6 Benefits of Raised Garden Beds

If you have been yearning for a garden in your yard, but just don’t have the space or soil, a raised bed may be the perfect solution. Raised garden beds are gardens that are built up, instead of down. You can create raised beds by enclosing soil in a box or other large container to maintain the integrity of the soil and garden. Here are some of the benefits of raised bed gardening, as well as a few tips to get you started!

Space Efficiency

Raised beds can be any size or shape. Generally, raised beds are about six to eight feet long and three to four feet wide, but if you’re limited on space, your beds can be customized to the area you’re installing them in. Additionally, the height of the bed can be customized, so gardeners who don’t want to kneel or bend over can create beds that are taller, and thus, more accessible.

Enhanced Soil

Raised garden beds provide better drainage for soil, giving plants an extra foot (or more) of breathing room above wet conditions. This is especially pertinent in areas like Western Washington that often see heavy rain in the spring and late summer, as well as flooding throughout the rainy season. In addition, it is much easier to control the soil in the bed. Instead of being reliant on the soil already in the ground in your area, you provide the soil and nutrients that your plants grow in! Because of that, you can choose products such as G&B Raised Bed & Potting Mix which is specially designed for raised bed and large container gardens, and include added coir for moisture retention.
To learn more about using potting mixes in your garden, click here. 

Maximized Harvest

There are many reasons that raised bed gardens maximize harvest. In addition to controlling the soil, weeds, and pests, it is also easier to add accessories for protection and pest prevention. Additionally, the soil in a raised bed warms up more quickly, allowing gardeners to start planting sooner and keep gardening later into the year, extending the growing season. You can also plant veggies a bit closer together to maximize space.

Weed Control

One of the most effective ways to battle weeds is by using a raised bed to garden. You can install a weed barrier on the bottom of the bed which will stop grasses and weeds from infiltrating. Additionally, some raised bed gardeners cover their beds with mulch, cardboard or black plastic in the spring to quickly kill any plants that have grown up in the winter. This clears the soil for your garden, without leaving seeds or roots of weeds behind!

Counteracts Pests

Raised beds are one more barrier for pests and critters who want to steal your harvest. The tall sides of raised beds make it harder for pests such as slugs to get into the beds, and you can even add additional deterrents around the border of your box. It’s also easier to install hardware cloth at the bottom of the box to keep out burrowing critters like groundhogs, and because of the height, it is less likely that pet dogs will urinate directly on your plants.

Less work!

Raised beds are great for beginners, because they remove a lot of the barriers and create an easier space for gardening! Less weeds, no pests and better soil all work in your favor for a maximized harvest!