Start Growing Your Own Food With Raised Garden Beds
Vegetable growing has always been popular among hobby gardeners. To many, the sight of a plump ripe tomato on the vine is as beautiful as any blossoming tree or annual flower. Some view it as a way to supplement their grocery bill, while others just enjoy the ‘sport’ of coaxing bell peppers to fruit or pulling a bright orange carrot out of the earth.
When Covid hit, food growing was made a heavy focus of veteran and beginner gardeners alike. Empty shelves made for a very unstable food system. Folks no longer felt secure in stocking their pantries, and looked to older methods of food production and preservation that predate the grocery store. Vegetable gardening went crazy, as seed companies struggled to keep up with demand. Canning jars and lids were like gold as people scrambled to preserve their harvest.
One thing we noticed as a landscaping company, was the demand for new growing spaces. Now, every Spring when gardeners come out of hibernation, we notice more and more requests to install garden beds for our customers. If you have any amount of yard space, we usually recommend raised beds as an easy way to jump into food growing.
Some of the Benefits of Raised Beds:
Less weeding required.
No need to amend your soil as you are filling the bed yourself.
Warmer soil earlier in the season.
Warmer soil for a longer season
Soil is less compact making for better water retention and drainage.
Less bending and kneeling depending on how high you build your beds.
These photos are from a recent raised bed installation at one of our customers’ houses. They were looking to add four vegetable beds while making use of a bit of sloped dead space off their back patio. The graduated steps down through the growing area help make the house and patio area cohesive with the rest of the yard, while giving our client plenty of space to utilize for plants. We can’t wait to see them when they’re filled!
Before: We added treated 4x4s and made a stone step down each section.
After: We filled the sections with gravel and built 1ft high cedar beds on top, with walking space in between. Ready to plant!
A simple design for a stable, sturdy garden bed. You can dress it up a bit by adding a mitred border around the top or making it higher. You can even attach a hinged lid or hoop frame to keep pests and the cold out. The possibilities are endless!
We are happy to work with your space to see how we can incorporate raised beds to add beauty and function to your yard. Give us a call at 604-799-2120 or contact us HERE