Raised bed, or regular garden??

[Collector]

I have been checking out books at the local library on gardening, homesteading, andsmall scale farming. After reading these books I am not sure if I should build raised beds or garden the standard way.
Raised beds might be easier for me being a novice veg gardener. The cons are now, it is mid winter here so the weather is unpredictable,Work is sketchy so not sure if I want to sink a bunch of money into raised beds[I want to, just may not be smart to do now]. getting enough quality soil to fill them with would cost a fortune with the fuel prices currently. I am also sort of running out of time to do all this. These are some of the cons!
There are many pros to raised beds, that I have been thinking of. It would be easier to keep the weeds down, less strain on your back,and add structure. I think I would be able to plan each bed seperatley, so rotating crops would be simplified, learning companion, and succesion planting would be easier also. These are some of the things off the top of my head. I am sure there are many other pros and cons I am not thinking of. I am hoping that we can sort of kick around some ideas so I can come up with a plan before it is to late to do anything. All thoughts, ideas and advice would be of great help.

 

[vfem]

Here is how I see it...

Up front costs to build raised beds can be in ANY varying amount. You can buy all new materials, or you can used recycled FREE materials to build them. You need to do some research on going both ways.

We built ours from old decking boards we found on craigslist. They were all free and we ended up with enough for raised beds, and even built a cheep chicken coop ($98 out of pocket for a gorgeous coop). Then we did have to pay $30 a truckload for compost mix to fill the beds. We used 2 truck loads. Hubby bought screws and 4x4 to construct the beds to be tougher, and that was probably another $50.

FOrget all the pretty stuff like fencing, stain, river rock for the pathways... that was pricey!

But, we have flooding issues and drainage issues that made it worth while to go this way. 3 years now and the decking boards are fine. We can simply replace them when its time, one board at a time at a later date. For the FREE part, it was worth the work.

Then you have the inground option. Totally worth it if you know your soil is good and you have what you need to till the ground. I want to say its $75-$85 a day to rent a tiller, but you may be able to borrow one. Then do you need to start amending your soil? If you do, you may not be able to plant right away, you may have to give it a season.

You'll probably have more space to plant in the ground then doing random raised beds and paths to move around. So that's another pro right there.

Either way, there are going to be upfront costs. Either way there is going to be a lot of work.

Though I have to say my raised beds save a world of pain on my knees, and are so much easier to prep each season. I amend the soil each early spring with compost, and this year they have a good layer of leaves to turn in as well.

Just more stuff to think about.

I would just make a pro and con list for each one... add up the up front costs for each one and make your decision when you are done with your lists.

 

[lesa]

Collector, raised beds are surely the fad right now.... They can be attractive, so they are often a good choice for a front yard... However, you can have a wonderful garden without having a raised bed. I would recommend fencing in whatever area you choose to garden in- always a depressing morning when you find your carefully tended veggies eaten!!
I am never sure why people think there will be less weeding in a raised bed. I have found weeds in my planter box, 10 feet in the air on my deck! I would say there are no less weeds in my raised garden, then my regular garden...
If you are going to spend any money, I would recommend using the funds to increase the organic matter in your existing soil. (Of course, this can be done on the cheap, with composting and animal manure-if you have any).
If you dig a conventional garden, it does not need to be huge. In fact, I would say, start with a small patch and add to it, next year, when you have some experience under your belt. Starting small insures your success. Having to deal with a gigantic garden is often a recipe for failure. If life interferes and you miss weeding for a couple weeks- you might find your garden has disappeared!
Good for you, for thinking about this now. You will be well ahead of the game, come spring!! Good luck!

 

[thistlebloom]

I think Vfem and Lesa covered it pretty thoroughly Collector, and would just add that to start why not make one raised bed, and do the rest of your garden in the ground to see how each works for you. I've had raised beds, and I loved them, my DH made them from redwood and they were beautiful (it was a b-day gift). That was at our old place, now my beds are "raised" but not framed, I do wide row planting, and I find it easier to add the amendments my soil needs without the boxes.
The pros to raised beds are better drainage if you have clay, they tend to warm up a little earlier, and they are so tidy looking.
The pros to in-ground planting are more flexibility with your layout and easier to add amendments with a tiller. And how is that classic tiller you were renovating? Will you be able to use it this spring?

 

[boggybranch]

This link might shed a little light......

http://www.culinate.com/mix/dinner_guest/raised_bed_gardening

 

[boggybranch]

Here's a link to some of the benefits of raised beds.

http://beingfrugal.net/2010/03/08/10-benefits-of-raised-garden-beds/

 

[i_am2bz]

I have to use raised beds because my yard is all hard red clay. No, it was not cheap (I can never find anything free on CL, ever). I didn't have enough compost to amend the soil to make it all useful, so had to buy some nice composted soil from a landscaper. So, first year, nope, not cheap at all. :/

Now that they're built, however, & the soil is still decent, & I do have some compost to add courtesy of my chickens, I'm looking forward to a good garden this 2nd year!

 

[thistlebloom]

Sometimes I think the raised bed proponents cast their preference in a little too golden light. I don't have a horse in this race, I've done both, and liked both, but they both have a definite up and down side. When you garden you have weeds. Period. Snails and slugs had no trouble finding the plants in my raised beds, they may have had to work a little harder, but I apparently had snails with a tremendously healthy work ethic! I did like the suggestion of wire under the beds, as that would have helped with my gopher problem. What it comes down to is what is going to work for you, financially, aesthetically, and labor wise.
And fortunately, we gardeners are a diverse bunch which is what makes this particular forum interesting and so darn entertaining!

 

[lesa]

In my "regular" garden I use only raised rows. They are not held up with wood or anything. The dirt is just mounded up. This works great for all the root veggies, etc. It is great for draining- sometimes my aisles look like fast moving rivers- but my plants are high and dry.
I also have raised beds for my flowers, in the yard. Again, just mounds of dirt- no edging. I always like to make the pile into some shape- seems like usually, kidney shaped...
If time and funds allow- trying a couple of each is a great idea. Think of it, as an experiment!

 

[digitS']

Collector, why don't you tell us something about your soil?

I may not be of much help with you in the Palouse loess . . . I killed some plants in that soil long ago when I was at the U of I, going to school.

Whatever the problems I had, the Palouse soil if fertile and deep. Organic material and maybe coarse sand would be of benefit but it wouldn't be like hitting the subsoil at 8", as in this glacial till where Thistlebloom and I garden.

I used to frame beds with cedar boards in one garden but those finally rotted away. Most of my gardening has been in 4' beds with 2' paths - no frames. I move about 6" of soil out of the paths into the beds. Cultivating with a spading fork to the depths of the tines gives quite a lot of room for plant roots.

The plants are packed in there tightly, often in mixed arrangements. They put up some resistance to the weeds and I make as good a use of the square feet as I can this way.

Corn, tomatoes, and the vining crops (squash, cukes, etc.) are grown as row crops. I had peppers and soybeans in rows last year and may do that again. The green beans are planted in both beds and double rows. Everything else, including peas and lots of flowers, are grown in those 4' beds.

The larger veggie garden is tilled by the tractor guy and I'm not quite up to shoveling out paths for the entire thing each spring. If'n I could, I would .

Steve