What flowers grow well in raised beds?
Popular annual flowers for raised beds include marigolds, petunias, snapdragons, pansies, and impatiens. These types of flower beds are also perfect for starting a cut flower garden with annual flowers such as zinnias, cosmos, larkspur, bachelor buttons, and dahlias. Raised flower bed ideas You can choose hardy and half-hardy annuals in a raised bed, or mix annuals with perennials, such as Phlox paniculata ‘Purple Eye Flame’, Achillea millefolium ‘Terracotta’ and Verbena bonariensis for a selection that will give you blooms for many years to come.Grow your perennial flowers in perennial beds around your raised-bed kitchen garden. Some of my favorite perennials are echinacea, bee balm, rudbeckia (AKA black-eyed Susans), anise hyssop, and salvias.
What to plant together in raised beds?
Onions and garlic planted with tomatoes help to repel many common pests, including slugs and snails. Basil planted in the same bed can help enrich the flavor of ripe tomatoes. Radishes and marigolds planted with cabbages help control the cabbage maggots that commonly attack cabbage plant roots. Top recommendations for raised garden beds Basil planted in the same bed can help enrich the flavor of ripe tomatoes. Radishes and marigolds planted with cabbages help control the cabbage maggots that commonly attack cabbage plant roots. Add some chives to this bed if you have a slug problem.Plants for a 6-inch high raised bed: Arugula, leeks, lettuce, onions, radishes, spinach, strawberries, basil, chives, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, thyme, marigolds and other annual flowers.
How do I enrich my raised bed soil?
Raised garden bed soil needs special attention because, over time, soil settles in the beds. Regular compost applications help aerate soil and improve water-retention and drainage. Sowing cover crops and turning them will also help improve raised soil. During the cooler seasons of fall and early spring, you may only need to water every few days, and go weeks without watering during the rainy season. Raised beds in particular may need more watering in dry weather. Plants in raised beds tend to grow more quickly and consume water and nutrients faster.Raised beds need water more often since the soil is more exposed to air and dries quicker. Similar to growing in containers, the extra watering can leach nutrients out of the soil quicker than in-ground gardens. For that reason, raised beds will likely need fertilizer more often.
What should I add to my raised beds before planting?
Compost, Compost, Compost Did we mention compost? Topping off your raised beds with a 1 to 2 layer of compost in early spring is the easiest way to feed a long, gradual supply of nutrients to your plants all summer long. However, not every plant will do great in a raised bed. Some plants need more room for their roots to spread out. This is the case with many fruit trees and even plants like pumpkins or asparagus because of their sprawling vines or complex root systems.Any time you plant vegetables, flowers, herbs, or shrubs into the raised bed, it is good practice to add slow-release balanced fertilizer. Such a balanced feed contains important nutrients required to develop shoots and roots to help plants establish into the bed.