Growing herbs and vegetables on a raised bed

A raised bed is good not only for your plants, but also for your body… How? Well, you don’t have to bend down that much or kneel down as much. Well, kind of. But it also has many other advantages. In this article we shall show what they are.

You can create it anywhere

The main advantage of raised beds is versatility. You can build them practically anywhere so, they are especially great for those who live in apartment buildings and do not have garden or are somehow limited by space. You can build a raised bed, for example, on a patio or in your backyard. The use of beds on the rooftops is also very popular. The scope of use is virtually limitless. Another benefit is that weeds grows less on them and pests have harder time to get in the bed and live there. It is also harder for someone else to step on your veggies… and if done well, it looks very good.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

How to build a raised bed

Building a raised flower bed is very easy and any skilled DIY person can do it. You may also buy a ready-made raised bed but many prefer to build their own using old recycled materials for example. A good idea is to place a mixture of dry branches, leaves or grass clippings at the bottom of the bed. The next layer should contain compost and humus should be on top. This creates an excellent soil for growing. Usually, you do not have that kind of soil in regular flower or veggie bed. If you build it yourself, do not forget to protect the surrounding wooden structure with some impregnation substance to avoid rotting, or you may use a protective film.

How to care for a raised flower bed?

Soil in raised beds dries faster so, you need to water more often. Each season you need to add a little bit more soil as it will go slightly down due to erosion and weather. Flower beds are more resistant to weeds, but not for ever so, if weeds appear, you need to remove it and you should do it regularly.

Preview photo: Pixabay