Flower care

Raised Beds Raised beds help improve water drainage in heavy clay soils or low-lying areas. Raised beds also bring the garden to a height that is more workable for physically disabled or elderly gardeners who cannot stoop or bend over to a flat garden bed. Other advantages of raised beds include that they tend to warm up earlier in the spring, which allows earlier planting. And once the bed is constructed, foot traffic should not be necessary in the bed, so the soil does not become compacted, and soil preparation in the coming years is minimized. Raising the soil just a few inches may be enough for some gardens. No side support is needed for shallow beds less than 6 inches tall. For these smaller beds, prevent soil erosion from water and wind by gently sloping the sides, making the top of the bed slightly narrower than the base. Deeper beds need wall supports to keep the bed intact. Rot-resistant lumber, cinder blocks, bricks, or rock layers can be used to support the sides of the bed. Beds deeper than 18 inches, particularly those built on poorly drained sites, may require layers of drainage material at the bottom to ensure good water drainage and to avoid compaction. Use crushed rock, pea gravel, sand, or drainage tile if needed. There is no standard size for a raised bed, but keep in mind that you will want to reach everything in the bed without stepping into it. A bed that will only be accessible from one side should be no more than 2 feet wide, while a bed that can be reached from both sides could be up to 4 feet wide. As with container gardens, raised beds must have light, welldrained growing media to provide proper aeration. Raised beds can be improved by incorporating manure, compost, or other organic materials as well as vermiculite or perlite. Commercial potting soils or homemade mixes are ideal