Why garden in raised beds? Because there are so many benefits!
- You don’t need a large patch of fertile land and no sod removal needed.
- Better control of your soil composition, health and fertility.
- Better drainage during prolonged periods of rainy weather.
- No root rot issues and less fungal diseases affecting the roots.
- Easier to weed (soil not compacted).
- Raised gardens can be built to suit any height needed.
- Raised gardens make it easy to adapt the square foot gardening method because it eliminates single-row gardening (waste of space).
- Soil warms up more quickly, can plant earlier (no more waiting until “the soil is workable”.
- Easy to add cold frames, row covers, bird netting, trellises.
- Less work, no turning of the soil needed and reduces the amount of bending.
- You can have different types of soil for different beds.
- You can take advantage of vertical gardening. Climbing peas, beans and
cucumbers.
- No more damage from burrowing animals like moles and voles.
- No compaction of soil because there’s no foot traffic = healthier roots.
- No muddy shoes!
- Less competition for nutrients and water from tree roots.
Raised beds are aesthetically pleasing!
By Sue Lavallee
