Grow more in less space with raised garden beds

Start with the four big decisions

Most raised bed problems trace back to one of four choices made on day one. Get these right and the bed will need little more than fresh compost each season.

• Material: galvanized metal, cedar or fabric, and how long each lasts.
• Depth: what different crops need below the surface.
• Soil: why bagged topsoil alone is not enough, and a mix that works.
• Planting: which crops reward the extra effort, and how to space them.

Why raised beds work

Soil in a raised bed sits above the surrounding ground, so it drains freely and warms faster in spring sun. Because you plant and weed from the edges, the soil never gets compacted by foot traffic, which leaves room for roots, air and water. A defined edge also keeps lawn grass from creeping in and makes it easier to cover the bed with netting or row cover when birds or frost threaten.

For anyone with heavy clay, rocky ground or a bad back, a bed that brings the soil up to a comfortable working height can be the difference between a garden you keep up with and one you abandon by midsummer.

Where to put your first bed

Pick the spot that gets at least six to eight hours of direct sun, sits close to a hose, and is easy to see from the house. A bed you walk past every day gets watered and harvested on time. Keep beds no wider than about four feet so you can reach the middle from either side without stepping in, and leave paths wide enough for a wheelbarrow between them.

Buying instead of building

If you would rather not cut and fasten lumber, a kit gets you growing the same weekend. Metal kits in particular are light to carry before they are filled and do not rot. Thrive Garden's galvanized metal raised beds are one option in this style.