by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: July 20, 2009   Last Updated: April 29, 2012

Many people are reluctant to consider planting a vegetable garden because they fear that they don't have sufficient space, or they are concerned about the poor quality of the soil in their garden and don't think there is an easy enough way to amend the soil to make having a garden possible. The solution to all of those concerns is very simple: a raised bed garden can address all of those issues. Moreover, by raising the level at which a garden is planted and filling it in with nutritiously rich organic matter and high quality soil, one may even be able to start planting the bed earlier in the spring because the soil will warm up faster.

Important things to consider when planning a raised bed:

• Planning 

  • Where the bed is placed

A raised bed is most often used for growing food crops, and most food crops need to be grown in an area where there is as much sun as possible. A raised bed should be constructed in a place where the plants can get as much sun as possible, and where all areas of the bed will get equal exposure to the sun.

• Design 

There are many different possible ways by which one can design a raised bed. It can be a very simple raised bed in which there is no edging (in which case, the raised bed would be a lasagna bed,) or the raised bed can be designed in such a way that the area will be defined by a stone wall, the use of bricks, or some type of wood. Many raised beds have been designed around railroad ties which have been used to define the space.

Although there has been and likely continues to be concern over the safety of creosote, according to Texas A&M University's department of horticulture, studies have shown that the amount of creosote that leaches out is well within levels that the EPA has established as safe.

• Different Types Of Raised Beds 

  • Lasagna bed 

A lasagna bed is the most cost effective and simple way to construct a raised bed. The biggest disadvantage of a lasagna bed is that it cannot be planted immediately after it is built. A lasagna bed is built by layering materials that will then decompose into a rich and nutritious compost. The compost will then be what is used as the planting medium.

The biggest advantage of a lasagna bed is that anyone can build one and it can be built anywhere - even on a concrete sidewalk or a slab of cement. The contents of a lasagna bed will usually be shredded newspaper (printed with soy ink,) shredded brown

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