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Building a raised bed is a great project, and if you get more people involved, it can be a great way to spend time with your loved ones. They can be as humble or creative as you want them to be; only the sky’s the limit.
We like them because the soil isn’t too compacted and therefore has good drainage, and in addition, it’s much warmer, which actually means that the plants will start growing earlier. Stay with us and find out the best tips to prepare a raised garden bed for the upcoming season.
Tips To Prepare a Raised Garden Bed
Tip #1: Choose Only the Best-Quality Soil
For the overall success of planting, it is necessary to pay great attention to the selection of good and high-quality soil. Good soil is the foundation of a thriving and healthy garden.
Pro tip: always choose the best quality within your budget.
Tip #2: Place the Raised Beds in the Perfect Location
In short, raised beds will provide their maximum if you place them on the perfect site. Given that most plants need full sun, especially from lunchtime onwards, try to find a spot that can provide just that.
Tip #3: Edge Your Raised Beds with the Right Material
Honestly, you don’t need to think too much when it comes to edging, you can do it with any material you want, the only important thing is to stay away from painted or pressure-treated wood.
You can do this by using pallets, wood, stones, bricks, or cement blocks.
Tip #4: Stake the Sides
This is one of the tips you definitely don’t want to skip because a couple of stakes will help you prevent the beds from shifting.
Tip #5: Pay Attention to Invasive Roots
One of the best tips to prepare a raised garden bed is to check for fast-growing creeping roots. In case you notice them, immediately pull or dig them out towards the direction from which they came.
Tip #6: Be Sure To Cover the Soil
This isn’t only just one of the tips to prepare a raised garden bed, but also a practice that should be maintained throughout the year. You can choose between mulch and plastic sheeting, whatever seems like a better option to you.
This is especially useful in early spring, when preparations for planting begin, more precisely, after adding amendments and fertilizers to the soil. The sheet retains heat, helps break down amendments, serves for water drainage, and prevents the germination of weed seeds.
Tip #7: Never Step On the Soil within the Raised Beds
What makes planting in raised beds a much better option than traditional planting is the light, fluffy, well-drained soil. This is precisely why it is advised to avoid stepping on the soil within the raised beds, as this will compact it, prevent aeration, and greatly reduce the activity of much-needed microorganisms.
Accordingly, when you buy or build your own raised bed, make sure you can reach every part of it without stepping inside. If you haven’t thought about it before or haven’t had a chance to choose the dimensions, we suggest laying a long board across and ‘walking the board’ as you work.
Finally
Once you read all these tips to prepare a raised garden bed, it might seem like a lot of work, but it’s actually not the case. These preparations are actually a labour of love.
Choose the ideal site, make a raised bed, fill it with soil and you are ready to start growing! If you have any questions, please, let us know in the section below.
Author’s bio
Tony Manhart is the founder and editor in chief at Grower Today. Tony’s enthusiasm and rich experience in all things related to growing plants have led him to share his knowledge with gardening aficionados all over the world. When he is not working around his garden, Tony spends his time writing tips and tricks on various subjects related to plant cultivation and soil maintenance.
