Do you have poor or uneven soil? Have you been wanting a garden space, but fear it will be a flop?
Instead of trying to work against the factors stopping you, work with them. There are solutions to your gardening woes, and the one we will discuss in this article is raised bed gardening.
What exactly is raised bed gardening you ask? Raised garden beds are built so plants can be given the ultimate growing conditions. If your soil is dry and rocky, building a bed and adding a healthy mix of soil will help ensure you have a bumper crop each growing season.
A raised bed can range from a few inches to two or three feet high, depending on the soil requirements, planting depth or even the physical capabilities of the gardener. Their size should be no wider than four feet across, which allows for easy access from both sides. If your reach is less than two feet, building a narrower bed will be more feasible. The length can vary from a few feet to eight feet or more. If built along a wall the width should not exceed two feet, as you want to be sure you can reach all areas easily. They can be made from wood, plastic, bricks or stone; use materials that blend in with your landscape design rather than those that stick out like a sore thumb.
Once the bed design has been chosen and built, it is time to fill it with soil and plants/seedlings. It will drain quicker so your plants aren’t waterlogged (an excellent feature to have in wet climates), plus warm sooner in the spring. A raised bed design will ensure you have the best possible chance of having a garden space that is lush and productive. An extra bonus to the design is you can have supports built in such as a trellis (for climbers) or hoops (for plastic or row covers). The versatility of the raised garden bed is only as limited as your imagination.
Consult your local landscape company to help you come up with a design and a plan that meets your needs.
