Raised bed gardening has real advantages over gardening at ground level. It saves stress on the back and provides access to gardeners with disabilities, offers a quick fix for poor soils and good drainage, and is easier to maintain and repel pests.
On the other trowel, raised beds can be expensive to build and fill with soil, require labor to build, and are not easily relocated.
Raised beds can be built with new materials such as pressure-treated lumber, concrete blocks or recycled products, like railroad ties or broken sidewalk pieces.
Whatever the material, raised beds should be at least 10 to 12 inches high. Width dimensions, 4 to 5 feet wide at maximum to allow a reach to the center from either side. The length depends on available space.
To reduce the cost of soil, fill the bottom of the beds with branches and logs. These will not only provide bulk, but will hold moisture and break down over time, adding to the nutrient mix.
Raised beds give gardeners a jump on the season because soil imported into the beds is usually fast-draining with lots of sand and organic matter. If your the beds are small, purchase some good quality potting soil labeled for use in raised beds. For larger projects, contact local nurseries for bulk soil orders.
Filling beds with topsoil, then adding a few inches of compost will give the garden a good start. And because the raised beds are not likely to be walked on and packed down, the soil will stay light and fluffy.
As the sun shines on the sides of your beds, it warms the soil much faster than soil in the ground. The warmer the soil, the sooner planting can begin.
Regardless of whether bagged or bulk soil is used, add additional fertilizer to provide the needed nutrients for optimal growth. A complete organic fertilizer labeled for veggies is the easiest way to go, but raised bed soils be supplemented with some lime and trace elements. Also, a healthy dose of worm castings adds to the microbial content of the soil.
Once you've the soil is ready, it's time to plant.