Find out the advantages of this style of gardening
Raised beds can be used to grow a variety of vegetables, along with fruit, and are ideal if the soil on your plot is in poor condition or if you do not have space in the garden for a large veg patch. They are also good for people who struggle to bend down to ground level, as well as wheelchair users.
Benefits of raised beds
There can be a number of reasons why you would use one of these structures to grow produce in other than a traditional veg patch, for example some plants require specific soil types such as blueberries, which prefer acidic earth, so it is relatively simple to create the conditions these specimens require by filling up a raised bed with distinct compost. As the planters are set higher than at normal ground level they also aid draining; this can be beneficial for those people who struggle with waterlogged soil in their garden or allotment. Filling the beds with compost also means that the specimens planted in there will have a good quality nutrient-rich growing medium. Another positive factor about these structures is that they allow easier access to gardening for those who have difficulty reaching veg patches on the ground or for people who use wheelchairs.
Problems to look out for
Due to the higher level of the earth this can lead to issues of dry soil during periods of drought, so make sure you water crops sufficiently during these periods. When constructing a raised bed it is important to get it level, so that that there isn’t a slant present which would cause inconsistency in the growing conditions.
Building or buying your own
You can purchase planters already made or alternatively construct your own by sourcing materials yourself, such as timber, railway sleepers and bricks – you can even use recycled alternatives. Pla
