Raised Beds are now the Traditional Way to Garden

Each year, more gardeners are transitioning to raised beds and for good reason.

Photo from Your Life Today Magazine

Maintenance is at the top of the list. Since the garden is constrained to an enclosed area, usually 4 feet by 4 or 6 feet, it is easier to keep ahead of the weeds without the use of chemicals. And it is out of the reach of creeping Bermuda grass!  The beds can be any depth from one to four or more feet, making it easy to sit on the edge and pull weeds (a welcome relieve from bending or kneeling) They can also be built to accommodate gardening from a wheel chair.

The soil drains much better in a raised bed allowing earlier planting and preventing water pooling from spring rains. Since a raised bed dries quicker, special attention should be given to watering during the dry months.

Photo from the garden or Master Gardener Chris Jannne

Raised beds easily lend themselves to hoop houses made with plastic and PVC pipes, extending the growing season for several months. An easy method for creating a hoop house can be found on the Grow Organic website.

Raised beds can be made from a huge variety of materials, wood, brick, stone, plastic, repurposed barrels, or just about anything that can hold soil and provide drainage. When using repurposed materials one should take care that its previous use was not for a toxic substance.

Because they can be built to almost any specification, raised beds are a garden designer’s dream. Whether it is on a patio, terraced on a slope or any a formal garden, raised beds can not only be functional but attractive.

Local gardener, Phyllis Robertson, will share her experiences with raised bed gardening at the  McCracken County Master Gardener Toolbox on March 3. The presentation will be at 5:00 p.m. at the McCcracken County Extension Office, 2705 Olivet Church Road in Paducah.There will be no charge and no advance registration is required.

An in-depth article on raised bed gardening can be found on the The University of Missouri website.