Raised beds can be a great way to supplement your gardening space in an efficient and cost-effective way, not to mention they’re also perfect for any DIY gardener! Have you constructed your own raised bed, but are still unsure of what will grow well in one? Use the tips and tricks outlined in this quick guide, or visit our Raised Garden Bed Store for our expert guidance.
Why You Should Raise Your Beds
Raised beds are a great way to save time and energy in your garden. By having raised beds, you can garden more efficiently and produce larger crops in less space. Here are some of the best ways to use raised beds in your garden:
- Grow Vegetables: Raised beds are a great way to grow vegetables. You can choose from a variety of vegetables that are best suited for raised bed gardening, such as lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, and more. Raised Garden Bed Simply select the type of vegetable that you would like to grow and construct your own raised bed using inexpensive materials like cinder blocks, lumber, or PVC pipe.
- Plant Flowers: Raised bed gardening is also a great way to plant flowers. Flowers need plenty of room to grow and bloom, so giving them plenty of space in a raised bed is ideal. You can choose from a variety of flowers that require little maintenance such as everlasting daisy, spider lilies, Calendula Officinalis (pot marigold), petunias, and Galia campanulate (golden-aster).
- Grow Fruit Trees: Another advantage of raised bed gardening is the ability to grow fruit
Raised Bed Examples
As you add raised beds to your garden, it is important to consider the best way to use them. Here are some examples:
– Use a raised bed as a vegetable garden. Dig a trench about 2 feet wide and deep, then add supports at each end. Build the bed high enough so that the vegetables are above ground but not too high that you can’t reach them. Space the plants close together in a single layer so that they receive plenty of sunlight and water.
– Use a raised bed as a flower garden. Dig a trench about 4 feet wide and deep, then add supports at each end. Build the bed high enough so that the flowers are above ground but not too high that you can’t reach them. Space the plants close together in a single layer so that they receive plenty of sunlight and water.
– Use a raised bed as a herb garden. Dig a trench about 3 feet wide and deep, then add supports at each end. Build the bed high enough so that the herbs are above ground but not too high that you can’t reach them. Space the plants closely together in a single layer so that they receive plenty of sunlight and water.
What Is the Best Way to Plant Vegetables?
If you have a garden, chances are you’ve got some raised beds. A raised bed is simply a long, narrow piece of ground that’s been U-shaped or V-shaped and then raised on a series of boards or blocks. This design makes it easy to turn the soil and water the plants without having to remove any mud or rocks. And best of all, raised beds can conserve valuable garden space. Here are four best ways to use them:
- Grow vegetables in a raised bed as part of your vertical garden. When planting vegetables in a vertical garden, you increase your yields by growing plants closer together than they would on the ground. The closer they are, the more nutrients and sunlight they receive. To create a vertical garden in an area that doesn’t already have one, get tips from our blog on how to build your own raised bed frame.
- Tend your flowers in a raised bed instead of using dirt or grass as their foundation. If you have an abundance of flowers but little space for them all, dig up a portion of your backyard or front yard and create a raised bed out of logs, boards, stones, or cinder blocks. Just
Planting Seeds in a Raised Bed
There are many ways to use a raised bed in your garden. Here are some ideas:
-As a planting space for annual flowers and vegetables.
-To grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. on the roof of a container or on poles above the bed.
-To grow perennial flowers and herbs in between paving stones or in another well-drained area.
-To create an area for shrubs or trees to grow tall.
Seeds vs. Plants
What’s the difference between seeds and plants? Seeds are dormant while plants are alive. Once a seed germinates, it will grow into a plant.