Last modified on November 7th, 2021 at 3:18 pm

Why You Need to Consider Building a Raised Garden Bed in Your Yard

Whether it’s a flower garden, an herb garden, or a garden full of fruits and vegetables, there are a number of different ways to build a garden. 

Whether you have admired gardens from a distance, tended one, or are just about to start one, why not consider building a RAISED GARDEN BED.

Unlike a traditional garden that’s built at ground level, these gardens are made above ground, to a desired length and height by stacking soil and using an enclosed frame. The materials used vary,  from wood to plastic or even concrete.

Done well in neat geometric patterns, when grown, the leaves should be close together to create a microclimate within the beds and retain moisture, not to mention prevent weeds.

Benefits of a Raised Garden Bed

So, whether you are looking to add life to your balcony, driveway, backyard, front lawn, or existing garden, a raised garden bed is a great idea you should try out.

Besides the untold beauty, you will be happy to know that there are far many more benefits that come with this form of gardening.

No Need to Dig Up!

Do you love gardens but not the idea of tilling? When we think gardening, the toil of digging comes to mind —how exhausting!

Fortunately for raised garden beds, you will not have to till as you build your charming bed by adding your own soil. This requires far much less effort as opposed to traditional gardens.

It is even more beautiful because you can add the type of soil that works for your plants. This is good as it puts you in direct control of the quality of soil and other material that you add to stack up the bed.

Breath of Life

Just as humans need to breathe, the soil too needs to breathe. Raised garden beds provide room because there is less compaction.

Soil contains air pockets that hold nitrogen. In the presence of proper aeration, it’s converted into essential nutrients for plants. Good aeration also promotes the life of essential bacteria that encourage the growth of your plants

Environmental Control

We are hardly in control of environmental factors such as rain or strong winds. The joy of raised bed gardening is that the control is in your hands.

Soil drainage is critical because, in the event of heavy rains or surface runoffs, the macro and micropores of the soil fill up, causing waterlogging.

Waterlogged soil is not suitable for plant life. It increases the soil ph, causing an acidic state that may, in turn, affect the quality of your yields.

A lot of accumulated moisture is also a hotbed of plant diseases and may compromise the quality of life in your garden.

But with raised garden beds, this will be of no worry because the raised state is less prone to surface runoff and flooding.

Strong winds can also be harmful to your garden. This is because they strip off moisture from plants. Some winds are even strong enough to break plant leaves or delicate stems.

But with raised garden beds, you can easily protect the plants using cover materials anchored at the frame edges.

Reduced Compaction

Raised garden beds offer a compaction-free environment for your garden. The first culprit of compaction is human and larger animal movements.

When soil is trampled on constantly, compaction is inevitable. Heavy soil particles settle down, filling up the air spaces in the soil.

Flooding can also cause compaction because the wet soil sits on the other soil filling up all the air spaces. When evaporation occurs, the soil hardens and becomes compact and undesirable.

Freedom for Roots to Grow

Raised garden beds offer the roots the much-desired freedom to spread in multiple directions. As opposed to tilling the ground where roots are limited to the depth of the tilled area, raised beds allow roots to venture in a bid to search for nutrients.

An excellent root system translates to excellent nutrient uptake, and this gives you a stunning garden.

Seasonal Flexibility

The seasons are beautiful; they are also here to stay. There’s a lot to love about each season, and as we do, we love for our gardens to add life to these moments. Raised beds allow you to enjoy extended seasons.

For instance, raised beds thaw faster in winter. This is because the soil warms up more quickly than ground soil. This way, you get a head start, and you can plant early in the season.

For the very cold environments, there’s barely time for ripening of fruits; cold frames for your raised beds come in handy, providing warmth and allowing you to extend your harvest into the cold season.

For your intense heat environments, gardening is limited by the heat and raised humidity. Raised bed gardening provides for shade netting through the use of wire hoops, thus protecting your plants from intense sun and allowing for retention of moisture content.

Pest and Weed Control

Raised beds are off the ground where most pests crawl easily. With the excellent visuals and the convenient reach of the raised beds, you can handpick the pests or even use pesticides better. Physical accessibility only makes it more convenient and efficient.

Weeds are kept at bay and can also be hand-plucked from the raised beds.

Good for Your Back and Knees

You do not have to worry about your back and knees; the height of raised beds allows for comfortable reach. You can stack up the beds to get your desired level of reach. Some have benches that give you a suitable place to sit. Whether you use a wheelchair or walker, the raised beds don’t limit your love for gardening, even with mobility issues.

Mobile Beds

Planning to move at some point? Everybody loves the thrill of a new town. You don’t have to postpone your gardening plans! Many raised beds are portable, and you can move with them. So, when that time comes, just put your mobile bed in the back of that moving truck and hit the road!

That’s it! As you can see, building that raised garden bed in your home has a lot more to offer you than the aesthetic appeal! Do it right and see yourself living the healthy way!