Raised bed gardening

If you still haven't planted a garden yet, Linn County Master Gardener, Lisa Slattery, offers one option that is becoming more popular:

We completed building three brand new raised beds in our garden for vegetables this spring. It's taken some work, but it wasn't hard to do and now my boys know how to dig post holes and use a level.

 Raised beds are ideal for gardeners of all abilities. No doubt about it raised beds are easier on the back, and can be made tall enough that much of the gardening can be done from a seated position on the ground, a stool, built-in ledge or even wheelchairs and scooters. Tabletop gardens help those who can not bend over or are visually impaired since it brings the garden closer to eye level.

 Once you decide who will be using the raised bed, pick a site that is sunny because vegetables require full sun, at least six hours a day. Pick a reasonably level site for ease of building and one that you can get to with a hose for watering. However, you might consider an irrigation system if you beds are permanent.

 Raised beds are easiest to work in if there is access or pathways all around. This is especially important if you need to fit a wheelchair through the pathways. My beds are only 12 inches in height since a stool or over-turned bucket is my choice for seating. You'll want to build beds that are 2 to 3 feet in height for wheelchair access. Make beds no wider than 3 feet on one side so easy access to all plants is a guarantee. My beds are 3 by 6 feet and built out of cedar. Other materials available include pressure treated lumber, stone, landscaping blocks and poured concrete.

Iowa State suggests filling your beds with a mixture of equal parts of sphagnum peat moss, garden loam (or compost), and sharp sand. We used vermiculite instead of the sharp sand. Test your soil for nutrients and pH and add lime or sulfer to bring the pH to 6.0 or 6.5. Don't forget when you fill your beds that you'll want some top space for plants and 1 to 2 inches of mulch.

 Some suggested vegetables include beets, carrots, bush cucumbers, lettuce, summer squash, radishes and of course, tomatoes. Just make sure you plant what you and your family like to eat! I'll keep you posted on how our new raised bed garden grows!