Plants all have specific needs. If they are not taken care of, they do not grow well. Sometimes plants even die because of this, which means you must start over.
One of the biggest problems is the soil condition. If the plant does not like the soil it is in, then it cannot grow. Sometimes, it can not grow at all.
This is one big reason a raised garden bed is nice to have. It allows you to create your own plant environment wherever you would like. Since the bed is raised from the ground, you can put whatever soil you would like in it.
What is a Raised Garden Bed?
A raised garden bed is an area where the soil is raised above the ground. It is usually done in rectangular or square shapes, but some people use other shapes. There is usually a frame built around the bed that is made of strong materials such as rock, concrete, or wood.
In a normal garden, plants have a lot of space between them. They are closer together in a raised garden bed. They are so close that their leaves can even touch each other when they become large.
When they are so close, it helps to keep the soil underneath them moist. It also helps to keep harmful weeds from growing between them.
Since the bed is raised and in its own box, you can use whatever soil you want to fill up the bed. It does not matter what kind of soil is around and under the box.
Where to Put your Raised Garden Bed?
You must also remember to make sure the box is built somewhere where the plants can get all the sun they need to grow. Try to find a place that can give the plants anywhere between six and eight hours of sunlight every day.
Many people choose to put the bed in their backyards, but you don’t have to. The bed can be placed along your front yard, or even along the sides. What is important is that there is enough space for the bed and that the sun can reach it long enough.
There may be grass in the area that you want to place your bed. Grass is hard to remove when it is healthy. It is also harmful to your plants and can even kill them so you must get rid of it.
Getting rid of the grass is not as hard as you may think, but it does take some time. So, you need to plan for your bed long before you get it set up.
To get rid of the grass in your bed area, draw a boundary around the area you want to use for your bed. Once you have done that, get some cardboard and cover the whole area you drew the line around.
It may take several weeks, but covering the grass breaks it down. Once that happens you can easily remove it.
How Deep Should Raised Garden Beds Be?
Choosing your spot is important and so is ensuring the bed’s measurements are acceptable. You don’t want to make your bed too wide because you then cannot reach the middle of it without stepping into it. That is a bit messy and can also be unhealthy for your plants.
Once your bed can fit in the space you chose, the length should be fine. You should also make sure all your plants can fit in it.
Your bed needs to be deep enough to allow your plants to grow well. The roots of a plant need to be deep in the soil and they need to have space to spread.
They feed through their roots. The roots of a plant continuously grow for a while and there needs to be enough soil for this.
You should never have less than six inches of soil as many plant roots do not grow more than that. There are some plants that have roots that can grow up to 12 inches. If you do not know how much the roots of your plants grow, you should make it 12 inches deep.
Hopefully, you learned a lot about raised garden beds and you are ready to make your own.
I think the author is allowing for only one seasons growth in general and is also assuming the plants will be uprooted after first frost, then replanted the following spring.
12″? I read that some vegetables grow roots as deep as 24″ – 36.” Now I’m confused.
I think the author is allowing for only one seasons growth in general and is also assuming the plants will be uprooted after first frost, then replanted the following spring.