A raised bed fits in every garden and replaces the non-existent floor space for many a front yard or balcony owner. The bed boxes are also perfect for gardens with soil that is unsuitable for growing vegetables or ornamental plants. Depending on the size and composition of the substrate, they can be planted creatively.

Vegetables and herbs are particularly popular plants for raised beds

Classic: raised vegetable bed

Of course, the use of a raised bed as a vegetable bed is already classic, especially if the bed interior was traditionally layered. This way the vegetable plants get the nutrients they need and you don't have to worry about the correct fertilization. Classically layered raised beds in compost fashion can be used for between three and five years and are first planted with heavy feeders (which include many fruiting vegetables) and then with medium and weak feeders. They replace conventional garden beds.

For balconies and terraces: raised beds of herbs

On the other hand, if you don’t have a garden but only a balcony or a terrace, you still don’t have to do without a raised bed. Various herbs can be planted in special table beds, whereby the choice is entirely up to your personal preferences. For example, you can plant a bed with kitchen or tea herbs, medicinal herbs or those with edible flowers, wild herbs or Mediterranean plants. By the way: If you build a raised bed from Euro pallets, you can also use the side inserts for planting, for example with different herbs.

A raised bed for small (and large) sweet tooths

If you like fruit, you can of course also cultivate it on a raised bed. Many fruit trees are suitable for this, especially those that - depending on the height of the raised bed - remain rather low. Many soft fruit bushes, but also low-growing columnar fruit types are suitable for this purpose. Strawberries are particularly popular. Large fruit trees, on the other hand, need space and should therefore not be planted in a raised bed.

Raised bed for ornamental plants

Of course, you can also cultivate various ornamental plants on a raised bed, just like in a conventional garden bed. All you have to do is keep an eye on the location and soil conditions of the plants and also note the height of the bed and the expected height of the plants - if they are too high, you can only care for them with a ladder. For example:

  • Perennials and shrubs (e.g. also hydrangeas, roses, lavender…)
  • rock garden plants
  • annual summer flowers
  • Ground cover or creeping plants
  • grasses and ferns

tips

A raised bed is also perfect for growing a variety of salads. However, these should not be cultivated on a freshly layered compost raised bed for the first two to three years - otherwise the weak and medium eaters will develop too high concentrations of harmful nitrates.

Category:

Vegetable garden