Raised Bed Gardening for a Tidy & Attractive Yard

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Whether they’re for gorgeous groupings of flowers, or luscious vegetables, raised garden beds have a multitude of benefits. Raised bed gardening has become increasingly popular in the last few years, and for good reason. Here are just a few of the reasons why we love it!

Benefits of Raised Bed Gardening

Here are just a few of the reasons why we love raised bed gardening:

1. It's easier on your back. You don’t have to bend over as much and you can even make the edges of your raised bed wide enough to sit on while you tend your plants.

2. It looks tidy and clean. The clean lines and shapes of raised beds add more aesthetic order to your yard or garden and are more pleasing to the eye.

3. It gives you healthier plants. The soil is less compacted so your plants grow stronger roots. Plus, the drainage is better so your plants don’t end up sitting in puddles during rainy periods.

4. You can plant sooner in spring. The soil warms quicker, so you can get your plants in the ground earlier next year.​

5. You’ll get fewer weeds. Placing a weed barrier under your raised bed and filling it with high-quality soil should mean fewer weeds right from the beginning. They are also easier to weed because of the height, and because they require less tilling, the number of weeds popping up should become less and less and over a few years. They won’t be completely weed-free, but they’ll have significantly fewer weeds than a traditional garden bed.

6. It helps control pests. Because it's a smaller, contained environment it's easier to control pests, because many of them can’t get up the tall sides of raised beds. 

7. It’s also easier to maintain soil quality. Your soil is not getting compacted from being walked on, and any compost you add is concentrated there for your plants. Weeding is another thing that is more manageable with raised beds. 

Building a Raised Garden Bed

The first thing to do is to decide where you want to put your raised bed. Keep in mind what plants you’re wanting to grow in it, and make sure you choose a location that gets appropriate sunlight. 

Second, think about the size of the bed. You’ll need to be able to reach into it to work. Make it so you can easily reach to the middle without crushing plants around the edges. You may also want to consider making the edges of the bed wide enough to sit on, so you can take a break when you like.

Third, you’ll need to decide what to build your raised bed out of. There is a wide variety of options available, from bricks to wood to metal. If you choose to use wood, you can use pressure-treated lumber, but if you’re going to grow veggies in it you should consider something that is chemical-free. Cedar and redwood are naturally resistant to rot and will last for many years without leaching chemicals into your soil. 

Finally, once your new raised bed is built, you’ll need to fill it with soil. Your soil needs will somewhat depend on what you’re planning to grow, but a safe bet is classic potting soil. Our Kaw Valley potting soil uses the highest quality sphagnum peat moss available from Northern Canada to help retain moisture without rotting plants. Over time, the soil will settle a bit, so you may need to top your raised beds up every now and then. 

It might seem like a lot of work to get started with raised beds, but it's worth the time and investment. They automatically make your yard look cleaner and tidier. They can also be incredibly beautiful to look at, complementing the landscaping style of your yard. And don’t forget just how much your back will appreciate not having to crouch down on the ground all the time. It’ll be so much easier to maintain, and you’ll be able to spend more time enjoying your garden and less time working on it. 

If you’re ready to get started with raised bed gardening, come have a chat with the staff at one of our garden center locations. We can help you develop a game plan for how and where to build them, what soil to fill them with, and which plants to grow in them.