Why plant in raised beds?

[huntsman]

Why are so many people planting in raised beds? What is the advantage, pls?

[cottonpicker]

A few reasons I've been planting in raised beds for over 20 years:

Since I never walk on the raised beds, the growing & root zone isn't compacted, better drainage..dries out quicker in early springtime, concentrates amendments fertilizers & water where it's needed and not on the pathways.

[TZ-OH6]

Raised beds are good if you do not have good soil of your own, if you have poor drainage, and/or if you want to keep your back yard looking neat and tidy.

[feldon30]

Torrential Rain is why.

[BigdaddyJ]

All the above reasons are great reasons! I'll add it's easier picking, soil warms faster, no tilling and easy to lasagna compost. I'll never grow vegetables any other way again.

[zopi]

Originally Posted by feldon30

Torrential Rain is why.

THIS! My early La Romas all stunted due to flooding this year...I am amazed though that they are still producing SCADS of tomatoes....albeit small ones.

[jhp]

I grow on a slight incline, so my raised beds are terraced. It's much easier on me and my back doing it in a raised bed than directly on a hillside. Plus all the reasons mentioned above. I do have better drainage and warmer soil in the raised beds. My father-in-law's garden not far from me, is usually a bit behind mine and less productive, and he grows in the ground. Of course there are also many other variables as to why that is so, but he thinks it's my raised beds that's the difference. I think it has something to do with it, but also maybe something else.

Jen

[jeffinsgf]

Most of the best reasons have already been mentioned, but I will add control of soil blend and drainage as the two that I see have the biggest impact. I have peppers planted in raised beds and the same varieties planted (at the same time) in the ground. The soil of the in ground beds was tilled deep and amended in a similar fashion to the raised beds. Still, the peppers in the raised beds are 50% larger and have twice as many peppers as the peppers in the ground.

More of my garden will be raised beds next year.

[piegirl]

I went to raised beds because there is a slight slope to my property but mainly because of the nasty trees and their roots - while the roots did grow into the raised beds, at least I was above the really big roots. Trees were taken down last year and those raised beds were a dream to dig this spring. And as Feldon mentioned - torrential rains - sometimes the paths are full of water with a plastic pot floating. Every 3-4 years I change the pattern of the raised beds. Piegirl

[huntsman]

WOW! Great response to the thread - thank you so much!

BTW Do the roots of trees head into your veg area because of the increased nutrients, etc?

[piegirl]

I think the trees followed the water. They did seem to grow well once I had my gardens established. And I water, water, water! And with the trees gone, my beds stay wetter, longer, those trees really sucked out all the water. piegirl

[huntsman]

Seems like most folk are in favour of raised bed...anyone dislike them for any reason?

[jeffinsgf]

When you raise okra and tomatoes in raised beds, you need a ladder to harvest. That's the closest I can come to a criticism of them.

Some folks say they waste space, but given the same overall plot, a carefully designed raised bed garden should be just as efficient.

[Barbee]

I don't have raised beds. Well I do have one small one, but the majority of my garden is just in a regular ole garden.
The only time I have ever heard anyone complain about a raised bed is when they are not thought out and planned to meet your needs. Maybe you didn't leave enough room between beds for a walkway big enough to get your wheelbarrow through, or maybe you made the bed too wide to reach the middle..stuff like that.

[feldon30]

This thread needs art.


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Spring '08