skip to main content

Square Foot Gardening

raised beds vs. non-raised beds

16 years ago

Everyone seems to have their square foot gardens in raised beds. Does anyone just use the square foot method for growing directly in the ground? I never see pics of this.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

username_5
16 years ago
The author of Sq. Ft Gardening used to do this, dunno if he went to all raised beds or not. In fact the photo on the cover of the book (the old one, not the new version) shows his in ground sq. ft. garden.

I have a veggy garden that is a raised 24'x24' area where I grow things more or less Sq Ft. style and it has worked well.

I am converting to individual framed, raised beds this fall though as I don't want any ground that isn't growing something. Too much time getting mulch and too wet in the spring to walk in even with mulch.

If you have clay soil you might want to skip the in ground beds because when you amend the growing soil so it is light, fluffy and drains well you can easily end up with swimming pools instead of a garden. At least that seems to be what happens in my yard.
trudyjean82
16 years ago
I have borders around mime only cuz where its located I have a gentle slope and when we do get the hard seasonal rains it washes badly. With the borders I don't have that problem anymore. I orginally didn't have the borders, but quickly found out that here they are necessary. My seeds and amendments would wind up down in the woods or creek. trudyjean
Related Discussions
Thinking of buying some raised raised beds
Q
Comments (31)
After reading the latest water retention and movement thread with only 15 replies (I get very intimidated when there are over 100 replies), it seems you are right about a watering problem! I'm going to go out tomorrow and dig int the soil and see what it's like down deep in the containers (1 ft). The neighbors put in a few inches of gravel "for drainage" Luckily I have some ruts out in the field that need to be filled! I'll check out Wheeler Zameroni to replace the soils throughout the winter (already have most of my winter crops planted in lower raised beds that are closer to the house) or maybe I'll just save up some each month to get a couple of yards in the spring. Nancy
...See More
Raised bed veggie vs. right into the dirt ... preference?
Q
Comments (15)
CCA treated wood has been off the market since 2004, so that is no longer an issue. And there has been no significant scientific documentation to support the notion that CCA-infused lumber leaches excessive amounts of arsenic into the soil anyway - modest levels of arsenic tend to be present in most soils. Raised beds do not have to be created from lumber - inexpensive concrete blocks work just as well and can be assembled into raised beds and disassembled at will. Or use recycled concrete chunks, often available for free. And using these or any recycled wood products like Trex eliminates any rotting issues as well as any insects that may be attracted to wood. Slugs are slugs and in the PNW they will be present regardless of planting situation - in ground, in raised beds, even in container plantings. Baiting will control the worst of the slug damage in any case. Any mounded or raised planting area will require at bit more frequent watering than inground or nonmounded/bermed areas - that is just the physics of drainage and water movement. There is nothing specific about constructed raised beds that would make them any more higher maintenance than mounded or inground row plantings other than the use of materials and even untreated cedar or redwood will last 5-10 years before needing to be replaced, longer if they are lined with plastic to limit contact with damp soil. And problems with cultivation is a non-issue. Once they are filled with soil, additional cultivation in the way of tilling is seldom necessary and generally not recommended anyway. Additions of compost or other OM can be made easily in the offseason or before planting. There is no need to disassemble a raised planter to renew or refresh the soil. We all have our preference on what we like best, but there is nothing innately inherent regarding constructed raised planters that makes them less desireable than inground plantings other than personal choice.
...See More
pine vs cedar for raised bed
Q
Comments (14)
Cedar Wood Vs.Pressure Treated Pine Aromatic Red Cedar: Cedar is a very stable wood. It does not warp, or shrink, or check (as pressure treated pine most likely will do eventually). A product using cedar boards will have a much nicer appearance, after 10 years compared to a pressure treated pine. Our cedar usually comes from Missouri, Oklahoma, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. It can be 50-80 years old. Cedar lumber costs a little more than the fast grown southern yellow pine, but it is well worth the extra expense. Cedar could last 30 years or more and will stay straight! Pressure Treated Pine: This type of lumber usually originates from the southeastern U.S., and can be a southern yellow pine species or a mixed pine species. It is a fast growing tree; being one of the few types that can be pressure treated. Other types of wood have a different cell structure and will not accept the treatment process. This pine, after it has been cut to size, is kiln dried to remove most of the moisture. Then it is bundled up and put into huge cylindrical tanks. Next, a water based solution of micronized copper azole is forced into the wood fibers under pressure. This process makes the wood very heavy and gives it a dark green appearance. This pressure treated pine (PT pine) is guaranteed by the manufacturer not to decay or have insect damage for 10 years or more. It is not guaranteed against shrinkage, warping, checking (splitting). We do not guarantee that this will not happen because it often does. When PT pine starts drying out it can develop "checks" which look like splits or cracks in the posts or boards. This is not an uncommon complaint from new owners of wood products. Actually, the wood is slightly shrinking, a natural seasoning (drying out) of any piece of lumber. When a fence post dries, the outer surface (sapwood) shrinks faster than the inner heart of the piece, and something has to give. For this reason, posts have a natural tendency to develop a V-shaped check towards the center. The result is the familiar "check" which is technically neither a split nor a crack. Depending on the weather and season your wood fence is installed, checking may occur right away, or might wait for warmer weather. We usually never use PT pine for the posts because they will decay in the ground must faster than a cedar post would. Because of this we only use cedar posts for fencing. Here is a link that might be useful: cedar
...See More
Non or slow rotting raised bed building material
Q
Comments (7)
I have a raised bed garden that I made 14 years ago from cedar 2x12's. It is starting to rot and sag and I need to dowsize anyway, so I am replacing it. I have purchased corners from here http://www.problemsolvers.com/raised-bed-corners-set-of-four.htm?aff=5512&CAWELAID=530007760000009442&CAGPSPN=pla&gclid=CJSykraroMsCFYwfhgodlKUDIA They are very strong and amazing! I had to purchase extra screws and got grey ones instead of silver. The wood I used is cedar 2x12's again and I am in the process of construction. The cost for two 2'x3' beds was $110 plus $28 for brackets plus $10 for screws and I still need more screws. I need to make 4 more 2'x4' beds in another part of my yard. I may use these plastic ones for that. They last for 25 years. The only problem is, is that they are white, and I really am not excited about painting them tan. :) http://www.guarden.com/guarden/index.html So there you have my garden planning adventures for the winter. I forgot to mention, I also use a garden cart to sit on so I don't have to bend. It is great fun! Rebecca
...See More
Violet_Z6
16 years ago
The author of Sq. Ft Gardening used to do this, dunno if he went to all raised beds or not.

Yes. He did switch to raised beds.

Why? So you don't have to amend your existing soil any more. This is all you need:

* 1/3 Peat Moss - available at any garden center or supermarket.
* 1/3 Vermiculite - Buy the coarse grade in large 4 cubic-foot bags at any garden center.
* 1/3 Blended Compost - made from various sources, at least five.

Container Gardening Mix

Pictures of the results of the mix:
Examples Page 1
Examples Page 2
Examples Page 3
Examples Page 4
Examples Page 5

The reason is so you start out with an excellent growing medium that has no problems.
gumby_ct
16 years ago
I do.
I simply placed my frames on the soil I used for my row garden. In fact the only real amendment I routinely use is leaves. Tho last year I did mix in a half bag of purchased composted manure for my heavy feeders and started using compost tea. Made by simply putting puchased composted manure in knee-high nylons (after I get done wearing them, of course ;-) and soaking in rain water. Seemed to stretch my manure, plus the plants seemed to like it.

If (like me) you don't wear knee-highs, simply go to the dollar store, 3 pair for a buck. Oh, also last year, I put a knee-high in a bucket I used in each bed for watering. So far this year I haven't had to water much because of the rain (but then the garden isn't growing either but I don't think I will be using the buckets in the beds.

I am thinking about trying the tea 'brewing' method (using MY compost) recommended by DCHall in the soil forum this year.
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg0300105612497.html

Back to the topic....I do, I just find watering a challenge in SFG beds because of the close spacing.
Good Luck,
Gumby_CT

Here is a link that might be useful: Deep watering for heavy feeders

Related Stories

FARM YOUR YARD How to Build a Raised Bed for Your Veggies and Plants

By Annie Thornton

Whether you’re farming your parking strip or beautifying your backyard, a planting box you make yourself can come in mighty handy

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Materials for Raised Garden Beds

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Get the dirt on classic and new options for raised vegetable and plant beds, to get the most from your year-round garden

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Raised Beds Lift Any Garden

By Danyelle Mathews

From good old-fashioned wood garden boxes to modern metal troughs, raised beds can make any landscape space look great

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Build a Raised Bed to Elevate Your Garden

By Danyelle Mathews

A bounty of homegrown vegetables is easier than you think with a DIY raised garden bed to house just the right mix of soils

SPRING GARDENING Inspiring Raised Beds for Fall and Spring Planting

By KitchenLab Interiors

Make Your Next Vegetable Garden Even Better with Beautiful Boxes and Paths

WINDOW TREATMENTS Roller Shades Raise the Curtain on Style

By Mary Jo Bowling

The humble window treatment is stealing the scene with fresh patterns, color and pizzazz

PETS Raise the Woof: Doghouses Delight at Barkitecture 2012

Designs at an annual Austin fundraiser are whimsical, practical and downright luxurious — no bones about it

BARN HOMES 12 Bar-Raising Barns

By Becky Harris

Homeowners make hay out of renovated, reclaimed and newly raised outbuildings

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Raise Backyard Chickens Without Ruffling Neighbors' Feathers

Before you build a coop in the backyard, follow these strategies to help keep your neighbors from squawking

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: A Radical Reconstruction Raises an Austin Home

By Mitchell Parker

With a new second floor and some room swapping downstairs, this 1935 Texas bungalow now fits an architect and his family beautifully