The concept of a raised bed garden is nothing new, but what in fact does a raised garden bed consist of and what exactly are the advantages of building a raised garden bed? These and other issues are discussed here in this article on the advantages of having a raised bed garden constructed, especially if you are considering growing fruit and/or vegetables.
Raised bed gardening – what is it?
To start at the beginning; a raised bed constructed for gardening is simply a box-like structure, usually between 6 and 24 inches deep, that is enclosed on all sides but open to the air. A simple frame if you like, that is constructed in such a way that it can be filled with soil or compost material, depending on what exactly has to be grown.
The concept of raised bed gardening became increasingly popular during Victorian times, and has remained so to this day, especially with the rise in interest regarding home-grown produce.
There are many advantages to growing vegetables in a raised bed, and raised bed gardening plans have been widely produced to cope with the rising demand for information and material on raised bed gardening.
Square foot garden beds are another form of Raised Bed, as indeed is the Keyhole garden. However the concept of the Square Foot method is slightly different in that the vegetables are grown in foot square sections of the bed, and a more ‘rotational gardening’ methodology is followed.
Keyhole gardens are yet another form of Raised bed gardening techniques that are growing in popularity amongst no-dig gardeners.
Raised Bed Gardening Benefits
Some of the advantages of producing vegetables in a raised garden bed are as follows:
- Easier on the back when it comes to caring for the plants themselves, especially with the deeper/higher beds.
- Vegetables grown in a raised bed are not so prone to insect predation, especially that Bain of all gardeners – slugs!
- The raised bed itself can be filled with top quality bedding material, and not so reliant on the possibly polluted and less fertile soil in the area.
- Plants such as strawberries can trail down the side of the construction a little, leaving them not so prone to rot in wet ground.
- Plants grown in a raised bed have better drainage and so are not so vulnerable to the wet seasons and the prospect of rot.
- Can be built in a relatively small area, which makes it very attractive for the small garden.
- Easier to maintain and harvest than a traditional growing area as the soil in a Raised Bed remains soft and friable.
Planning A Raised Garden Bed
Like any aspect of gardening, a raised bed garden takes a little planning out, if it is to be a success. Everything from the type of construction material, the mode of construction, and what to avoid must be well planned out if the project is ultimately to ‘produce the goods’ i.e. – a healthy crop.
Fortunately when it comes to raised bed gardening plans, there are quite a few choices on the market. The trick however is to get raised bed plans that you can rely on, from someone who has ‘walked the walk’ so to speak and has come across and conquered the pitfalls of wrong building practices.
The ebook promoted on this page “Raised Bed Gardening Complete” by James Paris, is an excellent example of a book written by someone who is experienced in his field.
Raised bed gardening can be a very rewarding experience, Both mentally and financially. With the interest today in producing your own produce, not only to save money, but also for the simple pure quality of the goods that you can grow yourself; it is certain that raised bed gardening is not about to lose its appeal any time soon.
Summary:
To build your own raised bed garden, means that you are much more in control of not only your fruit and vegetable intake, but also your finances. The advantage also is in the fact that you are doing your bit to ‘save the planet’ as there is no carbon footprint to worry about, the produce being produced at your own doorstep so to speak.
Apart from all that however, the simple fact is that growing your own vegetables is perhaps one of the more satisfying activities on the planet! Growing them from your own raised bed gardening activities just increases the pleasure to be had.
