Raised vegetable gardens are a great way to get almost anyone into growing their own fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Kids especially can have an amazing experience seeing plants start as seeds and mature to edible food. Families will be rewarded throughout season with delicious fresh vegetables straight from the garden.
A mix of topsoil, compost and sand is key.
Raised vegetable gardens can be made of many different materials: wood, plastic, metal or modular stone. Three advantages to using a raised garden are that the soil warms more quickly in the spring, drainage is improved and plants can easily fenced to protect the plants from rabbits. The real key to any successful raised garden bed is excellent, rich soil and lots of sunlight.
Two heights of raised gardens made with landscape timbers. Lattice screens add a decorative and functional vertical background. Note a layer of gravel facilitates access to the gardens and prevents muddy shoes.
Make sure to choose a location for your raised vegetable garden that gets a at least 6-8 hours of full sunlight. The ideal location should be south facing. With the bed raised, the plants actually grow in the 12-15” above grade, which allows for almost perfect drainage. It also allows you to create an ideal soil for growing plants. A mix of topsoil, compost and sand gives the texture and structure needed for best plant growth.
Raised vegetable gardens made of cedar slats vertically attached to posts.
Finally, think about what you want to grow and what you want to eat! Plants can be started from seed, or most garden centers carry many plants that are already growing. There are many garden planning tools on the internet that help you with layout and spacing. Whatever you choose, make sure to pick vegetables that you and your family enjoy.
These 18-inch tall modular concrete planters function doubly as seat walls.
Following these steps can be a wonderful way to grow your own vegetables at home.
