Regardless of the design, there are many advantages to raised bed gardening:
Raised beds can be highly productive, as most gardeners tend to plant their vegetables closer in raised beds. Properly designed, there's no need for paths between rows of vegetables, as all of the plants can be reached from outside the bed.
The soil in raised beds warms up more quickly in the spring, so most raised bed gardeners can plant a little sooner than those who garden on a more traditional plot.
The soil in raised beds won't become as compacted as soil in a traditional garden, because there's no need to walk on it.
You have greater control over the quality of the soil in a raised bed. If your soil is heavy clay or very sandy, building a raised bed enables you to create a garden environment with rich, loamy soil... which you can purchase or create with the use of lots of compost.
Garden maintenance is much easier in raised beds. Intensive planting and good mulching will significantly reduce weed growth. And, since everything is easily within reach, raised beds are easier to weed and spray as necessary.
Raised beds can be very attractive and can provide a neat and clean border between your lawn and your vegetable garden.
The only disadvantage to raised bed gardening is that there is a small up front investment of time and money; but, the investment will quickly pay huge dividends.
Raised beds can be highly productive, as most gardeners tend to plant their vegetables closer in raised beds. Properly designed, there's no need for paths between rows of vegetables, as all of the plants can be reached from outside the bed.
The soil in raised beds warms up more quickly in the spring, so most raised bed gardeners can plant a little sooner than those who garden on a more traditional plot.
The soil in raised beds won't become as compacted as soil in a traditional garden, because there's no need to walk on it.
You have greater control over the quality of the soil in a raised bed. If your soil is heavy clay or very sandy, building a raised bed enables you to create a garden environment with rich, loamy soil... which you can purchase or create with the use of lots of compost.
Garden maintenance is much easier in raised beds. Intensive planting and good mulching will significantly reduce weed growth. And, since everything is easily within reach, raised beds are easier to weed and spray as necessary.
Raised beds can be very attractive and can provide a neat and clean border between your lawn and your vegetable garden.
The only disadvantage to raised bed gardening is that there is a small up front investment of time and money; but, the investment will quickly pay huge dividends.
