Why You May Never Plant Directly in the Ground Again
Raised beds in your garden are only necessary in special circumstances, right? Maybe your soil is poor or contaminated. Maybe you only have cement or some other undesirable sub-strata in the area where you get the most sun. Maybe bending all the way to the ground is becoming a challenge.
Raised beds are a great solution when you have any of those issues, but they also offer a wide range of other benefits. There’s a little bit of time involved in building them, but it also takes time to properly prepare the ground for planting. Let’s look at the primary benefits of raised beds, as well as a simple way to get started.
Why Raised Beds Are Almost Always the Best Approach
Raised beds offer such a wide range of benefits, you’ll wonder why you ever thought of planting directly in the ground. Here are just a few of the most attractive features of raised beds:
- Far greater weed control—What’s your least favorite part of growing things? Fighting off the weeds, right? With a raised bed, because you’re starting with your own soil, rather than simply turning the ground, you will start free of weed seeds. When you turn the ground, you inevitably leave weed seeds in the ground, which will germinate. In addition, because the soil you add to your bed is less compacted, any weeds that do grow will be easier to remove.
- Better control of soil moisture—Soil moisture is a delicate balance, particularly with vegetables. If your soil is too sandy, it won’t be able to hold enough water to keep your plants hydrated. If there’s too much clay, it will hold too much water, with the potential for root rot. Organic raised bed soil will provide the best balance of drainage and moisture retention.
- Fewer problems with pests—The sides of your raised bed can serve as a barrier to many types of pests. In addition, the optimal drainage that raised beds promote lessens the likelihood that your soil will be an attractive environment for pests.
- A longer growing season—The soil in a raised bed tends to warm up earlier in the year, so that you can plant sooner, often by several weeks
Build a Simple Raised Bed…in 10 Minutes
A raised bed is simply a box, easy to construct with lumber, a saw and screws/nails. You’ll want your bed to be at least 12 inches deep, but deeper is almost always better. The optimal size is 4 x 8 feet, as you’ll be able to reach the middle from either side. Start with three 8-foot lengths of untreated 2×12 lumber. Cut one in half and attach the short pieces to both ends of the long boards. Set it on the ground and fill it. You’re ready to plant!
