What can you grow in raised garden beds? Gardening experts advise

1. Tomatoes

Although technically a fruit, tomatoes are widely considered to be a vegetable. Growing tomatoes is a rewarding task for any gardener, both new and seasoned alike.

2. Sweet And Hot Peppers

Whether you want to learn how to grow and care for bell peppers, or would prefer a much spicer pepper variety such as picking jalapeño peppers, raised garden beds make ideal ground for any pepper plant variety.

3. Cucumbers

'More warm seasoned vegetables, growing cucumbers is also affected by cooler soil temperatures, making them well-suited to warmer raised beds than the ground,' Rachel says.

4. Root Vegetables

Almost all root vegetables benefit from the deeper soil provided by raised garden beds. Growing carrots, growing sweet potatoes, and growing potatoes, for example, is often made easier with a deep raised garden bed over 12 inches.

5. Onions

'Onions are another plant that grows best in loosely compacted soil that drains easily,' Rachel explains. 'Try growing onions around six inches apart for big bulbs that are full of flavor.'

6. Garlic

Garlic is an undeniable favorite for many. With garlic bread, garlic mushrooms, and garlic butter – what is there not to like? Growing garlic can be a more tricky task as they require open-textured soil with no stones. This makes raised garden beds the ideal location for these fat, flavorful vegetables. Simply plant as many individual cloves as you would like garlic bulbs upright in soil and, by spring, they will be ready to harvest.

7. Artichokes

Growing artichokes can be a difficult but rewarding task, as long as you know when artichokes are in season before picking them prematurely. These interesting vegetables, although adaptable, grow best in fertile, well-draining soil making a raised garden bed the best option for gorgeous globe artichoke harvests.

8. Eggplant

Understanding how to grow eggplant is similar to growing tomatoes or peppers as it is a close relative and also enjoys warmer soil. Rich in vitamins B1 and B6, these seasonal vegetables should be placed in full sun, particularly in colder climates, and, again, grown in well-draining soil.

9. Leafy Greens

There is a vast array of leafy greens that are well-suited to raised garden beds. Growing kale and growing lettuce, for example, is to start with for beginner gardeners and results in beautifully succulent leaves perfect for summer salads.

10. Peas

'It is easy to learn how to grow peas in pots, so this vegetable translates well into being grown in raised garden beds,' says Rachel. 'They require some effort to grow perfectly, however, your efforts are richly rewarded as these space-efficient crops can climb trellis with ease freeing up more space in your raised beds for other plants such as companion planting.

Fruits To Grow In Raised Garden Beds From berries to melons, these are the best fruits to grow in raised garden beds. 1. Raspberries

Anyone who is looking to grow their own fruit should start with growing raspberries. These simple and inexpensive fruits are incredibly easy to grow in raised garden beds due to being low-maintenance and look great in a raised garden bed populated with other berries due to their bright, alluring color.

2. Strawberries

It is just as simple to learn how to grow strawberries as it is to grow raspberries too, making them ideal raised bed buddies for summery fruit salads. 'Strawberries are a brilliant perennial plant to add to raised garden beds,' says Rachel Crow, 'Since these berries tend to spread, raised beds can be used to control their growth and prevent overgrowth.'

3. Gooseberries

If you know how to grow gooseberries already then you will know how little these plants are like weeds. 'While these plants are fairy easy-going, their shallow roots means that they often lose a struggle for resources,' explains Rachel. 'Planting in a raised bed with the proper lining will help to stave off competition and isolate your gooseberries away from your other plants to provide them with adequate nutrients, sunlight, and air circulation.'

4. Honeyberries

Honeyberries are a far more obscure fruit but can be used in jams and jellies as well as eaten raw. Their sweet taste resembles that of blueberries but their larger fruit makes them juicier. Although most soils are suitable, well-draining soil offers the best opportunity for growth and, given that you need two of these plants to allow for fertilization, improved growth is needed for fruiting. These plants may even need to be pollinated by hand to ensure fruit each year, but the payoff is more than worth it.

5. Blackberries

If you would rather grow your own blackberries than go foraging for berries each year, using a raised garden bed can help to control its growth. 'Blackberries are a bramble, meaning they spread rapidly year on year, so growing these plants in some form of large container like a raised bed will prevent it from thoroughly taking over your yard,' Rachel explains.

6. Currants

Red and black currants, like most fruits, will also thrive in the well-draining soil of a raised garden bed. While red currants will easily grow in partial shade, it is important to note that black currants prefer full sun.

'Growing currants in raised beds may not be the most conventional idea, but it can be an enriching experience,' says Kasey Turner, founder, and CEO of NatureNibble.

7. Blueberries

Growing blueberries can be a finicky task with the plant requiring very acidic soil only to grow. If your ground soil has a pH of less than four to five-and-a-half the plant will not fruit whatsoever. (You can find out how to test your soil's pH in our guide.)

8. Melons

Two things all melons have in common is their deliciously juicy interiors and their ability to thrive in a raised garden bed. No matter if you are growing watermelon or growing cantaloupe, raised beds offer the perfect warm soil conditions for melons of all varieties. What's more, by raising them off of the ground you will be better able to protect them from pests and prevent bruising to the rind.

9. Mulberries

Given that you can easily grow mulberries in containers, these fruits also thrive in raised garden beds so long as it is filled with well-draining soil. Mulberries offer an easy way to achieve sweet berries at home that attract a beautiful array of butterflies and bees each summer.

10. Rhubarb

Growing rhubarb depends largely on the type of soil you have in your garden. 'Rhubarb will not thrive in wet, poorly draining soil can leave rhubarb susceptible to root rot,' Rachel

Follow us on Social Media

VISIT OUR WEBSITE