Raised Bed Gardening

Raised Bed Gardening was a popular concept before colonial era and is making a comeback among vegetable growers at home. Parts of the world where the population pressure on the land is high and where the land cannot be tilled easily raised bed gardening is followed.

The major advantage of applying raised bed gardening is that the soil raised above ground level warms up quickly during the spring season and helps in advancing the plantation dates. High quality soil is used in these beds which increases the yield and improves drainage.

Now lets understand the concept of raised beds. "Raised" means that the level of the soil is higher than the surrounding soil level. "Bed" refers to the small area in which gardening is done. Generally a bed is not wider than 4 feet but lengths can be changed according to the gardener's requirements.

Advantages Of Raised Bed Gardening

The main reason for applying raised bed gardening is that it increases the amount of production per square foot of garden as no spaces are required to be maintained among the rows and hence It increases the area under cultivation.

Improved Soil Conditions

Raised Bed Gardening takes care of soil compaction which can reduce crop yields up to 50 percent. Soil conditions improve as soil erosion cannot take place easily in Raised beds.

Ease Of Working

The gardener can timely plant and harvest his crops. A raised bed allows a person to walk around without worrying about the muddy conditions.

Water Conservation

As the raised beds are narrow in size it helps in conserving the water. Several watering systems are available which ensures that water only reaches the places where it is required. For e.g. Soaker hoses, perforated plastic sprinkle hoses can be used

Ease Of Pest Control

Pest control is easier in raised beds. Rodents can be tackled by lining the bottom of the bed with hardware cloth or poultry wire. Weeds can be controlled economically with the help of plastic mulch. Since the beds are narrow it becomes practical to use bird net to control the bird menace.

Steps To Prepare Raised Beds

• Firstly a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic material must be spread over the soil surface. A cubic yard generally covers 162 square feet 2 inches deep, so 6 to 7 cubic yards per 1,000 square feet is needed. Use a mixture that contains manure, so as to supply nitrogen as nitrogen breaks down the organic matter.


• Secondly Rototill the soil to a depth of about 6 inches so as to mix the organic matter easily into it. Use a tiller to get uniform results.


• Thirdly a shovel and rake must be used to shape the beds. Then add the excavated soil to the top of the bed.. Once the bed is shaped, traffic must be kept in the paths and planting beds must not be compacted. Sawdust or Bark must be added to the paths to avoid problems with mud.