Garden smarter, easier with raised beds

Getting your veggie garden higher than ground level can be good for the gardener's knees and back--but it's also a productive and healthy way to grow plants. 

 Raised beds require less weeding, less water and generally produce more veggies than in-ground gardens. 

Soil compaction--which can become a serious threat to established gardens--is a non-issue.  By gardening in raised planters, you'll never be walking through a wet garden and trouncing the soil again. 

 If you build several raised beds, paths of wood chip mulch can be placed between the planters or more permanent walkways can be built with pavers or other materials that are low maintenance.  Either way, there's easy access to all the plants.

Basic tips for building and growing in raised planters 

• Beds should be 3 to 4 feet wide for easiest access to plants.  The length can be dependent upon the site and overall design of the landscape.  
• Untreated construction timbers are best because they are less likely to warp than treated timbers.
• There is no real rule of thumb on bed depth as long as roots can grow into the soil underneath the bed.
• Soil should be at least 5% organic and if new soil is added, it should be well-worked with existing soil.  Having layers of different types of soil is not good for plants.  Mix it up.
• Since north/south or east/west orientation is generally not an issue, there is greater flexibility to place planters based on site aesthetics.
• Raised beds are well-suited to drip irrigation that can usually be an add-on to the existing sprinkler system.  Soaker hoses are another easy option for watering.
• CSU recommends grass clippings as the most effective mulch for raised beds.  The mulch helps to keep moisture in and weeds out.

 Other benefits

Because soil in raised beds usually warms up faster than soil in the ground, planting can generally be done earlier in the spring than with in-ground beds.  Plants in raised beds are also easier to protect from spring and fall frosts, which means a longer growing season. 

 Photo courtesy Neils Lunceford, Inc. and Excellence in Landscape Awards.  Technical information excerpted, in part, from Garden Notes published by Colorado State University.