegetables and herbs will help control the insects and improve the health of the garden. For instance, carrots, parsley, and onions are companion plants for growing tomatoes but cabbage and cauliflower should be far away. You also need to rotate the vegetables every year, for instance if you plant tomatoes in one bed this year plant them in a different one next year, this will discourage insect pests and some pathogens. These pests and pathogens will remain in the soil over winter and infect that same crop the following year.

Raised bed gardening makes pest control a lot easier to handle. If your garden has problems with the burrowing rodents all you have to do is line the bottom of the bed with hardware cloth or chicken wire. Controlling the weeds are easier because you have the ease of walking completely around the garden beds and you will not be bending over to pull them out. Your rows of vegetables will be closer together because now you will not be walking between them to harvest.

Once you start gardening with raised garden beds you may not want to go back to in ground gardening. Your vegetable garden, herb garden, and flower garden will be so much easier to maintain, harvest, and cultivate. This type of gardening is great for grandma and grandpa but children may find they might like to have a garden bed all to themselves to maintain.

Barbara does a bit of gardening in a small backyard. Garden beds raised above the ground make gardening easier. Visit the website Gardeners Garden Supplies for more gardening tips and ideas.

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Raised Gardens - Advantages and Installation Tips

By Janet Ashby

A raised bed garden might be a good idea if you have poor soil, very heavy clay soil or find gardening difficult due to a physical problem. Although it will take more time to construct a raised bed, or initially cost more if you opt to buy a raised garden kit, it will more than pay for itself in the long term. A raised bed has some distinct advantages over regular gardening and can make your gardening much easier, more fun and more productive. They are also very attractive and kits can be purchased in water-resistant cedar for a very long life.

Some Advantages of Raised Gardening

• In a raised garden you have full control over the soil conditions so you can grow plants that need specific pH's and nutrients easily.
• The soil can be purchased free from weeds and stones so you won't have to spend time weeding.
• Plants in a raised garden are easier to maintain and usually grow better. The soil does not become compacted from people walking on it so air and nutrients can reach the roots much easier.Raised gardens warm up more quickly in the Spring so you can sow or plant much earlier giving you a longer growing season.
• It is much easier to cultivate a raised garden than a regular garden as you can make the garden at a convenient height. For those with physical problems or in a wheelchair this can often be the only way they can enjoy gardening.
• Raised gardens are much kinder to backs and knees! You won't strain your back or hurt your knees from kneeling down to garden.
• In a properly prepared raised garden drainage is much better than in a regular garden. You won't have waterlogged soil and the plants will grow better.

Siting Your Raised Garden

Before you decide where to place your garden observe your backyard for at least a full day to see which areas receive more sunlight or which are in the shade. Are you going to grow sun loving plants or those which prefer shade? Find an area where you can have space all around the garden to make cultivation easier. It is also a good idea to have pathways or gravel around the garden to make moving around it with wheelbarrow etc easier. If you are installing one for a person in a wheelchair you must make sure access is easy from all sides and it is the correct height.

Filling Your Raised Garden

After the garden is installed fill it with good quality soil and compost. A mix of half soil and half compost is usually recommended. Top soil is usually available to buy in bulk but be careful of the quality as there are no standards set down. Top soil can vary a great deal in composition. Garden centers also supply soil in bulk and you can be sure that it is good quality. You could use soil from your garden but you will need quite a large amount and the soil may not contain all the nutrients required. It will also inevitably have weed seeds and stones.

For economy you may want to mix garden soil with purchased soil but make sure you mix it thoroughly and preferably have a soil test to ensure the pH and nutrient levels are acceptable. Whichever option you choose mix in a small amount of sand as an aid to drainage. You will also need to top up the soil occasionally as it compacts down and add some organic matter regularly. A good tip is to grow some ground cover plants during the winter for protection which can then be dug in in the Spring to add some nutrients.

Conclusion

Raised gardens are ideal for those of us who are physically challenged but they are also perfect for every gardener as they are attractive, easy to maintain and provide optimum growing conditions for our plants. They can be easy to install if you choose to use a raised garden kit and will last for many years of trouble free gardening.

Visit us for more information on Raised Garden Beds or Lawns and Gardens

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