What are the benefits of box-planting? We have a garden but I want my husband to make a box/raised bed for things like lettuce and radishes.
He says what is the differance if we just put it in the ground? I need some info. I like the idea of not haveing rows and it is pretty. That doesn’t do it for him. :)
One good thing about a raised bed like 4’x4’x12” is that you can do intensive gardening especially with lettuce and such. A higher percentage of the available growing space is used, no rows, there is less room for weeds to grow, and water can be used more efficiently.
1) You don’t have to stoop so far.
2) You can plant really close together and that cuts down on weeding and fertilizer.
3) Saves space so it’s a smaller area if you need to fence it to keep out deer and rabbits.
Raised beds drain better (but then again, you have to make sure they don’t dry out), the soil warms up faster in the spring, you can fill it with a good soil mix if your native soil is less than ideal, and it’s easier to control weeds.
All the info you need on raised bed gardening and its advantages can be found here:
http://www.squarefootgardening.com/
Keeps slugs and snails out...
I grow lettuce and radishes in the ground, but I have planted salad greens, herbs, spring onions, edible flowers, etc. in big pots right outside my kitchen door...for convenience.
I’m thinking container gardening is for asthetics, or when you don’t have room to do anthing else, or you have a mature yard with big trees and lots of shade and just patches of sunshine.
I mean, I LIKE the look of raised beds, but for me, since a large chunk of my land is full sun, it just makes sense to plant in the ground. It’s also less work for ME because I can get Husband or Son to till it for me, versus all that hand-digging in raised beds.
If he doesn’t want to build you some raised beds, try containers first and see what your productivity is compared to ‘in the ground’ plantings.
http://containergardening.about.com/
My ‘in the ground with boring rows’ garden is quite pretty. I throw flowers in there like nobody’s business; sunflowers, zinnia, cosmos, etc. Wherever they land, they land. I add height and interest with a tripod of Scarlet Runner Beans which have beautiful (edible) blooms and yummy, tasty beans.
Or, save a row for all cut flowers for yourself to ‘pretty it up’ if that’s what’s what you want. :)