Raised Bed vs. Traditional Gardening

Are you new to gardening, or starting a new gardening venture and wish to determine the pros and cons of both raised bed and traditional, in-ground gardening? You’ve come to the right place. In this blog, the gardening experts at Garden Savvy are weighing in on the benefits and drawbacks of each type of gardening.

When starting a home, community or school garden, the first choice in garden planning is whether it should be a raised or in-ground garden. If you’ve always wondered what the differences are, follow this guide of pros and cons for each in order to make an educated garden plan for the gardening goals you’re trying to achieve.

Raised Bed Gardening

Raised Bed – Pros

• Easy to pick up and move anywhere you choose
• Easier to keep garden pests out
• Easier on your back, less hunching over
• Better draining
• Less maintenance once up and running
• Less weeding
• Minimal or no water/soil runoff
• Longer growing season
• Better alternative in areas with poor soil conditions

Raised Bed – Cons

• More expensive to start up
• More maintenance – buying soil, more watering
• Soil dries out in summer and cools down faster in fall
• Roots are confined
• Limited variety of plants to grow
• Wood needs to be replaced down the line

In-Ground Gardening

Traditional Gardening – Pros

• Less cost involved
• Easier to get started
• Use existing soil
• Less watering; soil won’t dry out as fast
• Availability of more square footage

Traditional Gardening – Cons

• More difficult to keep garden pests away
• Tougher physical work for aging gardeners or those with disabilities
• Less drainage, more irrigation planning
• Soil regeneration can take time

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