Vegetable Gardening in Raised Beds

Raised beds offer a great way to control the growth in your garden. They can also offer style, depth, and a little added flair to your yard not to mention a little less work than you may think.

Here are some pros & cons.

Pros:

• Smaller more define area for planting (this helps with the question of what to plant, where & how much). (This could also be a con)
• You choose the soil type.
• Control weeds by using landscaping cloth.
• Control weeds by just having a smaller raised area for growth.
• Can cover during off peak seasons to protect from weeds seeds.
• Can start your vegetables earlier in spring (easier to cover).
• Can use as compost boxes during the off peak season.
• More control over watering & fertilizing (in other words no more run off).

Cons:

• Boxes can be heavy & hard to move for some people (therefore more permanent).
• They still require a minimal amount of time spent on hands & knees.
• The boxes will rot after several years, if not sooner depending on your materials.
• If left uncared for the boxes will become an eye sore for weeds & uncontrolled growth.

The best way to start planning for your beds is to spend some quality time in your yard. Determine the best place for your beds by selecting a spot that has;

• Plenty of sun (or required sun/shade combo for your plants).
• Won't be in a main walkway or path.
• Is clear of pets (don't build it where your dog loves to dig).
• Is in a place where you can enjoy it to the fullest.
• Has bare soil already exposed (but not necessary).

Right off the bat I made a few mistakes, here are some tips before you get started;

• Don't make the boxes so big that you can never fill them
• Don't use nails unless you want to tear them down after one season (use screws)
• If you do use nails, just remember to go back with screws later
• If using old wood, turn the oldest/ worst looking sides to the inside of the box
• If you want these boxes to last the test of time, use composite lumber

For an easy homemade box, you will need:

• 2 boards measuring 2" x 8" x 12'
• Hand held wood saw or motorized circular saw
• Measuring tape
• Drill (or screw driver) & long screws
• (or) Hammer & long nails

My boxes are made from old decking material (recycling at its finest). I took the [2" x 8" x 12']'s and cut approx 2.5' off the end of each, giving me 2 [2" x 8" x 9.5']'s & 2 [2" x 8" x 2.5']'s. I just nailed (later screwed) the short pieces to the inside of the longer pieces and had my box!

I now have a 9.5' x 2.5' box which is very manageable for me to fill, cover, plant, and compost through out the year.

This can be modified to suit your needs in several ways. My boxes are only 8" tall, so they won't take a whole truck load of soil to fill. Remember the taller & wider you make them, the more soil you will need to bring in.

I just so happened to have a pile of soil in my backyard that was perfect for filling my beds. If you do not have a pile of soil, or a place you can dig, then I suggest you shop around a few places to see who has a good price on the following;

• top soil
• peat moss
• loamy soil mixture or untreated sand
• pea gravel

Depending on what you want to grow, your plants will need a special mix of all of the above. Some places offer a top soil mixture that has all of the above in it. Ask the sales person for tips & advice on buying soil at the places you shop.

Also if your not already an avid gardener, I recommend buying a starter book on gardening so you can know what types of soil/ moisture/ sunlight your plants will require. For example I know that my soil is lime (calcium) deficient, and calcium is a must for big healthy tomato plants, so I add a mixture of lime, 10+10+10, and Black Hen to my boxes before I finish filling them with soil.

One you have your boxes built, filled with soil, and what you want to grow picked out, your going to want to continue to control weed growth through a few simple techniques.

• Fill boxes to within an inch from the top with soil, not over the top (this helps with moisture control).
• Use landscaping cloth around the base of the boxes (can be found anywhere garden supplies are sold, the fabric kind is stronger/lasts longer then the plastic kind).
• Wrap landscaping cloth over the box & use a staple gun to fasten to the outside edges of box
• Use peat pots and fill 3/4 of the way to the top with pure top soil (these can be found just about anywhere garden supplies can be found and are usually a dozen or so for about $3-$5).
• Set the peat pots on top of the landscaping cloth in the pattern you would like your plants to grow. Using a knife, trace the BOTTOM of the peat pots in the landscaping cloth, (cutting a circle into the cloth in the shape of the BOTTOM of the pot).
• Dig a small handful of the soil out from the inside of the hole cut by the knife, (enough to allow the peat pots to sit nice and snug inside the dirt, but still allow the top portion of the peat pot to stick out enough to tuck the landscaping cloth in around the wider edge of the top of the peat pot).
• Once your peat pots are in place, securing the landscaping cloth, and weather permitting of course, you should be ready to plant your seeds!

I find that seeds do not always grow at the rate I would like them to, so I sometimes buys plants instead. When buying plants be sure to know what you are buying (they are not always labeled correctly) and buy the plants grown in peat pots (this way you cans still use the the pot as a means to control weeds in your new vegetable garden!

I am in the process of experimenting with a composite lumber box kit that I purchased this year at Sam's Club. It was about $40 & came with everything to put it together.

The kit included 7 sides and 6 joint pieces, all I had to do was slide them together (no tools required). This is a fantastic idea for those who may not have tools (or know how to use them). However there are a few set backs to using the composite box. I will list a few pros and cons for you here.

Pros:

• Resist rotting.
• Comes in a variety of colors.
• Easy set up means easy to take apart & move (only with a kit).

Cons:

• Very hard material, does not handle staples well
• No staples means a few extra steps to keep weeds out, or more time on your hands and knees.
• More expensive.

After a few seasons I will know more, and I will update this hub.

I hope this has been informational to those who have been considering raised beds. These little boxes have been the coolest thing I have done with my garden, and have made it so much easier on my back since I am no longer picking weeds all summer! The little bit of work towards putting them together & maintaining them is NOTHING compare to pulling weeds!

My kids love love love working in these boxes with me, and we have actually had friends & neighbors over WANTING to help us in the garden. This has been a two (green) thumbs up activity for the family & I hope you can use this info to get out there and grow something!

Well it has been sometime now since I started the raised bed garden & all I have to say WOW!!

I have been getting the biggest, tastiest vegetables ever! I have not had to pull the 1st weed from my boxes, I have not had the blossom end rot that I used to get on my big tomatoes, & I have never had this many cucumbers to pick!! This has been the greatest way to garden & now I feel I must share some pics.

On the subject of soil types; I tried using straight peat vs soil from the yard vs soil from the yard with heavy compost, and the winner is..... drum roll please... They all did the same!! I know I am shocked too. I have tomato plants (mix of yard soil & peat) that are so big I cant even get to some of tomatoes without picking up the entire plant & moving it out of my way (I used cages too). My cucumber plants (straight from the yard soil) are small, yet I have picked roughly 8-10 beautiful medium to large cucumbers per week since they started producing! My pepper plants (straight peat) are also small, yet I have the most amazing looking peppers, and plenty of them! Keep in mind the soil types I experimented with are only the top layer of soil, the boxes are open at the bottom & my yard soil is a good mixture of loam, sand, and organics.

I truly believe the raised beds in boxes are doing so well because of how they evenlly distribute the water. The open bottom allows for proper drainage, while the top of the box collects the water, and the black landscaping paper holds in moisture in while allowing the waiter to "even out" across the top.

I have a friend who used hay to hold the moisture in & has had great results as well.

I hope this has helped! Happy gardening! :]