Why should I use a raised garden bed?

You can create optimal soil from scratch in a raised bed. The soil will drain better, and be uncompacted because it’s never stepped on. It also avoids contaminated soil.

Instead of tilling the soil from year to year, you can maintain it by simply adding materials on top. Compost, mulch and manure can be worked directly on top, while worms and roots will till the soil as they push through.

The higher garden bed means the soil dries out faster and warms more quickly in spring, allowing for a long growing season. The most popular depth for a raised bed is 28 centimetres.

Raised beds work well for small vegetable crops and flowers, and you can fill the space with more plants as you don’t need to leave space between rows. It’s easier to tend your plants in raised beds, as they are elevated above the ground and therefore require less bending over.

The height of the beds slows down critters from getting into your plants. It also eliminates the spread of grass.

Raised beds give structure to your garden, and pathways in between make them easier to maintain. They can also be temporary and removable, especially if you live in a rental.

This is an edited extract from Urban Homesteads: How to Live a More Sustainable Lifestyle by Rebecca Gross, The Images Publishing Group, available on Amazon.