Methods Of Gardening The Raised Bed

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The raised bed or growing bed is the basic unit of an intensive garden. A system of beds allows you to concentrate soil preparation in small areas, resulting in the efficient use of soil amendments and an ideal environment for vegetable growth. Beds are generally 3 to 4 feet wide and as long as you desire. You work from either side of the bed, reducing the incidence of compaction caused by walking on the soil. Soil preparation is the key to successful intensive gardening. Plants compete for available water and nutrients, and an adequate supply must be provided for more closely spaced plantings. Have a soil test done so you know if and how much phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and micronutrients (iron, manganese, zinc, copper) your soil needs. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer additions will be crop specific. If you suspect there is an inadequate amount of organic matter in the soil, you can have the soil tested for organic matter content. Soil test results will indicate if organic amendments are needed. Till the soil so that the top 10 to 12 inches has a loose tilth suitable for vegetable production. By their nature, raised beds are a form of wide-bed gardening, a technique by which seeds and transplants are planted in wide bands of several rows or broadcast in a wide strip. In general, the goal is to space plants at equal distances from each other on all sides, such that leaves will touch at maturity. This saves space, and the close plantings reduce moisture loss from surrounding soil.