What does raised bed gardening of vegetables mean? And why would you use this form of gardening? In case you have already seen pictures of raised bed farming, then you would have thought that they resemble large planters which allow the growing of various plants away from the actual ground. Most often they happen to be man made. And it is true, you too can create some of your own with just a little help using wood and planning. This type of gardening has many advantages also.

The Benefits

This form of gardening is beneficial to both the plants you plan to grow and you. One example of how it makes your life easier is that when you grow plants at a raised level then it means you don’t have to bend and crawl all over the garden while doing you’re weeding. It is easier while on knees believe me! This also is a boon for the elderly people who have to otherwise bend and crawl on the garden and it is nearly impossible for them.

Yet another benefit in raised bed farming is that it allows excellent drainage and the plants grow well. There is also the availability of plenty of sunlight. Soil erosion during the rains is a major problem, but only till you adopt raised bed planting. This way all the necessary minerals and nutrients stay in the soil and contribute towards the healthy growth of plants. It also helps to place timbers around this spot of the garden. Because if the water does not drain then it is extremely dangerous for the plants planted there. In raised bed farming the advantage is that this never happens as they are above the ground and water is able to pass with ease. The water retention is perfectly managed and controlled this way.

How to Create One

If a raised bed garden is what you want in your house or gardening area then it is quite a simple process that you have to follow. First create a perimeter surrounding around the area of plantation or where you intend to build the raised bed garden. Normally wood and certain other materials are employed to do this. Place a huge layer of sand at the bottom of the bed to helping drainage of water. The bed can be made short or tall as you like and the depth and the width can remain the same. Pile it up with top soil or clean dirt that contains all the necessary nutrients required to help the growth of plants.

This form of gardening I would say is the ideal way of gardening. Though it takes some time to set up. After the work is done, it becomes extremely easy to maintain the garden.

The environmental requirements for growing vegetables are quite simple. The best vegetable gardens are grown in sunny locations where the soil is moist and nutritious.

In order to maximize the productivity of your garden plot you should first consider which vegetables your family enjoys most. It is senseless to waste valuable garden space on vegetables that no one is going to eat. Plan the planting order of your vegetable garden.

Start with a sketch showing approximately where you want to locate each vegetable crop.Increase your gardens' production potential by planting cool-crop vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage early in the spring. Use these early vegetables when they are mature and then re-plant the same spot with warm-weather, short-season crops such as lettuce and radish. Leave only enough space for development between low-growing vegetables such as radish, lettuce, and onion. Space can also be conserved by growing trailing vegetables such as cucumbers on trellises or other supports. Plant newly developed, dwarf vegetable varieties that require less space to grow than their larger, traditional counterparts. If ground space for a garden plot is not available vegetables can be grown in containers. Vegetables can also be effectively grown in combination with annuals. Be sure to organize the garden so that tall growing vegetables do not shade low growing vegetables.

Planting Vegetables

Soil Preparation

Spade or rototill the garden soil deeply to break the soil into small clods. Add 454g. (1 lb) of granular all purpose fertilizer per 30sq. m. (37.5 sq. yd.) and turn the soil again. Rake the soil smooth and your garden is ready for planting. Improve the texture of heavy, clay-loam soils with additions of peat moss, compost, vermiculite, perlite, or sand. Do not work garden soil when it is wet.

Pre-Planting Care

Due to the short length of our growing season many vegetables are available as bedding-out plants. Vegetable bedding-out plants that can not be planted the same day they are purchased should be watered and stored in a shady location to prevent excessive wilting.

Planting Vegetables from Seed or Bedding-out Plants

Sow vegetable seeds in moist soil, just dry enough to be workable. Vegetable seeds are generally sown three times as deep as their diameter. Cover the seeds with fine soil, compost, vermiculite, or sand. Gently remove vegetable bedding-out plants from their packs or flats. Plant them in moist soil deep enough to bury the root ball and a portion of the lower stem. Plant vegetables started in peat pots or expandable peat pellets in the same way. In these cases also bury the peat pot or pellet. When planting vegetable bedding-out plants be sure to leave adequate room for development.

Watering

After sowing your vegetable seeds keep the garden soil consistently moist until the vegetable seedlings are established. Water freshly planted vegetable bedding-out plants thoroughly to give them a good start; use a starter fertilizer to establish a healthy root system. Thereafter, water your garden whenever the top 2.5-5 cm (1-2 in) of soil dries out. It is best to water early in the day. Keep plant foliage as dry as possible by watering at the soil level. Water droplets that remain on plant foliage overnight encourage the development of plant diseases. Do not rely on rain to water your vegetable garden sufficiently. It is important to observe the condition of your garden often to ensure continued growth and productivity.

Post-Planting Care

Keep your garden healthy by removing weeds as soon as they appear. Weeding is easier when garden soil is moistened before you weed. This makes the soil looser and more workable. Remove the weeds between the rows by scraping a flat-bladed hoe over the top few centimeters of soil. Pull weeds from within the rows out by hand. This reduces the chance of disturbing vegetable roots and prevents weeds from competing with them.