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Looking for a way to get more productivity from your garden? Need to improve the soil for growing vegetables? Consider gardening in raised beds.
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Raised beds are garden areas that are higher than ground level and small enough to work without actually stepping on the bed. The beds don't have to be enclosed, but framing will hold the soil and look neat and attractive. |
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Raised beds offer many advantages, especially if space is at a premium. In a raised bed, it is easier to improve the soil. You add compost and fertilizer only to the garden bed, not the pathways. This saves time and money and the plants grow better in soil that is never compacted by garden traffic. |
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| Raised beds allow higher yields and use less water. You can plant things closer together, offering more vegetables and flowers per square foot. Plants grown closely together crowd out weeds and shade the soil, reducing evaporation and keeping roots cooler. |
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Raised beds also can extend the gardening season. The soil warms up earlier in the spring and dries out more quickly after a rain. In the fall, it is easier to cover the plants to ward off frost damage. |
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Raised beds should be no wider than about 4 feet so that you can reach into the center of the bed. They can be what length suits the gardener's needs. |
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You can make the frame from materials you have around the house including bricks or cinder blocks. Rocks are popular in southern New England because of ready availability. |
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| Pressure-treated lumber is often used to make raised beds. However, as of 2003, EPA is banning it for residential use because of environmental and safety concerns. In the URI Master Gardener Demonstration Vegetable Garden, we are testing readily available alternatives to pressure-treated lumber. Though more expensive, the materials are durable, attractive and safe for garden use. |
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| Plastic Lumber, manufactured in Rhode Island, is made entirely from recycled plastic. It is easy to work with, rot resistant and comes in many different colors. The cost of a 4 by 12 foot raised bed made with 2 by 10 inch boards and 4 by 4 inch posts of Plastic Lumber is about $230. |
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| TREX is made from recycled plastic mixed with recycled wood. Like Plastic Lumber, it is durable and easy-to-work with. The cost of a 4 by 12 foot bed made with TREX is about $130 - $150. |
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| Cedar is an attractive, rot-resistant wood that works well for raised beds. Although more expensive than pressure-treated lumber, a 4 by 12 foot raised bed made of
cedar is in the $100 range. (Using one of the lower grades of cedar.) |
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| For more information on raised beds, visit the GreenShare Gardening Factsheets, orr, call the URI Master Gardener Hotline. In Rhode Island, call 1-800-448-1011; out of Rhode Island call: 401-874-2929. Hotline hours are Monday –Thursday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. |
