Tuesday, 1 July 2014
Raised-bed gardening
is a form of gardening in which the soil is formed in 3 to 4 foot wide beds, which can be of any length or
shape. The soil is raised above the surrounding soil, is sometimes enclosed by
a frame generally made of wood, rock, or concrete blocks, and may be enriched
with compost. The vegetable plants are spaced in geometric
patterns, much closer together than conventional row gardening. The
spacing is such that when the vegetables are fully grown, their leaves just
barely touch each other, creating a microclimate in which weed growth is
suppressed and moisture is conserved. Raised beds produce a variety of benefits: they
extend the planting season, they can reduce weeds if designed and planted
properly and reduce the need to use poor
native soil. Since the gardener does not walk on the raised beds, the soil is
not compacted and the roots have an easier time growing.The close plant spacing
and the use of compost generally result in higher yields with raised beds in
comparison to conventional row gardening. Waist-high raised beds enable the
elderly and physically disabled to grow vegetables without having to bend over
to tend them. Source
