Extension

Successful gardening can be challenging in Oklahoma. Anything that can give gardeners a leg up on success is welcome. One way to help make gardening successful is to plant in raised beds. Raised beds are a great way to grow vegetables and fruit.

 

There are several benefits of raised beds, including higher yields, better soil, water conservation, fewer weeds, extended season and more effective pest control.

 

Raised beds allow more garden space for growing plants. How does this increase yield? Gardeners won’t be using valuable planting space for walking paths. While individual plant yields may be slightly lower than those in traditional rows, more plants can be grown in a raised bed, resulting in a higher overall yield.

 

Raised beds can be made of mounded dirt about 4 inches or more high, or framed with wood. Amended soil is added, which helps with weed control and drainage. Closely planted plants help keep the weeds crowded out. Pathways around the raised beds can be covered in landscape fabric or mulch to help stifle weed growth.

 

Because the plants are planted closer together, they create shade, which decreases evaporation and helps keep roots cooler. When it’s time to irrigate, water is added to the beds, not the pathways, conserving water.

 

Another advantage of raised bed gardening is extending the gardening season. Soil in raised beds can be worked earlier than traditional in-ground beds because it warms up faster.

 

Additionally, gardeners have better pest control in raised bed gardens. They’re easier to cover with insect-screen fabric, and crops are easy to rotate from bed to bed, thus preventing pest buildup.

 

Raised beds are versatile in the garden because they can be built into any shape. Before creating a raised bed, eliminate all weeds and turf from the area. Outline the corners of the bed with stakes and stretch twine tightly between them. Remember to keep the beds no more than 4 feet wide to make harvesting easier. The height can range from 6 inches above the existing soil grade to 24 inches or more. Taller beds are great for gardeners who like to sit while gardening or for those who have trouble bending for long periods.

 

For best light exposure, build beds in a north/south orientation. Leave enough space between beds for walking, pushing a wheelbarrow and harvesting fruits and vegetables. Cultivate beds with a tiller, then finish with hand tools. If the soil is less than desirable, now is the time to add organic matter. Gardeners may need to add bagged topsoil to fill the beds. Initial preparation of raised beds can take considerable time and hard work. However, the payoff in later years will be evident.