Making a raised vegetable garden is one of the easiest ways to get your garden started. It’s the method of gardening I have found I myself most enjoy.There are definitely some benefits to raised vegetable gardening.

When you use raised vegetable beds you can put them wherever you want them, wherever you have room (as long as there’s sun).

You can also make the soil just the way you want it. You don’t have to worry if your soil has too much clay or too much sand.

It’s raised which means you can actually have it at any height you want it. If you have bad knees or a bad back you can put your raised bed as high as you want it, even on a table.

I personally put my raised beds on the ground and eventually the plants work their way into the real ground ~ at least that’s what I imagine happens at the bottom.

You can easily rotate crops.  This year I am added a couple extra raised beds to my garden. I have been using one raised bed about 16 foot by 4 foot for the last couple of years. I am adding a couple extra beds this year because I want more produce to can and give away. I have been making sure I switch up where I plant the tomatoes and squash, so each year  I switch which end they are planted on.

I also use containers for some fruits and veggies. I had great luck last year with sweet potatoes in a half barrel ~ it used to have oil in it. My husband just cut it in half. The big hole in the bottom where the oil used to pour out was perfect for drainage.

I’m digressing I see.  As you can see there are quite a few benefits of to the raised vegetable garden. Oh I forgot the biggest one ~ WEEDS.

In a raised vegetable garden, especially if you put something like cardboard or newspaper on the bottom of the bed, the weeds are almost non existent. I love that. So if you are thinking an in ground garden seems overwhelming ~ you don’t have access to a tiller or something to turn the soil a raised vegetable garden might be the perfect option for you!

A raised bed is also a very easy way to begin an organic vegetable garden. With the ability to easily decrease the amount of weeds, and add compost to the bed instead of fertilizer it is a great way for beginners to test the organic waters.

Tags: backyard garden, Raised Bed Gardening, raised vegetable garden, Vegetable garden