One of the biggest benefits of using a raised garden bed is the fact that because the soil is raised especially in a vegetable garden it warms up earlier in spring as opposed to all the earth that surrounds it. It will also dry faster so it's easier to get cool season crops earlier which extends the growing season and also extends your crop choices.
Many expert gardeners advice that people in order to extend the gardening season of their crops use raised gardens with fashion hoops above which they drape with plastic. This will help you get a few extra weeks of the growing season in both autumn and spring.
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A raised garden bed is easier to keep clean
In order to keep your raised garden bed clean you will need to spread mulch directly over the paths in between the raised beds. This will help keep your feet and the beds clean regardless of the weather. However because you will not be walking over the raised garden beds you can easily run out of your home to take some fresh basil for your dinner preparation without having to worry about the soil compacting.
Raised garden beds help to overcome bad soil
If you have clay or sandy soil a raised garden bed is the answer to this issue. So, instead of having to struggle with bad topsoil you just need to fill the raised garden beds with some high quality topsoil and commence your gardening. When you have nutrient rich soil you will have fewer struggles with your plants and this will obviously amount to less frustration for you. All you need to keep the soil in raised beds healthy is to continue feeding them compost and organic matter.
Stop the invasion of grass with a raised garden bed
Any expert will tell you that lawn grasses have spreading root systems that are known to infiltrate the standard fruit or vegetable garden which makes it a very serious weed to deal with. But with raised garden beds your veggies will not be disturbed by any nearby turf.
A raised garden bed stops pests
Even when you have raised garden beds critters like moles and rabbits can still mess up your vegetables. So one way you can thwart their attacks is to use very tall raised beds. Build beds that are over 4 feet tall in order to discourage pests.
No need for tilling
Raised garden beds happen to provide a healthier growing environment for microorganisms including garden friendly insects like earth worms because there isn't any foot traffic to trample and inevitably compact the soil. So you as a consequence don't have to spend time trying to till the soil every few months for maximum health of your plants.
Add a few decorative elements to your raised vegetable beds
Not many people realize this but raised vegetable garden bed designs can become an integral part of your landscape features. You can easily dress them up with details that will add some style to their often utilitarian outlook. For instance, corner posts in a raised garden bed can be given a cap or even some paint to match that of your home.
There are various types of premade post caps which can easily be purchased at local hardware stores that can also be used. These caps come in varying materials like copper, wood, and even glass in some cases. There are some that even have a few solar powered lights, plus you can add highlights to the beds.
Come up with a good pattern for your raised gardens
In most cases a raised garden bed is setup like small squares or rectangles which will run directly parallel to each other. But some fun can also be added to the raised beds by arranging them in various geometric patterns and shapes. One idea would be to have lines that mimic the same architectural features of a home. According to leading Australia based raised garden bed seller regardless of the shape people design it needs to allow for room to reach into the beds and to move in between them too. Some may even hire a professional to come up with a few ideas too.
Citations:
6 Tips for Building Soil for Your Raised Garden Beds and Planters
Mark T. is one of the leading experts on raised gardening. He has designed and built various types of raised garden beds over the years. However, his expertise extends beyond just designing a raised garden bed or installing one because he is a farmer by profession. So, a lot of his publications discuss DIY farming that anyone can do.
