Julia Habsburg's raised bed garden, secured with a fence, produces a bounty of fresh vegetables throughout the growing season. The designated pathway leads to one of three compost bins. The obelisks in the back right and left are used to grow sugar snap peas and pole beans throughout the growing season. Two crops of beans are harvested through a combination of rotation and succession planting. Vegetable varieties include asparagus, tomatoes, peppers, greens, squash, collards, Swiss chard, carrots, beets, turnips, mini corn and lettuces. Pumpkins and gourds are trellised on the fencing. Herbs, strawberries, raspberries and flowers such as cut and come again zinnias round out the growing season.

Intensive gardening methods are gaining in popularity.

Surprisingly, this growing technique is not new. Intensive gardening methods have been used for centuries. In recent years, intensive gardening or raised beds encompasses any structure which contains growing medium and is above ground level.

Essentially, a raised bed is a box resting on the ground. These simple structures create a highly productive and space-saving garden.

There are three main reasons for gardening in raised beds: improved soil health, greater crop variety and yields, and easy maintenance.

Raised beds promote soil health.

In the spring, raised or elevated beds warm up quickly and are ready to plant several weeks earlier than traditional beds. Drainage is improved because of the amended soil that comprises the raised bed.

Soil compaction is virtually eliminated, because it is not necessary to walk on the growing area.

The elevated bed can be placed in a sunny location for full-sun crops or shade for part sun/part shade plants.

The soil depth of the raised bed varies based on crop needs. For example, root crops require a deeper growing medium (12 to 17 inches), while fruiting and leafy crops do well in a shallow bed (10 to 12 inches).

Raised beds provide the potential for greater crop variety and yields. Crops can be grown vertically, which allows for additional plantings underneath or in-between them.

Use a trellis or netting to grow snap peas and plant lettuce beneath the trellis or netting. This extra shade could prevent lettuce from bolting quickly.

Inter-planting can be utilized, which is the process of alternating rows within the bed.

For example, scallions are planted with peppers, a long season crop. As the scallions are harvested another short season crop can be planted in the scallions' place.

Greater crop yields are realized with succession planting. For example, after harvesting the sugar snap peas, plant pole beans on the trellis or net. When the pole beans have been harvested, plant another crop of sugar snap peas for a second fall harvest.

Another option is to plant rows of leafy vegetables and leave enough space between the rows to plant in between the rows in a couple of weeks. In this way, once the initial planting of leafy vegetables is harvested, a new crop has had the opportunity to grow. All one has to do is plan to repeat the process.

In the fall, it is a good idea to plant a cover crop in your beds and turn over the cover crop in the spring to enrich your garden soil.

Raised beds allow for easy maintenance.In general, raised beds should be wide enough so that all parts of the garden can be reached from the side or walkway. A convenient width for a bed should be between 3 to 4 feet, and a length of 4 to 8 feet.The height of a raised bed should fit your individual needs, from a few feet to waist-high, which provides for easy access when weeding and planting.When using multiple raised beds in an area, allow for paths of 1 to 3 feet in width between the beds. This path width allows for mowing and maintenance.When designing a raised bed garden, decide in advance what you want to grow and when you want to harvest. Study photos of existing beds as well as planting lists.Draw a planting plan that includes the number and type of plants and when they will be planted. Base your plant choices on their nutritional, spacing, sun, shade and root growth needs.Raised beds are a great way to garden, especially for gardeners with poor soil, limited space or impaired movement. Gardening brings great joy for many reasons, and intensive raised bed gardening is just another avenue to reap the benefits of vegetable, fruit and flower gardening.<em>Julia Habsburg has been a Master Gardener since 1998. Her gardening passions include growing herbs and vegetables at her Harmony, PA home. She incorporates repurposed and decorative items into her gardens.</em>

Julia Habsburg