Organic Gardening: Raised Beds

Benefits of Raised Beds

The benefits of raised beds over ground-level plots are numerous. The soil is most manageable in the raised bed as the additions of sand,peat, compost, etc... will not wash away. These additions will be worked in by a healthy population of worms since they also prefer the raised beds with their fluffy, untrodded soils.
It is much easier to work the small sections of raised bed gardens than to garden a large garden plot. Designing the garden to facilitate companions works most flexibly with smaller gardening sections. Overall design is enhanced by the tasteful design and placement of raised beds. Raised bed gardens also weather dry seasons more favorably than most level plots.

Building Raised Beds

There are many ways a raised bed may be constructed. The garden beds are easily terraced into a hillside with railroad ties, poured walls, rock walls, rough-sawn hardwood boards, small logs scewered onto rebar pins, etc.. Raised beds on less graded ground can be built in similar fashions. For design asthetics, place a raised bed against the backdrop of a wall, beside a garden bench or in the perimeter of a large or ornamental tree.