I am having trouble seeing the advantage if was to build raised beds for a yearly vegetable garden. It seems to me that it would be great the first season, but after that I don't know. The soil should compact just the same as tilled level ground right? You still have to turn the soil to begin a new season and it seems like that would be more difficult in a raised bed, especially if you have to hoist a tiller up into it. I just can't see why it would be better than the traditional level garden with my usual heaping rows of good soil and compost. Plus, it would be extra work to trim the grass around the raised beds.
I must be wrong, but why?
No, it doesn't necessarily follow that you "must be wrong." 
There are many reasons for using raised beds. Poorly drained soil is a primary one. Soil of very poor quality is another, because you can create a healthy garden in a raised bed very quickly, while it sometimes can take a year or more to properly amend very poor soil.
But if you have reasonably decent soil with good drainage, there's nothing at all wrong with a traditional garden.
There are many reasons for using raised beds. Poorly drained soil is a primary one. Soil of very poor quality is another, because you can create a healthy garden in a raised bed very quickly, while it sometimes can take a year or more to properly amend very poor soil.
But if you have reasonably decent soil with good drainage, there's nothing at all wrong with a traditional garden.
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rainbowgardener
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We have a whole thread going "raised beds vs. in-ground growing" with lots of people's thoughts about whether they are worthwhile or not:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=188630&highlight=raised+beds#188630
personally I like mine. The ground does not compact nearly as much when you never walk on it. I turn mine over once with a trowel and it all falls apart into seed bed quality soil, no hoe-ing or anything. The compost, mulch and other soil amendments stay in the bed where I put them. It is easy to stick hoops in them and cover them with plastic, row cover or whatever. And of course two of mine I had to build, because the best sunny spot I have is my concrete patio. I built raised bed boxes right on top of the concrete. Works great! It allows you to pile the soil up how ever deep you want. It defines very manageable work tasks and brings the work up to a higher level (depending on how high you make them) so there's less stoop labor. And they look pretty.
But check out the thread above. Other people will say don't bother. So everyone has to figure out what works for them. And raised beds are strictly for city backyard gardeners. No one with an acre of garden is going to spend the time and money to try to put it in boxes, and no reason to. They can accomplish the same thing just with raised rows.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=188630&highlight=raised+beds#188630
personally I like mine. The ground does not compact nearly as much when you never walk on it. I turn mine over once with a trowel and it all falls apart into seed bed quality soil, no hoe-ing or anything. The compost, mulch and other soil amendments stay in the bed where I put them. It is easy to stick hoops in them and cover them with plastic, row cover or whatever. And of course two of mine I had to build, because the best sunny spot I have is my concrete patio. I built raised bed boxes right on top of the concrete. Works great! It allows you to pile the soil up how ever deep you want. It defines very manageable work tasks and brings the work up to a higher level (depending on how high you make them) so there's less stoop labor. And they look pretty.
But check out the thread above. Other people will say don't bother. So everyone has to figure out what works for them. And raised beds are strictly for city backyard gardeners. No one with an acre of garden is going to spend the time and money to try to put it in boxes, and no reason to. They can accomplish the same thing just with raised rows.
Now I see more clearly. I just had to put your glasses on
Thanks. The linked thread has lots of good information. I have become lazy and prefer to lean a fork to loosen the soil, rather than turn it in many cases. Now I know that's actually a really good idea for many reasons. I need to make a broadfork.
Anyway, that's a different topic. Thanks!
Thanks. The linked thread has lots of good information. I have become lazy and prefer to lean a fork to loosen the soil, rather than turn it in many cases. Now I know that's actually a really good idea for many reasons. I need to make a broadfork.
Anyway, that's a different topic. Thanks!
I have to agree with RG. Personally, I'm not all that partial to RAISED beds, but I do like the idea of BEDS in general.
Now, raised beds do have their merits: they look great, help a lot if you have poor soil, keep everything contained and neat looking, make it easier to cover, and are a great help if you are older or have a bad back and don't like bending over.
For me, these things are secondary to some of the the other benefits of beds, whether they be raised or in the ground: since you don't walk in them- you rarely (if ever) have to till them, the soil won't compact badly if you aren't walking around in them, you can mulch the top with hay, straw, grass, etc.-thus greatly reducing weeding, the lack of tilling and compaction helps to enhance the biological life in the soil (if you are an organic gardener, this is a big plus), and you can inter-crop (plant plants in-between each other) more effectively since you won't be walking in the beds.
Whether raised or not, I like the concept of beds. You are not loosing all that much space, either. In concept, you are just taking out all of the paths you would have between your plants to walk (in a large garden) and moving them to the outside of the garden.
But hey, there are members here who garden on large plots of land, have great success, and wouldn't do it any other way. It's what works for you. Try both and see what you like.
Now, raised beds do have their merits: they look great, help a lot if you have poor soil, keep everything contained and neat looking, make it easier to cover, and are a great help if you are older or have a bad back and don't like bending over.
For me, these things are secondary to some of the the other benefits of beds, whether they be raised or in the ground: since you don't walk in them- you rarely (if ever) have to till them, the soil won't compact badly if you aren't walking around in them, you can mulch the top with hay, straw, grass, etc.-thus greatly reducing weeding, the lack of tilling and compaction helps to enhance the biological life in the soil (if you are an organic gardener, this is a big plus), and you can inter-crop (plant plants in-between each other) more effectively since you won't be walking in the beds.
Whether raised or not, I like the concept of beds. You are not loosing all that much space, either. In concept, you are just taking out all of the paths you would have between your plants to walk (in a large garden) and moving them to the outside of the garden.
But hey, there are members here who garden on large plots of land, have great success, and wouldn't do it any other way. It's what works for you. Try both and see what you like
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rainbowgardener
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I just noticed the part about "hoisting a tiller into them." Would never do that. Raised beds are usually small, no more than about 4' wide, so that you can reach into it from the outside. Mine are mostly 8' x 4' (and a couple 3' x 20') so a tiller wouldn't make any sense. But since the soil stays so loose, it is easy to do by hand.
I loosen my raised beds with a hand fork, whenever they need it. Usually at the seasonal change, when I plant new seeds or transplants and/or incorporate new worm castings or compost.
The beds are never walked on, and they were initially mixed with a big fork (not "pitchfork," the one a little smaller). I take it easy so that any worms that might have moved in, or the compost worms--if they're still in there--aren't discommoded.
Oh, and the advantage of raised beds for me is that I can greatly increase the productivity of the 96 sq. ft. I have available for growing veggies. That, plus a few containers!
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
The beds are never walked on, and they were initially mixed with a big fork (not "pitchfork," the one a little smaller). I take it easy so that any worms that might have moved in, or the compost worms--if they're still in there--aren't discommoded.
Oh, and the advantage of raised beds for me is that I can greatly increase the productivity of the 96 sq. ft. I have available for growing veggies. That, plus a few containers!
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
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stella1751
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Like Cynthia, I think one advantage of raised beds is increased productivity. You can squeeze a whole lot of plants in one 8'x4' bed.
Another advantage is that they form a psychological boundary for squirrel- and cat-chasing dogs. When my dogs get to running, they take the shortest route to their prey. I raise my beds high enough to encourage them to go around instead of through the garden.
I turn my raised beds with a garden claw. Once I've loosened one section, I rake it to the side, and loosen the section beneath it. Then I restore the soil while working amendments into it. Those garden claws are the best thing since sliced bread for working raised beds!
Another advantage is that they form a psychological boundary for squirrel- and cat-chasing dogs. When my dogs get to running, they take the shortest route to their prey. I raise my beds high enough to encourage them to go around instead of through the garden.
I turn my raised beds with a garden claw. Once I've loosened one section, I rake it to the side, and loosen the section beneath it. Then I restore the soil while working amendments into it. Those garden claws are the best thing since sliced bread for working raised beds!
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reneeleann
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DoubleDogFarm
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shadowsmom
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I have more rock than soil on my property. For a couple of years I planted directly in the ground, but you can't dig a decent hole in my backyard without a backhoe. Going to raised beds was the best thing I did. I know I have at least 12" of good soil to work with and I can plant where I want to, not wherever I can make a hole.
If you are using organic, techniques - your soil becomes an ecosystem if you till it.. you destroy it. There are beneficial nematodes, earthworms, fungii, microbes, etc. that are negatively affected by tilling. In fact, you shouldn't even pull up old plants, but cut them off and let them rot in the ground. I rake leaf mold compost and a balanced organic fertilizer into the top few inches of my raised beds and have great yields. I also rotate what I grow in each bed as much as possible giving my limited space.
Raised beds drain better. You can grow more in less space.
I have a suburban, backyard, raised bed garden of about 900 sq. ft. (my kids still need room to play or it would be all raised beds) total now so I don't have much choice in the matter, but when I move to the country and have enough area, I will still have a huge area of raised beds because I believe in the system I have developed.
Good luck!
Raised beds drain better. You can grow more in less space.
I have a suburban, backyard, raised bed garden of about 900 sq. ft. (my kids still need room to play or it would be all raised beds) total now so I don't have much choice in the matter, but when I move to the country and have enough area, I will still have a huge area of raised beds because I believe in the system I have developed.
Good luck!
I second that !reneeleann wrote:Mine is a few feet tall and helps my bad back
I do a combination of "traditional" gardening, and raised beds.
I find that for certain crops (such as Strawberries), the raised beds are much more convenient and easier to work. No more crawling around on the ground to pick strawberries !
