Midsummer is a frustrating time for gardeners. A raised bed was beautifully planted, freshly filled, photographed, and posted in April. In July, there are half-dead plants, soggy or solid-baking soil, and vegetables that never quite took off. Yes, the enthusiasm has not waned. There is a growing suspicion that something went wrong, but no one is quite sure what it was. A majority of it failed before a single seed was planted.
Raised beds provide a number of benefits, including improved drainage, easier access, warmer soil in the spring, and fewer weeds. These advantages, however, only become evident when the setup is done correctly, and novices commonly make predictable mistakes. Some of them seem harmless at the moment. It’s a little too big of a bed. The soil in the bag appeared to be in good condition. March seemed to be a sunny month. Subtly, each of these choices influences subsequent events, sometimes in ways that are not apparent until the season has already begun and there is little left to do but restart.
The most common issue is bed width, and its causes are easy to understand. Being larger feels better. There will be more plants, more growing space, and more harvests. When a bed is constantly being damaged, you can’t get to the center without stepping into it. Compacted soil surrounding the root zone is one of the main obstacles to vegetable growth, and each time a gardener climbs in to weed, water, or harvest, they are partially undoing the benefits of the raised bed. Despite its narrow width, the entire bed is always within arm’s reach because it is only four feet wide. In spite of how simple it sounds, gardens that follow this rule tend to appear noticeably healthier by August.
Then there’s the location. Placement of a bed incorrectly can cost more harvests than any other error, and once a bed has been constructed and filled, it is difficult to correct. Even though a tree casts very little shadow early in the spring, when its canopy fills out in June, it will shade half the bed. No matter how experienced or novice a gardener is, this happens to them all. The rule of thumb is that most vegetables need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. Prior to committing to a location, observe the shadows moving across the yard for a full week before committing to a location. A co-founder of a raised bed company reported that barely anything grew in his first garden because it received only three or four hours of sunlight each day. The lesson cost both time and optimism.
In soil, things become subtly complex. It’s tempting to fill elevated beds with whatever’s available, such as leftover bags from the previous year or native soil from the garden. Native soil drains poorly, compacts easily, and is too heavy. During the second season, beds that appeared productive during the first season frequently began to deteriorate since no food was provided for the organisms living there. There is a dynamic nature to soil. Without fresh compost every season, a bed will gradually deplete itself due to microbial life, worm activity, and organic processes. A mixture of 60% topsoil, 30% compost, and 10% aeration material, such as vermiculite, provides most vegetables with the structure and nutrition they need. Each season, it is important to refresh the compost, as it can make the difference between a bed that thrives in year three and one that baffles its owner with progressively low yields.
Overcrowding is another trap that nearly all novice gardeners fall into. It appears that the plants are tiny when they enter. It appears that the seed packet spacing guidelines are conservative, bordering on wasteful. As everything gets pushed closer together, the bed seems luxurious and fulfilling for a few weeks. Consequently, roots compete for water and nutrients, airflow decreases, and disease spreads more easily. In the case of seedlings, adhering to spacing guidelines seems counterintuitive, but that is precisely the time when it is crucial to make the right choice.
Consistency is more important than knowledge when it comes to watering. As raised beds drain well, they dry out more quickly than in-ground plots, especially during hot weather. Watering overhead encourages fungus growth. Watering too little results in shallow roots that struggle when the surface dries. Watered foliage retains moisture overnight when watered in the evening. A proper, unglamorous method of watering is to keep the soil moist about two inches deep in the morning. A soaker hose simplifies this and eliminates uncertainty about frequency.
The majority of these errors have one thing in common when you consider all of this. Prior to any construction or planting, they occur during the planning phase in minor choices that seem reversible at the time but are not. The good news is that none of them require specialized knowledge to avoid. The tedious parts, like the week spent observing the sun’s position, the measuring tape brought out prior to the lumber being cut, and the bag of fresh compost added in October when the season seems to be over and the garden is already fading from memory, just require a little patience. Usually, that’s where the following season’s success begins.
As a Senior Editor at Mini Greenhouse Kits, Hannah Kinsley is a passionate supporter of small-space gardening and urban gardening. Hannah, who is currently majoring in Environmental Policy through the University of Michigan’s Environmental Studies program, infuses her writing with a solid academic foundation and a sincere enthusiasm for the environment. You can find her playing soccer or exploring the city’s green areas with friends when she’s not researching the newest trends in city gardening or creating content for minigreenhousekits.com.