Not long ago it became scientifically proven that gardening has positive effects on your psychological health. Getting your hands dirty and inhaling the earthy smell does wonders to your soul. Now there are many ways to garden: indoor, outdoor, hydroponic, in-ground, planter, raised bed or vertical and each one of them has their pros and cons.
Our favorites are definitely cedar raised beds. They are the most efficient, eco-friendly and time saving solution for any kind of gardener. The most valuable advantages of raised bed kitchen gardens are low maintenance, high yields and that they’re manageable for all ages.
Experiences show that the number of weeds growing in raised beds is significantly lower than in in-ground beds. Weeds spreading through root systems hardly have any chance to enter a two-foot-high raised bed, especially when put on a proper base. You have 100% control of your soil, which means you don’t have to deal with your natural topsoil, that’s often full of weed seeds and grass. Fill your raised beds with a balanced mixture of organic compost, screened topsoil and sand and your vegetables will thrive. Having control over your growing medium enables you to provide the best organic soil for your crops. Healthy soil life plays an essential role in your growing success. It is the base for healthy plants, high yields and therefore lots of homegrown organic food for you.
Raised beds are also ideal for the ‘intensive and successive’ planting technique. The goal is to plant as many plants as possible in the space available by giving each plant enough space to thrive. I always say to our clients: “Imagine the edge of a forest. You can find three layers: trees, shrubs and herbs. But you hardly see any bare soil there and this is what we want for our raised beds.” No bare soil means no space for weeds! The right arrangement of tall, medium and small plants combined with a well-planned seasonal change of crops guarantees that there’s always something growing and that there are no free gaps for weeds.
Gardening is so much more than just growing food. It’s a pure joy, you spend more time actively outside and it’s good for the soul. Raised beds and planters enable everyone to enjoy the mind-soothing effect of vegetable gardening no matter their age or fitness, even with a sore back or knees. Our two-foot-high beds allow you to reach every plant easily without bending over too much while sitting comfortably on the four-inch rim. And who doesn’t feel happy when working in a beautiful garden? With the right design your raised bed vegetable garden even adds beauty to your yard.
This article was submitted by Ines Batterton, of ‘My Nordic Garden’.
Visit: www.mynordicgarden.ca to learn more!
