There’s more than one way to grow fruits and vegetables – and a lot of places you can grow them. You don’t have to live on a farm to grow your own farm-to-table produce. Garden boxes are a great way to create your own food source without needing a large property.
You can build a garden box (or purchase a garden box kit) to just about any size you desire – or that your property can accommodate, creating a personal garden that will provide you with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Raised garden boxes – those that are built to sit on the ground – are gaining in popularity. You can garden very effectively above the ground, as nearly every vegetable (aside from tuber vegetables like potatoes) can be grown with only a soil depth of 12”. Of course, you wouldn’t garden above ground simply because it’s possible. Raised garden boxes have a variety of benefits. Here are a few:
Give Your Back a Break
Gardening is a great hobby (and a wonderful source of healthy food), but it can be difficult on your back and your joints when you’re constantly bending over or squatting down to pull weeds or harvest your crops. For those with existing back and joint issues, gardening can be painful. A raised garden box takes the physical stress out of gardening and opens it up to more people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to overcome physical limitations.
Keep Out the Critters
When you’re growing delicious vegetables, everybody wants a taste – including unwelcome critters. While a raised garden bed won’t keep out all insects, it will deter rabbits, gophers, and worms from burrowing a tunnel from the ground into your garden and helping themselves to your food.
Garden Anywhere
You don’t need a yard to have a garden. Almost everyone – even those who live in high-rise apartments – can grow their own food with a garden box. With sufficient sunlight and water, you can create your own food production system in a small space – without getting your floor or patio dirty.
Learn more about the benefits of garden boxes.
Control Your Soil Quality
Raised garden beds allow you to tightly control the type and quality of the soil you use, leading to higher quality plants and reduced insect damage. Planting your garden directly into the ground means that high-quality soil that you purchase will inevitably mix with the ground soil. Raising your garden bed off of the ground retains the integrity of whatever type of soil you use.
Durability
Since garden boxes are made of wood, they will eventually decompose and need to be replaced. Using a raised garden box will help your wood last longer, as removing it from ground contact keeps a lot of the condescend moisture out of the wood.
Ready to bring your garden to a new level?