Managing a raised bed garden can be a relatively complex endeavor. New and seasoned gardeners can all agree that special considerations must be made when designing and assembling a raised bed garden. This is why new gardeners often seek out raised bed gardening tips and tricks from experts before beginning their journey. With raised bed gardening, people are working with limited space for soil, roots and plants. Though this type of gardening comes with a wide range of benefits, including garden versatility and enhanced protection for plants, it’s easy to make expensive mistakes that can cost you your healthy plants and sprouts if you do not know what you’re doing. Luckily, Swan Products is here to break down the six raised bed gardening tips that you need to know to maximize your harvest and create the dream garden you’ve always wanted.
Research Your Ideal Plants and Their Needs
The most important step we recommend is to carefully select the plants you want to include in your raised bed garden, then do thorough research on them. Plants have all different types of needs and require certain amounts of water, sunlight, soil, space away from other plants and more. Do you know if the plants you intend to grow even perform well in raised bed gardening environments? To best ensure the success of your gardening efforts, you’ll need to have a clear understanding of each plant’s requirements before diving in and planting seeds. Without proper preparation, all of your hard work could potentially be a waste of time and energy.
Consider Growing Simple Herbs First
Most gardening experts agree that new gardeners should start by planting easily manageable plants when first venturing into the unique world of raised bed gardening. This is why one of our raised bed gardening tips for beginners is to start your projects off with herbs and other small, easy-to-grow plants. According to KelloggGarden.com, herbs make great companion plants, drawing beneficial pollinators to the garden bed, masking the scent of prized vegetables and protecting them from garden pests. They’re also generally easier to grow and require less maintenance than vegetables and other plants. Complex plants, such as the tomato and pepper plants that people grow for subsistence, might be highly regarded; however, they require high levels of attention and special care. If you happen to be a beginner who’s using raised bed gardening to get acclimated to the gardening process, easy herbs such as mint, oregano and more will allow you to learn about the gardening process without the pressure of dealing with easily impacted plants.
Set Up Your Garden in an Appropriate Location
As mentioned, the setting in which you choose to grow your plants in is a key contributor to their overall health. Even the spot in your yard you select for your raised bed garden can make all the difference in how the plants flourish over time. Be sure to do research on the ideal climate, shade levels and exposure to sunlight for your selected plants. Once you’ve used accurate information to determine an ideal spot on your property for your raised bed garden, you can then move forward and begin planting and caring for your new plant friends.
Keep Garden Soil Fluffed
Taking special care of the soil in your raised bed garden can do wonders for your plants by supplying their root systems with access to fresh nutrients as needed. Packed, stepped-on soil makes it tough for plants to get the proper amount of nutrients. Luckily, raised bed gardening allows you (in most cases) to avoid walking on top of the area surrounding your plants. With this advantage, you can take further steps toward advancing your garden’s health by fluffing the soil when needed, especially when you add new plants to the setup. By turning and fluffing the soil, you’ll allow more healthy oxygen and water to reach your plants where they need it the most.
Add a Layer of Mulch After Planting
The soil used in a raised bed garden, or any garden for that matter, can become dry and brittle over time if it is exposed to the elements without any protection. Precipitation, sunlight, wind and more all do a number on exposed soil, which is why we recommend covering your garden’s soil with a layer of high-quality mulch. Adding mulch can limit the number of weeds that appear in your garden, regulate the moisture of the soil in the bed and protect your plants from the elements.
Use These Raised Bed Gardening Tips to Start ASAP
Raised bed gardening comes with a long list of advantages, though it can also require some strategy and intentionality. It has done wonders opening up everyday folks to the idea of growing their own food, ornamental plants and more, making gardening more accessible to individuals who don’t have tons of real estate to work with. However, success is only available to those who commit themselves to starting their garden and figuring things out as they go. While research is an essential phase of the process, don’t let overthinking cause you to put off your raised bed gardening project. Follow our raised bed gardening tips, gather the seeds, soil, materials and information that you need, and get started ASAP! For access to equipment you’ll need to water and irrigate your garden, check out our gardening and lawn care watering products at SwanHose.com today!
For more general gardening information, read the following articles:
Cultivating Harmony: A Beginner's Guide to Companion Planting
Container Gardening Made Easy: A Beginner's Guide to Growing Plants in Small Spaces
