Raised beds and drainage

One of the benefits of utilizing raised beds in your garden is that they allow for proper drainage in areas that do not have good natural soil percolation rates. Take the following into account when you build and place your beds:

Be sure water can pass through the bottom of the bed-- This is usually accomplished by having a box with an open bottom. If you must build a base for the box (if it's going to be placed on a concrete patio for example) you should be sure to either drill holes in it or leave 1/4" gaps between your boards in order to allow for water to drain underneath. Sometimes it is necessary to elevate the beds so there is a small space underneath for the passage of water. If you don't want water to flow out onto the ground then you'll have to install a drainage system in the bottom of the box, which can be complicated.

Use soil that will drain properly-- If you are amending your own soil, be sure to create a mix that will absorb water but still let the excess pass through. If you have a lot of clay in your soil, mix it with some sand, perlite, rice hulls, or another inert amendment to lighten it up.

Keep the area around beds dry-- Place gravel, mulch, wood chips, or pavers around your raised beds so that you don't end up with a muddy mess to stand in while tending the garden. Mulch is great for areas surrounding gardens as it is cheap, easy to transport and install, keeps your boots relatively dry, and blocks weeds to a certain extent.

Choosing a location for your new garden beds

There are several things to consider when you try to find an appropriate location for your garden beds. Picking the wrong spot can lead to disastrous results. You need to have the following:

Sunlight-- Find an area of your yard that will get lots of sunlight. It will be hard for you to grow anything if you don't get at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day, and the more the better if you want your plants to grow optimally. Certain crops such as tomatoes and bell peppers require long periods of sunlight in order to properly develop. If you live in a dark area, such as a heavily forested, urban or coastal region, you may have to do some research before deciding what to grow in your raised beds.

Protection from Deer-- If you live in an area where deer are a problem, you'll have to have a tall fence surrounding your garden. Many a harvest has been spoiled by hungry deer; they can devour plants down to nothing in a very short period of time. In my experience most alternative methods to keep deer away (cougar piss, fishing line, and whatnot) are ineffective, so exclusion with a good welded wire or redwood fence is an absolute must to protect your investment.

Slope-- A level area to place the bed is necessary unless you modify the bed to fit the contour of a hillside. The top should be level so that the soil saturates evenly when you water. I recommend using terraces to place your beds on. More on this topic to come.

Visual appeal-- A garden will give new life to an old yard. Place it somewhere that will be pleasing to the eye, check the spacing between walkways, etc. and try to pick a spot where it will be centered between obstacles and landscape features. 

Farmer Stephan selects the perfect location for raised beds in this client's backyard

Accessibility-- Be sure that you can access your beds in order to work in them. I try to leave at least 18 inches (0.5m) of room around the sides of my beds so that I can easily work around them. This prevents having to climb up on the side of the bed in order to reach the back. Also consider who is going to be tending your garden. Some folks will require more space than others.