GARDENERS WHO BEMOAN COLD CONDITIONS OR POOR SOIL CAN turn to raised garden beds to beat the climate or local soil conditions. This type of garden features a square or rectangular framework that holds garden soil—sometimes on top of existing soil, sometimes mixed in with it. You can now buy raised bed kits at many hardware or big box stores.
A raised bed garden is like a garden in miniature, so it can be more manageable. The soil warms faster in spring, so you can get plants in earlier. A raised bed garden also drains better, so if you live in an area prone to downpours, this could be a good solution.
Raised bed gardens are great for low-growing fruits like strawberries and blueberries, as well as vegetables and herbs.
Raised garden beds can be many different sizes and shapes, depending on your yard and creativity. For the simplest raised bed garden, form a frame from untreated lumber about 4 feet wide and 1 foot high. This allows room for plants to achieve full root growth. The untreated lumber assures that no chemicals leach into the soil.
You can use many different blends of garden soil, depending on the soil already in your garden and your climate conditions. Check with a garden center for soil mixture recommendations for your area.