If the seed catalogs are starting to arrive in your mailbox, you may have seen some recommendations for raised-bed gardening. There are quite a few different ways to plant a unique garden which makes your outdoor get-away stick out from the rest. The use of raised beds is one method that is great for small areas.
Raised gardens offer more depth and maximize the land you have available to you. As with all techniques, this one has a few pros and cons to weigh before you start using it.
Pros
In addition to offering the garden a unique look, raised beds have a number of other advantages.
– Weeds: Once the garden has settled after its first year, you won’t need to weed often.
– Organization: This type of garden is very easy to keep organized.
– Ergonomics: Since your workspace is further off the ground, you won’t need to bend as much to tend the plants.
– Soil: If the soil already in the area isn’t well drained or poorly fertilized, you can easily use better soil.
– Better Growth: Because the dirt is naturally looser, crops with longer roots grow more easily.
Cons
Naturally, this technique has cons to counter the pros which come with using it.
– Expense: If the soil you buy is store-bought, the setup can get rather expensive.
– Wood Walls: If you decide to use wooden walls for the garden, be prepared for more upkeep. This type of material also tends to dry out more quickly than others.
– Tilling: You’ll be turning your soil and tilling it by hand, which is a bit more difficult than working with flat beds.
– Specialized Beds: If you’re growing plants which climb or sprawl, you’ll need a specialized bed to give them the best conditions.
To make raised beds, you don’t need to build walls. Instead, you can walk along the plot of land you’ll be using and pull soil from the walkway to where you will be doing your planting with a rake. Continue this along the row, and then repeat on the other side.
This type of gardening is great for the urban gardener or anyone else with a small amount of space in which to work. If you have questions about raised-bed gardening, please give us a call.
