My first exposure to vegetable gardening was by my parents. While living in the Delta region of Mississippi, in my early teens, my parents grew a rather large garden. As memory serves me the garden seemed to spontaneously produce vegetables without much effort. The soil was rich and the sun plentiful. I remember working side by side with my dad and enjoying the produce as prepared by my mother. Looking back now, I am sure that garden helped spark my interest in plants.
Today I live in a suburb of Seattle and have a garden of my own. Comprised mostly of raised beds and containers I enjoy the harvest as much as the planting and maintenance. My raised beds are made from 2″ x 10″ untreated boards and are 4′ x 8′ in size. This year with help from my brother we built and installed six more beds. I have chosen to garden in raised beds for a number of reasons. Raised beds can provide higher yields, better soil conditions, less labor and even a better approach to pest control.
Better Yields
Traditional in ground gardening on the home scale level can produce on average 0.5 pounds yield per square foot. Research has shown that raised bed gardening yields on average 1.25 pounds per square foot, more than double the conventional method. Most of my experience in raised bed gardening has proved that research to be accurate.
Plants are planted closer together in the raised bed situation. Elimination of pathways allows for rows to be placed closer together, additionally plants growing closer together will help shade the soil surface and reduce competition of weeds adding to the plants ability to achieve a higher yield. Avoid the temptation to over plant as that will reduce the plants ability to produce a good yield. [click to continue…]
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