How low can you go? Raised beds

[GFTL]

I couldn't disagree more, where I live rocks are everywhere and using raised beds is the only way I can grow veggies like my tomatoes. The soil in my beds is 20" deep and I plant my tomatoes 12-16" deep in the soil so they can develop the root systems necessary to support and feed my very large heirloom tomatoes.View attachment 102893View attachment 102892

That big round one in the back is impressive.

 

[MamaHawk]

I've noticed as of late that "raised beds" can mean two things - beds that have edges of some sort that rise from the ground to varying heights, and beds that are literally raised OFF the ground - kind of like sand tables or water tables but for gardens. I wish we had different terms for them! "Leg beds" just doesn't sound right....

 

[Mr_Yan]

To confuse the matter more there is another style of "raised bed" used by market gardeners and the "French intensive" style. These are simply long narrow mounds of soil maybe a meter wide with defined walkways between them. Take a look at what Jean-Martin Fortier is doing with this style.

These can work great but a kid, dog, or soccer ball could really do damage unless you fenced it off.

 

[Meadowlark]

I find it quite amusing the names and effort that folks put into "raised beds". Most of the effort seems to be in aesthetics rather than production.

To no surprise, I'm all about production not aesthetics and I find the best in garden method is still one of the oldest...raised rows.

My ancestors used mules to pull middle busters to build the raised rows and before that they simply used shovels to build them.

In my climate, raised rows are a requirement for production. Already this spring, we have had two 8-inch downpour events lasting a day and a night and another one is predicted starting Monday. Without raised rows any crop planted in flat ground would have been lost.

So, instead of mules and shovels, today we have modern small garden tractors that can build an 85 ft row 10-12 inches high in about 1 minute. Depending on what I'm planting, I make them in double row sizing at about 2 ft in width or otherwise about 1 foot. The ease at which this is accomplished cannot be overstated and the productivity is unequaled by any other means I'm aware of.

The attached photo shows this year's first corn crop, purple hull peas, second corn crop, okra and green beans all thriving in the raised rows.

 

[Mr_Yan]

@Meadowlark, here's a point I will argue with you about. Yes on large scale a tractor with a tiller on the PTO and long rows like you describe can result in higher yield than a raised bed but that is not what a beginner is doing. For beginners in a suburban yard I will always go toward a raised bed rather than the style or garden my grandparents had.

From my experience the raised bed is easier to maintain and keep productive with minimal tools and time over the season than an equal size patch of bare soil. The raised bed sides, be it a 2x4 or 2x8, or two stacked 2x12s the height is irrelevant here, keep people focused and prevents getting overwhelmed in late June or July when the second flush of weeds germinate. Because they stay motivated and focused on that small area it gets the upkeep and stays looking good which prevents HOA-hell and that nosy blue-hair lady over the fence from causing too many more headaches.

For me using raised beds as slightly more than a beginner:

• I've packed my raised beds in tightly so I think I have more cultivated area than I would if I had long rows - my beds are close enough I can't get a standard lawn mower between them.
• My non-gardener wife can go out and harvest or maintain when I am not around without causing much stress.
• I'm walking on grass or woodchips rather than dirt path so I don't get muddy when out there right after a rain.
• I do all this with only a few small hand tools. I don't own any powered garden tools. But, I do have a wheel-hoe which is a long row tool.

To anyone that has a "traditional" garden like this look at getting a wheel-hoe. Those things are a back saver.

 

[Meadowlark]

@Meadowlark, here's a point I will argue with you about. Yes on large scale a tractor with a tiller on the PTO and long rows like you describe can result in higher yield than a raised bed but that is not what a beginner is doing.

I don't have a "PTO" tiller...and don't need it at all.

The beginner gardener would be 100% better off to spend their time building raised rows than raised beds. It can be done simply with hand tools on a small scale...as small as a couple of shovelfuls of dirt.

Less work than building fancy raised beds, far more functional, less expensive, easier to maintain, last forever, and enables soil building much more efficiently. However, not as photogenic in some folk's eyes.

In terms of garden efficiency, production, and utility there isn't even any comparison. Raised rows win on all counts except aesthetics...large or small, equipment or manual.

I might add...beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Nothing more beautiful than producing raised garden rows to this gardener.

 

[MamaHawk]

raised rows

! This makes so much sense! I think when I've seen those in pictures I haven't realized they are raised, rather than flush with the ground with deep furrows next to them. I wonder if I can try this to stave off any summer rain (in Ohio it's all or nothing, it feels like...).

Because they stay motivated and focused on that small area it gets the upkeep and stays looking good which prevents HOA-hell and that nosy blue-hair lady over the fence from causing too many more headaches.

This is also true - having containers to focus can help a beginner like me a lot because then I don't go overboard, or get overwhelmed, or both, when I realize I have more space I could be using for whatever. Case in point, I just came inside from expanding a side garden...which my husband is as of yet unaware of Also the weeding difference can be incredible.

 

[Mr_Yan]

expanding a side garden...which my husband is as of yet unaware of

Yeah, been there.

At the last house my wife and I reached a detente over garden size vs patio size vs lawn size. The paver stone walkway made the DMZ between garden and lawn. At least until I had to maintain the lawn too.

 

[Meadowlark]

! This makes so much sense! I think when I've seen those in pictures I haven't realized they are raised, rather than flush with the ground with deep furrows next to them. I wonder if I can try this to stave off any summer rain (in Ohio it's all or nothing, it feels like...).

@MamaHawk,

Thank you for your timely comment.

We received 8-10 inches of rain last night. Roads flooded, bridges damaged, destructive high winds , etc.

How did the above plants in the raised rows fair?

100% success. Even corn which is very vulnerable to wind/rain damage came through this third consecutive violent rainstorm just fine.

I actually believe that you could not say that about "raised beds". The corn would be laying everywhere likely damaged beyond use.

Raised rows are effective...maybe not the most aesthetic but by far the most utilitarian. Notice how most of the 10 inches is gone and the troughs/furrows show all moisture while the plants are high and dry. This absolutely has worked for me for decades through droughts, extreme heat and even hurricanes.

 

[MamaHawk]

We received 8-10 inches of rain last night. Roads flooded, bridges damaged, destructive high winds , etc.

Holy cow! I hope you made it out okay! I mean clearly your garden did but geez! We don't have that very often in my area. I remember one summer when I was probably in high school where it seemed to rain for weeks and weeks, but otherwise it's rather weak when it comes to rain here....which is how you know it'll be utterly disastrous now!

P.S. Well wait a minute if that's just how bad the rain was, how are your hugelculture containers?

 

[Meadowlark]

...P.S. Well wait a minute if that's just how bad the rain was, how are your hugelculture containers?

Fine, they drain really well...but it is likely they are in need of nitrogen.

We had another frog strangler last night. That makes about 33 inches in 15 days...more than a lot of folks get in a year. Without raised rows, the garden would be a wipe out.

 

[MamaHawk]

Pretty sure one of my brussels sprout seedlings slid down it's row, but the other is doing well...annnnd the other seemed to drown, given it's tipped-over-wilted nature. :T Can't win 'em all I guess!