The Benefits of a Raised Bed

by: Holly Hayes, Mercury News

What are the benefits of gardening in raised beds? Let us count the ways:

Warmer soil, sooner: Since the soil is above ground level, the sun warms it faster in the spring, which means you can plant earlier and get better seed germination.

Oh, my achin' back: Soil in raised beds is easier to work and plants are easier to tend. You bend over less, which takes less of a toll on the back and knees. Raised beds make it possible for older gardeners and people in wheelchairs to enjoy this wonderful hobby more.

Controlling the soil within: Most Bay Area gardeners do regular battle to lighten up our heavy clay native soils. But in a raised bed, you are in charge of what goes in it. Top-quality topsoil and organic compost will give you a rich growing medium for most vegetables and ornamental plants. Or you can control for plants that prefer acid or alkaline soil.

Good drainage: Fluffy soil has excellent drainage, so rains drain off better and standing water is eliminated.

Protection from critters: Lining the bottom of your raised bed with hardware cloth makes it more of a chore for burrowing pests such as gophers and moles to get to your plants. Roots will grow right through the barrier. And if your pests are of the winged variety, raised beds are easy to cover with bird netting - or garden fabric to exclude insects. Lightweight garden fabrics admit as much as 85 percent of sunlight and can be left on.

Armor against nippy nights: Some garden fabrics protect plants from frost damage down to 28 degrees.

Don't tread on me: Soil in a raised bed doesn't become compacted because (ideally) you're not walking on it - which makes it easier to work in the spring and throughout the growing seasons.

No wasted space: A properly configured raised bed - no wider than four feet - allows access on all sides, which means you can use high-density plantings and boost your yield. If the bed is accessible only from one side - if it's built against a fence, for example - limit the width to three feet so you can reach in - not step in - to tend it.

Looks count: Raised beds look neat and tidy.