The Three (Four) Types of Common Planter Beds

I received a great question today on Facebook about types of garden beds. I was thrilled to be able to answer this and immediately started typing up a storm to answer the question when I thought that perhaps others would like to know the difference as well.

There are three common types of planter beds, these are:

• raised beds with no soil access
• raised beds with soil access
• the common earth mound

Raised Beds with No Ground Access:

These are the type of beds in my yard, they are literally off the ground and set on feet with a drainage system put in (more specifically, mine are very small slats with a layer of landscaping cloth followed by a layer of gravel, the gravel is in contact with the soil).

The pro to this is that I have full control over the soil intake which is important if you want to be certain that your veggies/herbs are totally organic. For example, I found a soil producer who makes their own organic soil from organic veggie compost and mushroom manure. If you are in the greater Vancouver area and want high quality organic and locally made top soil please contact Its About Thyme Nursery, the owners husband does all the soil deliveries.

The con to this is that you need a pretty good rig for watering since the air circulation around the planters will dry them out in a couple days ( I water mine on a timer every day at 4am for 40 minutes).

Raised Beds with Soil Access:

 



The next option is raised beds with soil access, this means that you have literally dug down into the ground and have created a pit to the dimensions of your planter and have framed out a support for the sides, building them up to the height you desire and then filling with your type of desired soil.

The pro to having raised beds with soil access is that once the plants are well established and a mulch has been placed on top, watering can be spaced out a bit better.

The con to these types of beds is in the soil itself. When we cut into the ground on our properties we don't necessarily know what is in our soil. Are there heavy metals, lead, or arsenic from old pipes? Is there remnants of asbestos from old buildings that were torn down? Was there ever an oil tank in the yard and did it leak? Your plants take their nutrients from the earth, and what is in the earth is literally fed to you - this is partially why I refuse to buy non-organic produce.

 

Common Soil Mound and Hugelkultur

 

 

I am sure the above picture looks pretty familiar to you, this is the most common type of planting and is the common soil mound. When gardening in soil mounds you cut down into the earth to the appropriate depth (generally 10 to 12 inches), turning the earth with a shovel and then mounding it into rows (this is the simplified version). Within the rows you plant your vegetables and herbs, cover with mulch, and water.

 

The pro to this is that the natural function of the soil will hold water well once the plants are established and the mulch is set on top. This is also the original way of planting crops and is a tried and trusted method. If you know what is in your soil, this is the perfect way to go an allows you to alter the size, shape, and even the location of your garden year after year.

 

The con to this is again in the nature of the soil, possible heavy metals, toxic contaminants, and petroleum products. I would not recommend this type of planting for those of us who live in the city.

 

 

Hugelkultur

 

 

Hugelkultur, go on, say it again..Huuuugelkultur. This is an ancient form of gardening and what I like to call (Never water a damn thing ever again). The nitty gritty of this planter is that it is a raised bed with minimal soil access. The general summary for building such a planter is to dig a ditch and fill it with scrap wood - cut up trees, stumps, branches, etc. You then pile this over with soil (organic if you can), water the holy begeez out of it, and plant your veggies, herbs, and fruit trees on top. Over time the wood in the center of the mound begins to absorb water and decompose. This creates a sponge in the center of the mound where plants can received water all year round. It takes 1 to 3 years to really establish a Hugelkultur mound, but once it starts decomposing there is no real need to water your plants.

 

The cons to this is it takes time, and also takes the finding, locating, and transporting of wood. However, this is a great alternative if you live on acreage and want a low commitment garden.

 

To learn more about the details of Hugelkulter, go see the experts.

 

 

Hope that explains the types of plant beds, happy gardening!

 

-Nicey :-)