Start with great soil

A raised garden bed gives you the perfect opportunity to make the perfect environment for the plants. We suggest mixing topsoil with Ancient Soil and adding some perlite mix to get drainage. We also suggest using the lasagna method not only to save on soil but also to get the added benefits for years to come.

Water before the soil becomes dry

The soil in raised beds tends to drain more quickly than in-ground soil, simply due to gravity (taller beds drain faster, too). Check the soil often by sticking your finger in it; when the top inch is dry, it’s time to give the bed a thorough watering. Make sure to stay on top of watering as the soil can become hydrophobic and lose the ability to absorb the water.

Add a mulch layer

If you cover the soil around the plants in your raised bed with a 2- to 3-inch layer of a mulching medium, you’ll likely need to water less and pull fewer weeds. Mulch helps keep the soil moist, and keeps weeds from growing by blocking their access to that same sunlight. Mulch can be made from composted bark, straw, shredded leaves, pine straw, or untreated grass clippings. Make sure to check with your local tree care professionals as some will even deliver free bark trimmings for you.

Feed your plants

Do you know how you get feeling all hungry and out of sorts when you haven’t eaten in a while? Plants are the same way. They need regular nutrition to grow their best, especially in raised beds, where they might be planted a little more closely together than in the ground. We suggest using Plant Juice or Bloom Juice depending on the stage of life of the plant

Watch for weeds

“See a weed, pull a weed” is the motto around here when it comes to weeding. Little weeds will begin to pop up overnight, so you can tend to the weeds every day. I know, with a raised garden bed you were probably expecting fewer weeds but sadly that is not the case. I personally have a balcony on the top floor of my apartment complex and yet, my container garden still grows weeds.

Go on pest control

When you visit your raised bed garden daily and take the time to check each plant for signs of pests or disease, it’s easy to familiarize yourself with any changes that aren't simply due to growth. Catching these problems early will be a lifesaver.