Raised Vegetable Garden Beds

 Growing in raised vegetable garden beds is not new but has grown in popularity in recent years and is something that anyone looking at how to vegetable garden should consider. 

Otherwise known as the deep-bed system this method of growing vegetables has many advantages although initially, if done properly, there is quite a bit of work involved and some cost. The good news is that after the first year there is not such a cost or so much muscle work involved. 

As the name suggests, a raised vegetable bed in a way is like a container vegetable garden being elevated above the normal soil level. The difference is of course that this container does not have a solid base. Part of your first years work is to break up and prepare the base soil which in effect becomes your subsoil. 

So what are the advantages of building a raised bed garden? 

• Most of the work is done in the first year. Thereafter it is a matter of keeping the fertility of the soil built up.
• The soil tends to warm up quicker enabling earlier sowing. 
• Being raised and the soil being a good quality and structure the seed bed dries out quicker so giving more time to work on the vegetable bed. 
• Generally the vegetable bed or beds can be worked on for more days of the year than conventional garden beds. 
• Because of the deep soil and well maintained fertility level it is possible to plant closer together and yet still achieve very good crop yields. 
• The vegetable plot is easily maintained by having access from either side via permanent paths. 
• The soil in your nominated vegetable plot may not be of the best quality but with a raised bed garden you can prepare the normal surface which becomes your subsoil and fill up the bed or beds with quality top soil and / or compost. 
• With the raised vegetable bed method vegetable garden planning becomes important and encourages the vegetable gardener to plant in shorter rows and smaller blocks. This avoids a glut of any one vegetable variety at any one time. 
• The increased depth of cultivated soil makes a raised vegetable bed ideal for root crops such as carrots. 
• For those who find it difficult to stoop down to work on a conventional vegetable bed, building a raised garden bed to suit yourself can be the difference in being able to vegetable garden and not being able to do so. 

The raised planting bed can be any shape to suit your garden; it does not have to be oblong but can be square or even triangular. The main point to remember is that you want the bed to be practical to work with which means that it should not be more than four feet wide. 

Raised vegetable garden beds are highly recommended and the preparation work of the first season will reap the reward good vegetable crop yields for years to come.