In essence, a raised garden bed is just that, a garden built above the ground rather than in it. You can do it in several ways, including piling soil into mounds or using boxes to contain the gardening area. Depending on your needs, preferences, and lifestyle, raised garden beds may be better for you.
Here are some benefits of having raised garden beds.
1. No Construction Rules
You can create your raised bed in whatever way you like. If you’re not that crafty or artistic, check out nearby gardening stores. They may have started kits for raised-bed gardening.
2. No Tilling
While tilling is required each year for garden beds in the ground to add new fertilizer, this is not necessary with raised beds. Instead, fresh soil or compost may be added on top.
3. Fewer Weeds
Did you know that tilling could lead to having more weeds as it buries weed seeds?
Source: ShutterstockYou won’t have to worry about that with raised garden beds.
4. Goodbye Crabgrass
With the aid of a weed barrier at the bottom of your bed, crabgrass will not be able to enter your garden. Make sure that this layer is at least 10 inches in height.
5. Better For Your Back and Knees
A raised bed can significantly reduce back and knee pain that are often associated with typical gardening activities. This is especially true of weeding, which you must do regularly.
6. Add Curb Appeal
Are you looking to improve the look of your front yard? Add a few raised garden beds for a front yard makeover. They can help improve curb appeal and keep your neighbors happy.
7. Built-In Walkways
Paths are easier to maintain with raised garden beds, as the plants and roots are contained in boxes. Also, the boxes could help create a pathway where none existed before.
8. Keep Out Pests
While critters will still be able to reach your garden, the high walls will cause them to take a bit longer to reach their goal, giving you more time to find them and take them away. Additionally, you can add material to prevent animals from digging up from below or reaching the plants from above.
Source: ShutterstockThe height also helps to prevent animals from using your garden as their personal bathroom.
9. Offer Better Drainage
With the average garden box reaching 11 inches high, this adds almost an entire foot of extra space to avoid any flooding.
10. Better Water Retention
While it helps to reduce flooding, raised garden beds are also great for keeping in the water that you do want to be there. The construction of the box, while too high to allow in outside water, will keep in water that you put there.
11. Earlier Planting Time
Raised beds offer dryer and warmer soil earlier in the season.
12. Plants May Keep Through the Winter
Because the raised beds are less likely to reach the cold temperatures seen on the ground, some plants can continue to grow through the winter months.
13. Moveable
Source: ShutterstockThese are an excellent option for renters as you can simply use removable garden boxes and move them when you need to.
14. Easy to Move
If you do not like where you put it, moveable garden boxes give you the convenience of moving them to your preferred area.
15. No Worry About Feet Ruining Your Garden
Because it is so high off the ground, you no longer have to worry about people or animals running through your garden and causing harm to your growing plants.
16. No Contaminated Soil
Because you are not using the soil that is in the ground, you have total control over the type of soil you want to use. Therefore, you will not have to deal with heavy metals that may often be present in the solid ground.
17. Wonderful for Beginners
For those just starting out, gardening can be a daunting task. While it may require more of an upfront cost, it can produce results very quickly and easily. Just add soil, compost, seeds, and water, and something will grow.
Whatever your goal is, a raised garden bed is an easy way to add curb appeal and have some greens in your home. It’s also an excellent way to get started with gardening if this is new to you.
