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  • Vertical Garden Bed: a Unique Raised Garden You’ve Got to See

    Vertical Garden Bed: a Unique Raised Garden You’ve Got to See

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    Often, budding gardeners will think they need the perfect piece of land to start growing, but that isn’t the case at all. I know this because my own vegetable garden is contained to a small, rather odd piece of land. I had to get a bit creative with how I built it. As I couldn’t move out, I had to grow it up. Here’s my unique vertical garden and tips for creating your own. You’ll never believe how much food can be grown in a small space until you see my unique raised garden bed!

    This post has been a long time in the making. It’s taken plenty of trial and error to come to this point, but I hope this information is helpful and inspiring to those of you with small spaces or uniquely shaped gardens.

    For me, this raised bed planter is a unique solution that was born out of necessity. This area is an awkward small space, but now you wouldn’t believe how much food it produces!

    Update! This vertical garden was left behind for the new homeowners in my previous garden, but it was one of my favourite creations.

    Let me show you exactly how my vertical garden bed all came together!

    Produce harvested from raised garden beds such as cucamelons, edible flowers, peppers, and cherry tomatoes.Produce harvested from raised garden beds such as cucamelons, edible flowers, peppers, and cherry tomatoes.
    This harvest all came from my vertical garden bed.

    Why I Created This Unique Vertical Garden

    Let me back up and explain how I got to this point with my vertical garden set up. Previously, the vegetable garden space was situated on a long strip of soil that is the only part of the garden that gets full sun.

    The original set up only allowed for 20 sq ft of garden space which is not nearly enough for me. Now, the garden has more than doubled that square footage by using creative vertical raised beds!

    The garden in my home was designed without much thought for the sun. A south-facing backyard has always been my dream garden, and yet, with this space, it has been an ongoing challenge.

    Isn’t that always the case? You finally get that dream garden and it has its own set of unique issues.

    Woman picking fresh produce from a raised garden bedWoman picking fresh produce from a raised garden bed
    The bottom beds of my planter are just above ground level.

    Gardening in the Sun vs the Shade

    I like to have the sun on my plants and shade on my fair, freckled skin. I get pretty warm in the summer months when it gets hot, and so I’m always seeking out the shade.

    When I moved into this home I quickly realized that the existing design in the garden was the opposite of that. The sunny garden beds on the south side of the property were planted with trees. They didn’t do anything to shade the lawn and the upper deck which got hot blazing sun all day long through midsummer but created deep shade in the garden. UGH.

    Vertical garden with three stacked raised bedsVertical garden with three stacked raised beds
    The actual square footage this planter takes up is very little.

    Why I Made a Vertical Garden

    The design in my backyard had a 20 foot by 5 foot section of the garden for growing vegetables. This would have been just fine except that the area is also elevated. This particular area is raised off the ground by 5 feet. There was no fencing around the edge of the garden and the previous owners had a raised plank in the middle of the bed to reach both sides of the vegetable garden.

    Imagine you’re five feet up from the ground with no fence and you’re now raised an extra 6 inches up on a platform reaching down to get it the vegetables below.

    It was not only a little bit nerve-wracking to garden in the space, but it didn’t take long for my back to ache like crazy.

    So, I came up with a design that had two long raised beds along either side of the garden with a gravel walkway in between.

    That still didn’t give enough space to plant vegetables. Each bed was 20 ft long and about 12 to 18 ft wide. In a square foot garden that means about 30-40 plants.

    I couldn’t go out any further, so my only choice was to grow up, turning one bed into a three-level raised bed. This gave me an extra 40 square feet of vegetable garden, essentially doubling the space.

    Peas and cucamelons trellised in a raised garden bedPeas and cucamelons trellised in a raised garden bed
    The “normal” bed, on the other side of the path, allows me to grow my vining vegetables such as peas.

    How to Build a Vertical Garden

    First, let me preface by saying building a three-tier raised bed that’s 20 feet long is not easy. I’ll admit it was not cheap either. However, the cost and effort were more than worth it for the finished product.

    Each box is 12 in wide and 20 in long.  To make installation as easy as possible, they were built in 10-foot-long sections that were then connected together.

    To support the raised garden beds, I have mounted copper supports on the ends of each as well as in the middle where the two 10-foot-long beds are connected. The beds are also bolted to the fence behind, where my neighbour grows a grapevine—all this to say that the vertical garden beds are very sturdy.

    Woman harvesting chard from a vertical garden bedWoman harvesting chard from a vertical garden bed
    Swiss chard is a favourite veggie of mine to grow fresh.

    How to Care for a Vertical Garden

    Let’s talk about how to care for the plants growing in a vertical garden like this one, because there are special considerations if you use this design. There are challenges with sunlight, water, and airflow that I have needed to overcome.

    Snow peas dangling down on a vine from a raised garden bedSnow peas dangling down on a vine from a raised garden bed
    Snow peas in my vertical garden bed.

    Sunlight Needs for a Vertical Garden

    Just over half of the beds get full sun. The top of the three tiers gets full sun all summer long. The south-facing parts of the bottom two tiers also get full sun. And the single bed on the other side gets full sun.

    The middle, back of the middle and bottom tiers, however, is a different story. These areas get mostly shade from the box above but also the grapevine that grows on the neighbour’s fence.

    So when I’m planning out my garden I’m sure to include my sun lovers in the sunny parts of the beds, and edible flowers, lettuces, and shade-tolerant herbs in the second and bottom level.

    Again, this all took some trial and error to get right. I originally planted strawberries on the bottom level because it was a great height for my son to pick berries from when he was young. Sadly, the shaded berries were always bland and small without enough hot summer sun, so they had to be relocated. Now, they are thriving once again!

    Strawberries growing in the top compartment of a raised garden bed.Strawberries growing in the top compartment of a raised garden bed.
    Strawberries didn’t grow well in this vertical bed on the bottom level.

    How to Water a Vertical Garden

    Watering is also a bit of a challenge with the second two tiers. Obviously they don’t get rainfall, which is something that I count on living in the Pacific Northwest when it rains much of the year.

    Truthfully, I don’t do a lot of watering in my garden in general. Much of the gardens are established and drought-tolerant. Of course, vegetables and annuals need a lot of water through the growing season.

    Use Rain

    I tend to plan my vegetable garden planting so that I’m planting seeds and transplants right before it rains. This way, the spring rains really help to plump up and settle the new plants.

    Since the second and third rows don’t get any of that rain. I have to care for those differently. If there’s enough rain, the second bed will get a little bit of overflow drip from the top raised garden bed.

    When there’s a downpour, some of that overflow will even drip down from that second bed into the third. However, in general, I need to have supplemental water all year round for the second and third rows if I want to grow anything in the rainy season.

    A pile of freshly harvested currant tomatoesA pile of freshly harvested currant tomatoes

    Watering Systems

    I set up two different watering systems to support the beds.

    The first was a solar-powered drip system attached to a rain barrel. This is a great system because when the weather is sunny and hot, it triggers the watering system to go on automatically with water collected in the rain barrels. The sunnier it is, the more it waters the garden. Pretty smart!

    The only issue with this system was that it broke down after just a year. As it was quite expensive, it wasn’t something that I wanted to keep repairing and working on every year. Instead, I’ve run soaker hoses through the beds and just turn on the drip system.

    I use timers in the summer so that they can go on automatically when they really need that extra water.

    Yellow beans hanging out of a wooden raised garden bed.Yellow beans hanging out of a wooden raised garden bed.
    Yellow beans in the vertical garden bed.

    Providing Airflow in Raised Garden Beds

    This raised bed design was meant to be open enough so that there were 18 inches above the top of the soil for the plants to grow before they would hit the top of the next bed. This gives lots of room for small shorter plants such as violas and pansies, as well as edible flowers, baby lettuces, radishes, and low-growing greens.

    However, you can never plan for (or control) what happens on the other side of your fence. My neighbour has some moss-covered windows blocking the garden beds.

    In theory, I think this is to keep our cat out of her garden, but sadly, all it does is restrict the airflow to the bottom bed. So far, everything has grown okay, but it’s certainly something to consider.

    Lettuce seedlings growing in a raised garden bed.Lettuce seedlings growing in a raised garden bed.
    Lettuce seedlings growing in the vertical garden bed.

    What to Plant in a Stacked Vertical Garden

    Harvesting food from this garden is so simple and fun! It’s easy on my back, for starters. I often get asked how I reach the upper beds, and the answer to that is simple. I climb up onto the bottom beds and can easily reach the plants at the top to harvest the food.

    Woman with hat harvesting red peppers from the top section of a vertical garden bed.Woman with hat harvesting red peppers from the top section of a vertical garden bed.
    Some the middle tier, I can garden without bending down!

    In the upper beds, I usually plant decorative and short-growing peppers, along with tumbling tomatoes or smaller-sized tomatoes. I also put other sun-lovers up there, like eggplant and garlic.

    Because the beds are raised up, I don’t trellis peas and beans up. Instead, I let them grow down. I can then easily pick them from the garden below! This is one of my favourite ways to plant trellising veggies. You can do the same method in hanging baskets too.

    Currant tomato vine dangling down the side of a raised vertical gardenCurrant tomato vine dangling down the side of a raised vertical garden
    Your vegetables can hang down, making them easy to access from the top tier.

    My favourite vegetables to grow in the garden are:

    I get a great harvest by planting all of these in the raised garden beds. This organic, homegrown food will feed us for most of the summer months.

    Basket full of freshly harvested veggies such as lettuce, edible flowers, peppers, and cucamelonBasket full of freshly harvested veggies such as lettuce, edible flowers, peppers, and cucamelon
    Look at this full harvest from my vertical garden bed!

    Vertical Garden: a Fun Way to Garden in Raised Garden Beds

    The vegetable garden is always a show stopper when my garden is part of garden tours or when friends come over to visit. My friend Tara Nolan who wrote the best-selling book Raised Bed Revolution, got particularly excited when she saw it. She even took photos of it to share on her social media.

    Truly, despite all the challenges and effort to set up, I love this space. I hope you did as well!

    Stephanie Rose Vegetable GardenStephanie Rose Vegetable Garden

    More Unique Vegetable Gardening Tips

    vertical garden with three raised beds stacked togethervertical garden with three raised beds stacked together

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    Stephanie Rose

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  • Raised Beds vs. In Ground—Which is Better for Gardening? – Garden Therapy

    Raised Beds vs. In Ground—Which is Better for Gardening? – Garden Therapy

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    Raised beds have taken the gardening world by storm, and just about every vegetable gardener claims at least one raised bed in their design. But are raised beds better for gardening? People feel passionate about gardening in raised beds vs in ground beds, so let’s talk about the benefits and the drawbacks of each.

    In my old garden, I used a combination of raised beds and in ground beds. All of my perennials and herbs were in the ground, while I reserved one large raised bed for my vegetables.

    Just a sliver of my garden had full sun to grow my vegetables. So my solution was to make a unique stacked raised bed where I could optimize my growing space. It worked perfectly for someone with a small garden and as someone with mobility issues.

    As for my home, there is one big raised bed left behind by previous owners that is completely impractical. It’s goes right up against a neighbour’s fence, meaning it’s difficult to access. So I’ll actually be removing it this summer!

    There is always going to be a case for both sides of growing in raised beds vs in ground ones. So let me break down what you can expect from either option.

    Raised Bed vs In Ground Beds

    In ground beds are what’s more traditional, and what I’m sure most of your existing gardening beds are. This is when you grow your plants straight into the native soil. There is no turf or lawn, just soil ready for you to plant in.

    Raised beds have four walls, creating an enclosed space. These edges can be made of wood, brick, plastic, concrete, or other building materials. They vary significantly in size, with some being small and portable and others large and fixed to the ground.

    in ground bed with lavender and other flowersin ground bed with lavender and other flowers
    In ground beds can handle plants of all sizes.

    Are Raised Beds Better for Gardening?

    When it comes down to it, it all depends on the soil quality. For some, their backyard has wonderful beds of soil, whether you put your all into making it so or inherited some darn good soil already.

    For some, they don’t have great soil. Perhaps they have drainage issues or compact, clay soil. In some of these cases, it’s easier to start from scratch with a raised bed rather than try to fix the soil. Leave it to the perennials to fix it up instead!

    There are many pros and cons for raised beds vs in ground ones. It all depends on what your current issues are, what you hope you grow, and what space you have. I’ll break this down further, so you can figure out what kind of bed is best for you!

    Raised bed vs in ground Raised bed vs in ground
    Raised beds are great for communal spaces to ensure everyone has designated space.

    Pros of Raised Beds

    Raised beds are very trendy in gardening right now. They have a distinct neat and orderly look that many home gardeners appreciate. Even when there’s nothing growing in them, they can provide some winter interest. But there are a lot more positive things to consider besides the orderliness of a raised bed.

    Space Saver

    These raised beds can give you extra space in your gardening. If you have limited existing growing space, say from a paved patio or large deck, you can grow plenty in raised beds.

    They’re also great for small spaces that need to perfectly manage their space, such as balcony growers or small urban gardens.

    See this guide on square foot gardening for tips for maximizing space.

    Keep Pests Away

    While no garden is going to be completely pest free, raised beds can give you a leg up in keeping the pests away. Since the raised bed isn’t on level ground, it’s out of stomping and chomping range for specific pests like snails, slugs, and rabbits. I grow my lettuce in a wine barrel to keep them away from slugs!

    If the raised bed has a bottom or is lined, it can also protect from underground dwellers like gophers or moles.

    And if you have small kiddos running around, it can also keep the garden away from curious hands and stomping feet. Same goes for dogs! Though cats seem to be able to reach wherever they set their heart on.

    More Accessible

    One of the biggest draws of raised beds vs ground beds is that they can be more accessible. Those who have injuries or disabilities may have difficulty in reaching and tending to ground beds.

    If you have a raised bed that is higher up, you don’t have to bend or lean as much. It can make gardening much more accessible for anyone.

    It’s also great for children who are helping you in the garden. They’re less likely to step or kneel on things when there is that separation.

    Vertical garden with three stacked raised bedsVertical garden with three stacked raised beds
    This stacked planter allowed me to harvest and tend to vegetables with limited bending.

    Less Weeding

    For most people, they will find that they have to do less weeding with a raised bed. With new weed-seed-free soil, less weeds are likely to pop up. The soil is sterile when taken care of properly.

    The borders also help to keep out new weeds, especially those that spread easily through roots like crab grass or clover.

    However, it should be noted that if you place a raised bed over top of where turf or weeds used to be and don’t have a lined bottom, the weeds can still creep their way in.

    Of course, you’ll still get weeds no matter what—many are carried in the wind. So it’s not a fool proof solution!

    High-Quality Soil

    When you start a new raised bed, you’re immediately going to have some top-grade soil. If you are starting a ground bed, it can sometimes take a few years to build up the soil to be of high-quality.

    Soil can be difficult for many reasons, like lots of roots from a tree that make it difficult to plant into or lots of debris and rocks that make it difficult to use.

    Soil Temperatures

    Raised beds heat up much more quickly than in ground beds. You can get an earlier start outside in the spring when temperatures begin to warm up in raised beds.

    Raised beds (and containers, which are essentially small raised beds) are great for heat loving vegetables as they stay warmer in the summer than the ground.

    It should be noted that it goes the opposite way in the cooler season. The ground will be slower to freeze and cool, while raised beds will cool quickly. So if you have anything sensitive to the cold, raised beds are not as well insulated in the fall and winter.

    Better Drainage

    If a raised bed is set up properly, it can have better drainage than in ground beds. This is especially helpful in super rainy areas or if your yard has drainage issues and can collect soggy soil.

    That being said, raised beds can pool water at the base if it isn’t set up for proper drainage. So make sure you set it up right to take advantage of this pro.

    Woman with hat harvesting red peppers from the top section of a vertical garden bed.Woman with hat harvesting red peppers from the top section of a vertical garden bed.
    Peppers grow well in containers and raised beds since they like higher soil temperatures.

    Cons of Raised Beds

    For every pro, there is a con. Many of these pros have other considerations that should also be noted. In some cases, in ground beds are a better option than raised ones. Here are some of the not-as-great aspects of growing plants in a raised bed.

    More Expensive

    You don’t need much to start growing in the ground. You can get started instantly, and don’t have to worry about buying extra building materials or bucket loads of soil.

    Speaking of soil, it can get pretty pricey when you’re filling a whole raised bed (or two) full of it. I always suggest adding a layer beneath of other organic material such as branches and leaves. But even then, it will degrade and you’ll find yourself topping off with soil the next year.

    While you have the initial building costs of the raised bed, it may also require upkeep down the road. Especially if you use wood, you may find yourself needing to replace panels just a few years after constructing it.

    are raised beds better for gardeningare raised beds better for gardening
    This space would work better as an in ground bed since it’s right against a wall and not very accessible.

    Requires More Resources

    Plants in the ground have a big leg up on the competition for being low maintenance. They have access to endless soil beneath them where they can access all the nutrients they need and plenty of water.

    I never add any supplemental fertilizer to my in ground beds. Everything they need is already in the soil. I add layers of compost when I have some ready and allow leaf mulch to degrade in the fall. And that’s all they need!

    Meanwhile, plants in raised beds and containers will require supplemental fertilizer to get the nutrients they need. And oftentimes, watering will wash away a good chunk of the nutrients too.

    In ground beds also retain water much better. They can access moisture from deeper in the ground during droughts. Raised beds dry out quite quickly, and you’ll find yourself watering them almost daily in the peak of the summer.

    Raised beds can also be difficult to irrigate. You’re working against gravity after all.

    scoop of compost for in ground bedscoop of compost for in ground bed
    Adding a layer of compost to my in ground beds are all they need. No fertilizer required!

    Limited Growing Space

    When designing a raised bed, it’s important to consider how deep you make it, as this will limit what you can grow. Anything that has deep roots will have difficult growing in raised beds. With edges and bottoms, plants has difficult getting the horizontal spread and depth they need.

    See this guide for how deep a raised garden bed should be.

    More Permanent

    In some cases, raised beds can be portable. This is great for moving plants around as your design changes and to optimize growing conditions such as amount of sunlight.

    But in most cases, raised beds are actually quite permanent. As your design changes, you get stuck with a large and immobile structure. For new gardeners, the first design doesn’t always stick. You learn how other designs and systems work better for you.

    When you spend time and money building a raised bed, many are hesitant to take it all down and start from scratch. But sometimes that’s the only solution for a new, better working garden design.

    Peas and cucamelons trellised in a raised garden bedPeas and cucamelons trellised in a raised garden bed
    Most raised beds are too large to be moved if you want to change your garden design or layout.

    Time and Energy

    Depending on what your biggest problems are, a raised bed vs an in ground bed can take more time or energy. Besides the initial build of a raised bed, they also will require more daily watering and fertilizer than a raised bed. But, you may find yourself not having to fight weeds or pests as much.

    Likewise, an in ground bed doesn’t require much set up. You save time on watering and requiring little fertilizer. But you may end up spending more time weeding, amending soil, and fighting slugs and snails.

    Take the time to think about your space, what you plan on growing, and your individual needs. Weigh these pros and cons I’ve outline in raised beds vs in ground beds, and see what fits your garden best!

    FAQ About Raised Gardening Beds

    What vegetables should not be grown in a raised bed?

    Avoid any large vegetables. This means those that sprawl above ground and below ground. Vegetables with large root systems, such as pumpkins or watermelons, may have difficulty if the bed isn’t deep enough.

    Anything vining can also be difficult. Make sure you have a trellis to encourage these plants to grow up, not across the bed.

    Also avoid any vegetables that may be difficult to access, such as potatoes or corn.

    What veggies do best in raised beds?

    Veggies with shallow root systems do exceptionally well in raised beds. They’re quite versatile, so you can even put them in containers.

    Root vegetables like loose soil, which also makes them a great candidate for raised beds since there is no foot traffic to compact the soil.

    Heat loving vegetables may also benefit from raised beds as the soil temperature is warmer in the summer.

    Is it cheaper to make or buy raised garden beds?

    If you’re handy, it’s usually cheaper to make your raised garden beds yourself. If you can use reclaimed wood, even better. Here’s how you can make your own raised garden bed.

    Do you have a preference for raised beds vs ground ones? Let me know in the comments below.

    Tips for Growing Vegetables in a Raised Bed

    Pin image for raised garden beds vs. in ground: Which is better for gardening?Pin image for raised garden beds vs. in ground: Which is better for gardening?

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    Stephanie Rose

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