Raise the green bar: Raised bed gardening rescues those who have the wish to grow plants but don’t have a soil bed

NT Features

Do not have a backyard with soil to grow your radishes, tomatoes and potatoes? You must consider adopting this gardening technique. Raised bed gardening is an asset to those who do not have access to proper soil for gardening. It allows gardeners in areas with low-quality soil or concrete concealed areas to still explore and continue their much loved hobby.

Above ground level
It is a form of gardening in which the soil is raised above ground level and usually enclosed in some way. These structures can be made of wood, rock, concrete or other materials, and can be of any size or shape. The soil is often enriched with compost. Vegetables are grown in geometric patterns, much closer together than in conventional row gardening. The spacing is such that when the vegetables are fully grown, their leaves just barely touch each other, creating a microclimate in which weed growth is suppressed along with moisture being conserved.

Raised bed gardening has a number of benefits: they extend the planting season, they can reduce weeds if designed and planted properly and they can maily reduce the need to use poor native soil. Since the gardener does not walk on the raised beds, the soil is not compacted and the roots have an easier time growing. Waist-high raised beds enable the elderly and physically disabled to grow vegetables without having to bend over to tend to them. So get going.

Choose a raised bed
A gardener’s supply offers a wide range of raised beds, from aluminium corner kits for which you supply your own lumber, to complete raised bed kits in cedar, composite wood, recycled plastic and galvanised steel. You can also consider elevated raised beds, for no bend gardening.

Location
For the maximum plant health and productivity, most vegetables should receive at least eight hours of full sun each day. The more the sun, the better, so it makes sense to locate your garden in the sunniest portion of your yard. Avoid low and wet areas where the soil could stay soggy. Because your garden will need to be watered during the growing season and you must have relatively easy access to a hose.

How to set it up
Good soil is the single most important ingredient for a good garden. Raised beds give you an immediate advantage over a regular garden since when you fill your raised bed, you can fill it with a blend of soil that’s superior to the native soil in your yard. Soil that is loose and rich with organic nutrients and matter will allow the roots of your plants to grow freely and ensure that they have access to the water and nutrients they need to sustain healthy growth.

What to plant
Fill your garden with the types of vegetables you like to eat. If you are big on salsa, plant head lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. If you love cooking, plant onions and peppers, leeks, potatoes and herbs. Try to include at least one vegetable that is new to you. Discovery is half the sun. Gardening in a raised bed is all about maximising productivity. The challenge is to grow as much food as possible while resisting the temptation to squeeze in too many plants.