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Best Plants For Raised Bed Gardens

Introduction to Best Plants for Raised Bed Gardens: What is Raised bed garden? It is a form of gardening using raised beds. Raised beds are usually made of wood, concrete, or rock containment units (beds) and can be of any length or shape. In raised bed garden the soil is enclosed in 3 to 4 feet (1.0 to 1.2 meters) wide. The soil around the tree is raised approximately 6 inches to waist-high and enriched with compost. As a result, plants are geometrically much closer together than in conventional row gardening. By spacing the vegetables properly, the leaves barely touch one another. By suppressing weeds and retaining moisture, it creates a microclimate.

A guide to grow the Best Plants for Raised Bed Gardens (Vegetables/Fruits)

Raised Bed Tomatoes
Raised Bed Tomatoes (Pic credit: pixabay)

Best Vegetables to Grow in Raised Beds: Vegetables that can be planted in raised beds include root crops, such as Carrots And Beets, Beans, Peas, Corn, Cucumbers, Onions, Tomato, Potato, Radishes, and Spinach.

Selecting a location for Raised Bed Garden

What can be grown in your raised bed will depend on its location. Think about how much sun will reach the bed and plant accordingly. Many plants can be grown in the sun and the shade, though areas of deep shade will limit your options. Raised bed fences and walls may be in rain shadows and require more watering. As you plan your raised bed garden, it’s essential to consider where you will place it. Growing large fruits and vegetables in raised beds requires direct sunlight that shines on the soil every day. Make sure beds get at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day by placing them in a sunny spot.

Best Materials Used for Raised Bed Garden                 

Some of the best materials used for raised bed gardens are wood lumber, including hardwood or softwood options, poured concrete, bricks, cinder blocks, or concrete blocks, corrugated steel, or galvanized steel tubes. Some other materials are straw bales, Wine barrels, cobblestones, large natural stones, or stacked rock walls.

Optimum Size for Raised Beds

Raised bed gardens are best kept to a maximum of 4 feet or 1.2 meters wide. When weeding or harvesting your raised bed plants, avoid stepping on the soil by maintaining a 1.2 m wide. Developing vegetables on scaffold boards should have enough depth, but shrubs, perennials, and bulbs need more depth. Vegetables and Herbs only need a soil depth of 8″ (which is the same height as cement blocks). Raised beds don’t have to be square or rectangular – they can be L-shaped or curved as well.

Essential Garden Tools Used For Raised Bed Garden

Some essential garden tools used for raised bed garden are Gloves, Pruning Shears, Loppers, Garden Fork, Hand Trowel, Spade, Rake, Hoe, Garden Hose with Adjustable Nozzle, Watering Wand, Watering Can, Wheelbarrow, Hand saw, and Tape Measure, etc.

The Best Soil for Raised Bed Garden

Raised Bed Soil is formulated as a separate soil mix in a raised bed of native soil or enclosed in a container. Raised Bed Soil provides the perfect setting to determine the soil’s quality. The pH level is already between 5.8 and 7.5, which is optimal for growing large fruits and vegetables.

Soil mixture for raised bed garden – To fill more than one raised bed, you may need to buy your soil in bulk by the cubic foot or cubic yard. Use Soil Calculator to estimate the total amount of soil you’ll need for each bed. For most situations, we recommend the following ratios;

  • 60% topsoil         
  • 30% compost
  • 10% Potting soil

Planting Process in Raised Bed Garden

In case if you miss this: Greenhouse Gardening For Beginners.

Raised Bed Garden
Raised Bed Garden (Pic source: pixabay)

When you plant raised bed gardens, you need to consider the spread and height of the plants to space them optimally, and you can allow plants that spread to overflow the sides of the bed. You can also plant plants vertically in your beds by placing support trellises or obelisks. You might also consider how the growth habits of the plants in a raised bed garden might affect neighboring plants.

Tall vegetable plants can overshadow small ones, so plant trellis and high-reaching varieties such as Squash, Corn, Beans, and Okra in the back of the garden center, where other fruits and vegetables can still receive sunlight. In addition, when harvest time comes, you won’t need to reach through taller crops to harvest your crop.

Overall, you can place plants together to be productive every square inch of the raised bed, and this is especially true when you utilize vertical gardening and overflow techniques. Additionally, small-space gardening techniques such as succession planting, square foot gardening, and vertical gardening make efficient use of available space.

Watering Requirement for Raised Bed Gardens

Watering raised beds is more important than watering your garden’s soil since raised beds may dry out faster. However, if you want a low-maintenance option, you can install a drip irrigation system.

Plants growing in raised bed gardens require more water when it is dry, windy, or in the summer heat. During the summer season, raised-bed gardens often need watering every day. Other times of the year, the raised beds can only need to be watered 1 to 2 times per week. And, adjust the frequency of the timer for seasonal conditions.

Vegetables to Grow in Your Own Raised Beds

Fall-spring (October -April) – summer vegetables like Beans, Tomatoes, Carrots, Cucumbers, Herbs, Beets, Peppers, Squash, Leafy Vegetables, Sweet Potatoes, and Sweet Peas. Fruits of Cherry and Grape tomatoes are easy to grow and last through the entire season.

Summer or year-round – Okra, Eggplant, Southern Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Turnip Greens, Calabasa, Chayote, and Ginger.

The list of vegetables that can be grown in raised beds are;

Carrots: Carrots are easy to plant, simple to grow, and do well in a raised bed. Soil that drains well in raised beds gives them a lot of growing space, especially for root vegetables such as carrots. Different varieties require different growing conditions, but you can produce around 18 to 20 carrots in a square foot of space. Carrot seeds are tiny and only need to be planted about one-fourth of an inch deep. Gently water the carrots, being careful not to wash the tiny seeds away. You might need to place twice as many seeds as you hope to grow in your space. As your carrots grow, you should thin them, so they have enough room to grow. You can succession sow carrots all season long for a continuous harvest.

Radishes: Radishes are one of the fastest-growing veggies, making them ideal for growing in raised beds. Radish seeds can plant alongside larger plants. The radishes are ready to harvest in 35 to 60 days, well before your larger plants reach maturity. You can squeeze radishes in almost any place with a bit of opening or free space. Dig a tiny trench where you want your radishes to grow, and then gently sprinkle the seeds in. Cover them with soil lighter than the soil around them, and water carefully. Radish seeds are easily washed away by rainfall. If you plant your seeds thickly, thin them a little.

Onions: There are three reasons onions are an excellent vegetable to grow in raised beds. They love soil that drains quickly, they need plenty of organic matter, and they need a long growing season. By nature, the soil in raised beds conforms to your needs, so if you know you will plant onions in the bed, you can be sure to incorporate plenty of compost. Onions grown from seeds can take up to 100 days to reach their full size. If you live anywhere with four seasons, make sure these babies get the most time in the garden you can manage. Raised bed soil warms up much more quickly than the ground, so you can plant earlier, giving your onions a head start.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are heavy feeders that need fertile soil to grow well. With a raised bed, you can easily adjust your soil, adding extra compost as you fill the beds. The only problem with growing tomatoes in raised beds is that it is more difficult for tomato cages and stakes to hold up in loose soil.

Potatoes: Potatoes not only grow well in raised beds, but they are also much easier to harvest this way. These plants gain strength from hillsides of soil around the shoots as they grow. In a raised bed, it’s easy to contain your hills and even create a bed that grows with your plants. Potatoes need loamy, loose soil that is draining. They grow best when they can quickly spread out in the soil, and this loose soil keeps them from rot. In a raised bed, you have the advantage of complete control of the soil. Potato crops grown in raised beds tend to be more productive and produce bigger tubers. Below are just some of the crops that can be grown in a raised bed.

Kale: Kale needs to place about a square foot of space per plant. Kale also prefers cool weather, so you might want to plant it where it will get some shade in the afternoon. In this case, if you have tomato plants in a raised bed, you can place the kale where the tomato plants produce it from the afternoon sun.

Cucumbers: Cucumbers are available in bush and vine varieties. Both can be grown in raised beds, though if you have a small bed and want to grow vining cucumbers, you may want to use a trellis. Train cucumbers will grow right up the trellis, making the fruit easy to spot and easy to pick. Cucumber seeds should plant about six inches apart and no deeper than one inch.

Lettuce: Lettuce is an excellent addition to any raised bed. It is a cool-weather crop, but it grows quickly as well. You can plant lettuce seeds close to tomatoes, peppers, or other larger plants. Once the lettuce begins establishing itself, you can harvest it from every other plant to thinning the lettuce as it grows. Continue to sow four-season lettuce seeds on a biweekly basis if you have a little space available in your raised bed

Spinach: Spinach can plant near lettuce and radishes without any problems. In any case, it grows best in cooler weather, so you might want to start your spinach early. After it is harvested, use that spot for something else, like radishes, and then plant spinach once it begins to cool down. Under the right conditions, spinach can germinate within a week. So plant it just like you would lettuce.

Summer Squash: Summer squashes are prolific growers and come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Consider bush varieties like bush zucchini and yellow squash. The significant part of these squashes is they produce heavily and quickly, giving you a lot of food in a small space.

Zucchini: Zucchini loves the hot weather and lots of sunlight. It is possible to direct sow your zucchini plants right into a raised bed or container once the soil is warm enough. Mix lots of aged compost with the soil to keep it loose and aerated. Plant seeds a half-inch deep and three to four inches apart. Once the plants are fully grown, you will likely need to thin them to at least six inches apart. Make sure your plants are evenly watered to prevent blossom end rot. Bush varieties take up less space in your raised bed, but vining types can use vertical space when grown on a trellis.

Beets: Quick maturing, beets are ready to eat in as little as 60 days. First, however, they need a little space, so plant your seeds about two to three inches apart and only one inch deep. Beets should be well-watered without sitting in soggy soil. Harvest your beets if they are still a little on the smaller side for a sweeter, tastier beet.

Peas: In only 45 days, peas can begin to produce, making raised beds a great source of peas. You can also let the pea vines trail over the sides of your raised bed if you don’t have a trellis. Plant them in the garden first, and they will be one of the first to begin producing. They can be planted close together. They will produce more if you harvest them often.

Best Fruits to Grow In Your Own Raised Beds

Raised beds are ideal areas for growing large fruits. You can train your squash, pumpkins, gourds, and melons can be trained on trellises, which support the plant’s growth by adding mesh material to the trellis to help the fruit and prevent them from being ripped off of the plant too soon. When growing pumpkins, melons, and gourds in raised beds, trellising is a great option for saving space. There are many types of melons, most of which are veining crops. If you grow your squash, pumpkins, gourds, and melons on a trellis, you can increase yields by adding mesh material to the trellis to support developing fruit and prevent it from breaking off the vine before they are ready. Consider planting these large fruits in your raised bed garden;

  • Muskmelon
  • Watermelon
  • Cantaloupe
  • Honeydew Melon
  • Pumpkins
  • Gourds

As well as the best space saver to have these veining varieties spill over the sides of the raised bed, creating a waterfall of veining fruits. To create this effect, plant veining types on raising the edges of raised beds and guidance any Getting lost vines over the side.

Preventing Pests in Raised Bed Garden

It is easier to maintain raised bed gardens, and they are less likely to attract animal pests and damaging insects. We can cover beds with row covers and effectively control pests with side planting. Raised beds help protect the roots of plants from soil-borne pests as well. Be sure to inspect your raised bed garden for any signs of disease or pests, removing dead or diseased foliage or easily spotted bugs. Interplant with flowers or plants that act as natural deterrents of pests. You should also companion plants to attract beneficial pollinators and beneficial insects that feed on damaging raised bed garden pests.

Fertilizers Requirement for Raised Bed Garden

Simple Tea Fertilizer: This is one of the easiest and most widely used homemade fertilizers. It has been tried by many gardeners who have all given positive reviews. The use of simple household items makes it also very cheap.

Fish Emulsion Fertilizer: The Fish Emulsion fertilizer uses fish waste to fertilize your garden. Even though that doesn’t sound appealing, and trust no part of it is nice, it is very beneficial for the soil.

Seaweed Fertilizer: Seaweed is an excellent fertilizer because it contains maintop, increasing its ability to absorb nutrients. However, ensure that the seaweed is washed thoroughly, so the salt on it doesn’t seep into your garden soil.

Neem oil: The oil is extracted from Neem trees, which are mainly found in India. This plant has a safe compound called salannin that repels insects, a compound found in its leaves, seeds, and oil. Spray leaves with diluted neem oil to kill larvae, eggs, and adult insects for these common pests like aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, beetles, and leaf-eating caterpillars. Spray all leaves on top and bottom until completely wet. Reapply after it rains.

Quick Fix Fertilizer: If you are the type of person who does not like to wait, you should use vegetable fertilizer. Though it has many ingredients and a complicated process, it doesn’t require you to wait long before the fertilizer is ready for use. Plus, most of these ingredients are readily available in your home.

Seed Storage Containers: A suitable seed storage container makes a big difference in your seed organization. Seed storage should keep seeds protected from sunlight and moisture and be large enough for cataloging different varieties of seeds for each category. Then, you can organize your seed packets in whatever way works for you.

Tips for Raised Bed Gardening

You may also check this: How To Grow Strawberries In Greenhouse.

Raised Bed Garden Tips
Raised Bed Garden Tips (Pic credit: pixabay)

1. Walk your garden space and assess what you will be planted and how much space you have.

2. Take notes and review previous season notes.

  • Make a note of sun exposure
  • Wind and weather considerations
  • Past pest problems
  • Look back at what did well and what did not in its location last season.

3. Assess your seed supply.

4. Order seeds early to ensure that you can get the best access to your desired varieties.

5. Create a garden schedule.

6. Inspect your garden supplies.

7. Order any garden needs: tools, supplies, soil, row covers, and nutrients.

 Commonly Asked Questions about raised bed gardens

1. What is the best way to prepare the ground for a raised garden bed?

Remove all dead plants from the bed and spread the soil’s surface with one inch of organic compost (available bagged or used material from your compost pile). Next, add 3 to 4 inches of organic material such as leaves or straw.

2. What grows in raised vegetable beds?

Plant your garden with the kinds of vegetables you’d like to eat if you’re big on salads, plant head lettuce, a lettuce cutting mix, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots. On the other hand, suppose you love cooking, plant onions, peppers, leeks, potatoes, and herbs. At least one vegetable should be new to you.

3. Should be raised garden beds be lined with plastic?

You can line your raised bed to be more durable and prevent toxins from leaching into the soil. For lining, use landscape fabric from garden supply stores. If possible, avoid non-porous plastic, which retains too much water and discourages beneficial insects.

4. What plants are suitable for raised beds?

Near raised beds, spinach, lettuce plants, and mixed salad greens thrive in the warm soil temperatures and soil that drains well. As a gardener, the earlier you plant them, the longer the growing season will be, and they will grow successfully through the winter if protected properly.

5. What is the ideal height for a raised garden bed?

The most popular height of raised beds is 11 inches.  This height provides sufficient drainage for crops. However, for best results, there should be 12′′ or more of good soil below the bed.

6. Should I put landscape fabric under my raised bed?

Gardeners who have weed problems will find that landscape fabric effectively keeps unwanted plant growth from showing up in your raised garden beds. Then you can set up your garden beds on top of them.

7. Which soil mix is best for raised beds?

In most situations, we recommend 60% topsoil. Compost is 30%. Potting soil is 10%.

8.  How do you arrange plants in a raised bed?

Arrange plants by plants by height. So, design the layout of plants with the tallest ones, such as corn or okra, to grow along the centerline of the raised bed. On either side, plant medium-height plants, such as peppers. Finally, locate the shortest plants, such as radishes and carrots, along the bed edges.

9. When should I fertilize my raised bed plants?

For growing plants in raised bed garden, a balanced fertilizer is applied every 3 to 4 weeks throughout the growing season.

10. Should I put rocks in the bottom of the raised garden bed?

You must avoid putting rocks or gravel at the bottom of your raised garden beds, or any of your planters or containers for that matter.

11. How do I protect my raised garden beds?

Insect netting and barrier fabrics are perfect for protecting raised garden beds. A garden bed cover like a mini hoop tunnel or cold frame can protect raised bed plants from temporary bad weather, or use them to stretch the harvest season into autumn or even winter season.

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