Growing Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers in Raised Garden BedsGrowing veggies, herbs and flowers in raised garden beds makes them easier to reach and take care of. Use soaker or drip irrigation hoses to reduce water waste and also to spread planting times.Think about lining your raised garden to insulate the soil and keep out pests. Newspaper or cardboard lined with hay, straw or mulch is an economical alternative.Easy to buildRaised garden beds let you grow a variety of different plants at one time. The beds can be as big or as small as you want. This makes them ideal for those who have a limited amount of space, but want to experiment with growing herbs or vegetables. You can also create a raised garden for a balcony or patio. This lets you plant these plants in areas with limited sunlight.You can easily build your own garden bed with materials you already have in your garden. You can make use of milk crates to build a simple frame around your garden raised. These containers can also be moved to accommodate changing needs like if your vegetable plants require more or less sunlight.Wood pallets are another easy and inexpensive option for building an elevated garden. They're usually found at your local restore shop or in the junkyard. You can put them on a wall to create a raised garden for your vegetables, or put them on the ground and divide them into rows using dividers made from sticks or cardboard.Consider lining your garden to insulate soil, prevent pests and weeds. Burke states that newspapers and cardboard as well as other recyclable materials can be used as liner. You can also apply a layer of compost or any other organic material to help the soil in your raised garden retain moisture, increase its microbial count and improve the chemistry to encourage better growth of your plants.After you have constructed your raised garden on your property, move it in a sunny area. If your garden is situated on grass then use a sod cutter or grub harrow to remove the turf, and then till the area. Set the garden frame over the tilled soil. Use a framing-square to check the corners and make any needed adjustments.If you prefer to plant directly, you can do so in the raised soil. However, it's best to loosen the surface and then add some amendments to ensure better results. Blueberries, for instance, require an acidifier while tomatoes benefit from a little extra Nitrogen. Also, because the soil is exposed to higher temperatures, it's important to water it more often in summer than in a traditional garden.Easy to maintainGardeners who cultivate vegetables, fruits and herbs in raised beds find they have to work less often. Manures, compost and other soil amendments can be sprinkled onto the soil. This soil is usually lighter than traditional soil that is laid down on the ground. In time the organic matter is integrated into soil, reducing the need to till and enriching the area with a rich mixture of soil nutrients.Raised bed [1] gardens are also easier to maintain than in-ground plots. Because they are higher off the ground, you don't have to bend so often when planting or weeding, especially as you get older. You can build them to at a waist or thigh height, which is ideal for people who have back problems and other mobility issues.Raised beds can be enriched in nutrients using mulches that are combined with organic compost. This will allow your crops to develop better. Raised beds are less compacted soil, and are more rocky. This makes them able to hold more water.Another benefit of raised beds is that they are simple to manage the surrounding, keeping out predators and other creatures. Install a wire mesh along the edges of raised bed to prevent gophers and other animals that burrow in. If you are planning to plant blueberries or other plants that require special care, a raised garden bed is the best.To keep the garden healthy and productive, a regular rotation between different crops is essential. This helps the soil replenish its nutrients, and stops diseases from contaminating the crops. After the final harvest you can prepare the raised bed for winter by covering it with one inch organic compost or leaf mould (use material from the compost pile you built) and three to five inches of dry leaves or straw. The mulch and compost will degrade during the winter months, providing vital organic nutrients to the garden for next year's crops. This will also improve the soil structure and make it more adsorbent to moisture which will decrease the need for frequent irrigation.Easy to StoreRaised garden beds are ideal for growing vegetables or flowers. They provide them with the space they need to grow large and strong. This lets them establish a strong root system that allows them to survive droughts and other stresses that might otherwise cause them to fail. The taller plants also make it easier to tend to the plants when you're not kneeling. It's no fun to have a bad back. Being capable of working in your garden without having to kneel or bend is a great benefit.Another advantage of raised beds is that they prevent soil erosion. Heavy rains can wash away soil, leaving it nutrient deficient and disrupting the microbe community. Raised beds decrease the likelihood that your amendments won't be washed away or diluted.Garden beds that are raised can be constructed to nearly any size. They can be as big as a traditional one or as small as a window box. You can even build an elongated circular garden, often known as a keyhole garden. A keyhole garden is a raised bed with a hole at the center, which is filled with organic materials such as compost or manure. It also serves as a wick to store water. This is especially useful in climates with dry conditions.If you're growing veggies in your garden raised the sun must be in full force to ensure maximum production. The vegetables require at minimum 8 hours of sunshine during the summer months, and more is better. You don't need to be concerned whether you live in a shaded region. There are many plants and vegetables that thrive in partial sunlight like arugula. parsley, spearmint and chives.A raised bed's frame and height serve as an obstacle to pests like slugs snails and rabbits. You can draw beneficial insects to your garden by planting marigolds and nasturtiums along your vegetable garden. This will also deter pests. A border of colorful flowers will also add beauty to your meals and will give you the feeling that you've done something meaningful.Easy to CleanGrowing vegetables and fruits in raised garden beds is a more straightforward than gardening on the ground. Raised beds are easy-to-clean and weed-free. They require maintenance to ensure healthy soil and produce productive plants.Before you plant, you need to prepare the soil for your raised bed. If the soil is a bit heavy with clay or sand, add organic material to improve drainage and increase fertility. A mix of two parts topsoil and one part compost is ideal. If you don't have a compost bin you can purchase a bag of compost that improves soil or potting mix from your local home improvement store.As the season progresses remove all weeds by using the power weeder or hand hoe. If you are using herbicides be cautious not to damage the root of your fruit or vegetable plants. Herbicides are dangerous and can kill or damage your crops. Instead of spraying chemicals, it's better to physically remove the weeds.To prevent future weeds from growing to prevent future weeds from growing, mulch your garden beds. You can mulch your garden using shredded leaves, straw or hay. You can also purchase organic compost that is safe for human consumption or wood chip mulch. Organic matter will decompose and add nutrients to the soil during the winter, preparing the garden to produce a bumper crop next spring.Installing drip irrigation in your raised beds is also a great idea. This will help you save water and prevent overwatering which could lead to fungal diseases like Septoria leaf spot. Installing drip irrigation systems in the fall or early spring is the best option.It's a great idea cover the raised garden with organic mulch at the end of the season. This helps the soil retain nutrients and moisture throughout the winter, and also help to deter weeds. A layer of straw or leaves is the best option however you could also use commercial hay or wood chips.