The Beauty and Benefits of Raised Beds
As the cost of lumber continues to increase, I get more and more questions about whether raised beds are necessary for a healthy and productive kitchen garden. The extra expense – the bed materials and then all that soil to fill each one – of a raised bed versus in-ground gardens might seem like, well, a waste. I get it. But after trying unsuccessfully to garden in the ground, I converted to growing most of my edible plants in raised beds and using raised beds in all of my kitchen garden designs for clients. And let me tell you, unless you’re blessed with the perfect soil for growing fruits and vegetables (is anyone?), you’ll find that raised beds will drastically increase your productivity and overall success in the kitchen garden too.
Before setting up your own raised beds, it’s important to consider the purpose of gardening in a raised bed, the ideal size of the structure based on your space, and the best materials to use to build your raised bed. Let’s look first at the reasons I consider raised beds the most important element of any kitchen garden.
Reasons to Love Raised Beds
Raised beds can increase the productivity and appearance of your kitchen garden space. After working with hundreds of clients to design and install kitchen gardens, I’ve narrowed the long list of things to consider when choosing a site for your raised-bed kitchen garden to four key aspects:
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Sunlight Exposure: Your garden will need to receive six or more direct sunlight hours per day. Really though, you’re aiming for as much sun as possible. Ideally, you’ll position your garden on the south side of any tall structures such as homes, garages, tall sheds, and fences. This is especially important during the winter months when the sun is lower on the horizon for those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere.
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Water Proximity: Place your garden, when possible, near a spigot, a rain barrel, or a location where it can be connected to an irrigation system. Plants love the deep and consistent water that drip irrigation can supply.
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Convenience: Your raised beds should ideally be located as close to the kitchen as possible – or at least as close to your everyday activities as possible. Look for sunny locations near a back door, front door, or even next to your driveway so that you can pop outside with scissors to snip some herbs for dinner or some lettuce leaves for lunch.
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Landscape Integration: Your garden should feel like an extension of the home, something that’s always been there. Position your garden near prominent structures or line it up with existing elements of your home or yard. Look for spots where you could add beds along already-established lines such as a side yard, a fence, a driveway, a deck, a patio, or a pool.
Determining Raised Bed Size
There are three general parameters for raised bed size: the height, the width, and the length. The very first raised bed my family ever put together was only four inches tall, and that height just didn’t work for the type of plants we wanted to grow. A raised bed should be tall enough to accommodate the full root ball of whatever plants you’re growing. The minimum raised beds height I ever recommend is six inches, and then there’s no reason to go over two feet unless you have a specific reason such as a mobility issue.
The minimum width I’d recommend for a raised bed is 18 inches. Anything less across just doesn’t afford you the full benefits of growing in a raised bed – there wouldn’t even be room to plant more than one or two plants across your bed, especially not if they need to spread out. The maximum width you would want for a raised bed is about four feet wide, and that would only be for beds that you’re able to access from all four sides. Anything beyond four and a half to five feet typically makes plants in the middle of the bed too difficult to reach unless you have very long arms.
The length of your raised bed will be determined by the space you have available and the materials you’d like to use to build your bed. If you’re using wood to construct your raised beds, eight-foot-long boards are generally the most economic option. That’s why many of the raised beds you’ll see in our designs just happen to be eight feet in length. In my experience, the best length for a bed maxes out around 10 to 12 feet long. I’ve installed beds as long as 25 feet, but we encountered issues with holding the bed structure together as the soil was added.
Choosing the Right Materials
When choosing materials for your raised beds, we prioritize those that are natural, beautiful, durable, sustainable, and also affordable. My favorite wood to use is cedar, which is an incredibly durable timber that will perform well for years to come. Whichever wood you’re using, make sure to avoid boards treated with chemicals that could then leach into your soil and therefore into the food you’re going to eat.
Another great option is steel, which will quite literally last a lifetime. My favorite types of steel to use in garden designs are Corten steel, thanks to its weathered look, and powder-coated metal, which has a very sleek, modern feel. Corten steel and powder-coated metal provide major benefits like durability and longevity, but they can be more expensive upfront.
If your budget allows, nothing beats stone for longevity when it comes to garden materials. Stone is also food-safe and can often be locally sourced. Of course, stone is definitely an investment and might not fit all raised bed budgets.
Filling Your Raised Beds
Once your garden is fully constructed and installed, it’s time to fill your raised bed with the best possible soil to keep your kitchen garden plants happy and healthy. The main measurement you’ll need to calculate for your raised beds is the cubic feet of your garden. To calculate cubic feet, you need to first determine the square feet of your garden – this is simply the length times the width of your garden bed. Then to get the total cubic feet of each raised bed, simply multiply the square feet of your garden’s footprint by the height of your raised bed garden.
For the soil itself, I recommend using a sandy loam garden soil that’s organic, natural, and doesn’t include any peat moss products. If you want more help on how to create the perfect soil blend, how to keep your soil healthy, and how to blend a variety of natural soil ingredients, check out my book Kitchen Garden Revival or join our Kitchen Garden Academy online course.
The Joy of Raised Bed Gardening
Going from an in-ground garden to a raised bed is like the difference between night and day. That’s what I’ve found, that’s what all of my Rooted Garden clients have said, and that’s even what my mother confessed to me after she gardened in-ground for years. We gave her a raised bed kitchen garden for Mother’s Day a couple years ago, and she’s been singing its praise ever since.
If you’re feeling stuck or intimidated over creating your own raised bed kitchen garden, you’re not alone. A1 Landscape Construction exists to give beginner gardeners a place where they can find all the resources they need to keep on growing. Discover how the garden can be part of every day of your new year, no matter where you live. I’m confident that you’re going to love having raised beds if you choose to install them in your outdoor space, and we’ve got tons of resources to help you build your own gardening haven and start growing.
