Deconstructing Paradigms: Do Garden Beds Really Need Sides?
Save time/money/water, and reduce deforestation & slug habitat by forgoing beds with sides unless you need sides for some reason.
When I first started growing vegetables 20+ years ago, I did what nearly every other home gardener does: invested a huge chunk of change in supposedly rot resistant wooden sides for a few beds. These first ones I had weren’t terribly high off the ground - just six inches or so. I had enough success that I kept on growing.
When I moved to the property we’re at now, my husband and I got the wild idea that even higher off the ground would be better. The beds we constructed were 18”. I started noticing substantial problems with keeping these beds sufficiently moist, even in my shadier areas.
I started experimenting in other areas of my garden with using the substantial amount of rock that I have laying around, and found that you can construct raised beds out of pretty much anything - there’s really no reason to purchase new lumber.
Another experiment I tried - and failed at - was growing vegetables directly into my clay soil. I found that during our summer droughts, the clay soil dries out very quickly, and is hard to re-wet with irrigation. Since then, the majority of my beds are initially constructed with about six inches of organic matter, and topped off each year with a half inch to an inch more with whatever organic matter I have laying around.
Some years ago I started watching Charles Dowding’s videos on youtube. One topic in particular he likes to discuss is not using sides on his beds in his very successful vegetable gardens. According to him, he’s got considerable clay underneath, just like my soil.
This got me thinking that maybe it’s worth experimenting. And you know what? Vegetables grow better than soil piled up really high.
I grow tomatoes, garlic, leeks, summer & winter squash, peas, beans, tomatillo, eggplant, lettuce, kale, cauliflower, garbanzos, parsnips, favas… you name it… all on minimally raised beds with no sides at all - just six inches or so of organic matter added to the top.
And some of my native soil is such hard-packed clay that you’d need a pickax to dig it. Roots have no problems at all penetrating.
Other than aesthetic reasons, I haven’t found a single solid reason to spend all that money. I mean, have you ever seen any of those farmers or market growers use sides on their beds in our area? I haven’t.
Why does it work better for me? I’m not totally sure, but here are my uneducated guesses:
The #1 possible reason to reconsider piling the soil up high is that our area experiences considerable drought in the summer. The drought we experience - sometimes as early as May and lasting until October - is substantial. Most gardening literature is written for the east coast, where there is at least some rains.
Raising the soil up that high does little to conserve moisture during our drought, causing more frustration and failure.
Other reasons to reconsider high raised beds:
Tomato Blossom End Rot is more common on raised beds that dry out, according to OSU.
Slugs love to hide under wood. I’ve written a whole other post on how I deal with slugs in the garden without inputs, but just know that having those boards laying around doesn’t help you.
Expense: have you seen how much all that wood or metal costs, for a few feet of growing space?!
Deforestation is also a major bummer in terms of climate change and ecology. I wonder how much forest has been destroyed, how much carbon has been released, all for the intention of being more “environmentally friendly” by growing produce at home.
Oregon State University recently released a major publication stating that their studies show that using pressure treated wood does no harm to the vegetables, and that they are safe and long-lasting.
My question is: what is the point of using sides at all? I could see in some situations it may help. For disabled folks, perhaps. Although, my daughter has cerebral palsy, and the 18” high beds did nothing to help her.
For them to be of use where she doesn’t need to bend, they’d need to be counter-top height, and then she’d need to be constantly watering or set up irrigation that needs significant monitoring.
Every body is different though, and what helps her may not help other people. It is worth considering individual situations.
One person did mention that she finds her construction of raised beds useful, because her body is aging. Hers are constructed in such a way as to have a seat on the sides, so that she can sit and garden. I can see that being very useful for some folks.
But for all other situations I can think of - I question whether or not the use of sides - especially brand new lumber coming out of a forest - does more harm than good. Perhaps it is just time to consider each situation individually, instead of assuming that using wood or metal sides is best.
What do you think? I look forward to hearing your comments on the topic. Let’s learn from each other, so we can all become even more successful at growing our own food!
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