Spring equals raised beds, part 2

Last week, we looked at the benefits of gardening with raised beds. We saw that raised beds could result in higher yields, improved soil conditions (workability) and help for low-lying areas where gardening could not previously be done. This week, we look at a few additional benefits of raised beds.

First is the ease of timely planting and tending. Whereas one would avoid working in a traditional garden due to wet or muddy conditions, he would not hesitate to work in a raised bed garden since they are designed to be walked around and not walked through. Spaces between beds can be sodded, mulched or paved with bricks if permanence is desired.

Pest control is easier with raised beds as well. If burrowing rodents tend to be a problem, the bottom of the beds can be lined with chicken wire or hardware cloth. Weeds can be defeated fairly easily with the application of plastic mulch-perhaps in a single span. Even birds may be more easily discouraged, since the narrow dimensions of the beds make practical the suspension of bird netting on frames structures.

Water conservation is another benefit of raised beds. Soaker hoses and drip tubing disperse water in a long, narrow pattern, which is ideal for the layout of the raised bed. This also reduces the potential for disease problems since the water is being directed to the soil rather than to the leaves of the plant as with overhead irrigation. Fertilization can also be accomplished through drip systems with the proper injection equipment, which is usually quite affordable. It should be noted that, since raised beds will dry out faster than conventional beds, they will require more frequent watering and thus greater attention to soil moisture levels.

Growing vine crops such as melons, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, etc., or sweet corn in raised beds may not be advisable due to the large amount of space these crops take up. However, trellises can be used with good results if vine crops are desired.

Everything considered, the use of raised beds in your gardening endeavors is a boon to production, a saver of time, water, money and effort. Why don’t you try some this year? I think you’ll be glad you did!

Tim Lewis is a Georgia Green Industry Association certified plant professional, gardening writer, former Perry High School horticulture instructor and former horticulturalist at Henderson Village and Houston Springs. He and his wife, Susan, own and operate Lewis Farms Nursery located on Highway 26, two miles east of Elko, where he was born and raised. He can be reached at(478)954-1507 or timlewis1@windstream.net.

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