I hesitated about trying to have a vegetable garden this year,
raised or otherwise. The only full sun I have access to is in an area facing the
sidewalk, within sight and easy grasp of opportunistic passersby with sticky
fingers. Also, I never appreciated the value of raised bed gardening until my
wife forced me to read up on it. Thus far, the vegetables have been coming up
wonderfully and the neighbors have stayed on the level.
Raised bed gardening involves using rich, prepared soil, raised
to a preferred level of 6 to 8 inches or higher. The soil is held in place by a
border or frame, which can be temporary or permanent. The width and length are
kept small and manageable so that the gardener can reach all areas from outside
the bed. That feature along with the raised height of the bed, which makes less
bending necessary, allows for easier maintenance, especially for older or
handicapped gardeners. The crop yield for the amount land used is greater than
that of traditional gardening since no space need be allotted for walking
between rows. This is perhaps the key advantage of raised bed, container, and
other forms of "intensive gardening."
The border helps keep the loose, good-quality soil from
dispersing into other areas of the garden. The soil in the bed is a few degrees
warmer than that of surrounding areas, allowing for a longer growing season.
There are short and easy guides to starting a raised bed that can be found
online. The one I have selected includes
suggestions on
succession planting along with information on companion vegetables and
herbs.
I made a few mistakes with my "prototype" raised bed. I had
packed in the seedlings too closely, not anticipating how well and how big
everything would grow. Now there are tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers competing
for space or falling out of bed. I also have trouble getting at the weeds, of
which there are many in this fertile environment.
I had thrown the border together using 2 x 4's and some screws,
making what appears as an out of place door frame. It has a certain "no frills"
look about it, and I'm not sure how long the common pine will survive in the
elements. But it was very inexpensive and enough to sell me on the idea of
raised bed gardening.
I don't use treated wood anywhere in the garden. Whether the
chemicals stay in the wood or leach into the soil, I don't feel comfortable
having such materials around, most especially when dealing with vegetables, and
edible herbs and flowers.
Some people use large bricks and other pieces of masonry, even rocks for the
border. Frames and other
garden accessories made from recycled plastic are also available online.
When practical, and I have the time and energy, I like making things myself.
Next year I'm going to try building with cedar, which is naturally rot
resistant, besides smelling great. But I have nothing against using kits either.
There are
cedar
frame kits available online at a
number of sites.
Because I opted for a raised bed garden I anticipate quite a
harvest this fall; probably more than I can use.
Hey, neighbor. Want to pick a pepper?
