Over the last several years, raised garden beds have quickly become the go-to for home gardeners (even Joanna Gaines is a fan!). These planting structures can be made of wood, composite wood, steel, or stone, and can be customized in shape and size to best suit your outdoor space. Regardless of the material you choose, garden beds are great options for anyone interested in planting both edibles and ornamental plants.
If you’re eager to plot out your crops, experts share five veggie plants that even beginner gardeners can grow with ease in raised garden beds.
Raised Garden Bed Best Practices
While climate does have an impact on what can be grown in raised beds, in general, Kevin Lenhart—design director at Yardzen—offers this note to consider: “Raised beds give you control over soil composition, moisture content, and soil exposure,” he says. “In theory, you can tailor them to suit just about any plant that will physically fit within the bed.” Lenhart does recommend making sure that the soil within the beds is appropriately moist, as they tend to dry out more easily, being elevated above the ground and not insulated by surrounding soil. “This makes them more likely to heat or cool with changes in air temperature and solar exposure.”
Soil should be well-draining, loosely structured and nutrient-rich. “You want a loamy texture that’s heavy on the organic matter to facilitate retention of moisture,” says Shannon Cowan, a gardener and editor at Eartheasy. “Adding compost and organic fertilizer can help.”
If your heart is set on rows of ornamental flowers, six-inch-deep garden beds should suffice, but, according to Cowan, they need to be 12 to 24 inches deep for vegetables to accommodate their complex root systems. As for sun, be sure to place them somewhere in your yard where they’ll receive at least six to eight hours of direct light a day.
Beets
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Sweet, earthy and vibrant, beets thrive in garden beds due to the “loose, deep soil, which is ideal for growing root vegetables,” says Lenhart. Beets love consistently moist (but not soggy), well-draining soil and require at least six hours of sun a day. Once your seedlings sprout a few leaves, it’s important to thin them out; about four inches apart should do. You can expect to harvest beets within 50-70 days.
Best season to plant: Early spring or early fall, as beets thrive in cooler temperatures.
Carrots
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Carrots are another root vegetable that does well in raised beds, according to Lenhart. They’re happiest in cool, moist conditions. “It’s important to ensure good drainage to make sure plants in these environments don’t suffer root rot,” he adds. Give them plenty of vertical space for growth, 12 to 18 inches deep at minimum.
Just like beets, you’ll need to thin out the sproutlings once leaves grow. Watch out for planting carrots near other root vegetables. “This can cause harm by competing for resources and spreading diseases and pests among themselves,” warns Lenhart. Harvest when green tops are mature, about 70 to 80 days after planting.
Best season to plant: Early spring two to three weeks before the last frost, or in early fall 10 to 12 weeks before the first frost.
Bush Beans
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Bush beans, aka green beans or string beans, are ideal for raised garden beds and grow easily, quickly, and abundantly. “These need beds that are two feet deep or greater that receive eight hours of full sun each day,” explains Cowan. If your bush bean plants aren’t producing pods (which should be ready to harvest in about 45 days), it is most certainly because they are not getting enough sun. Lenhart recommends not planting bush beans in the same plot as onions, as they can stunt their growth.
Best season to plant: Late spring to midsummer, when soil temperatures are between 65 and 75 degrees.
Kale
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“Many leafy greens, including kale, do well in cool, moist regions, which sweeten with a light frost,” says Lenhart. Kale thrives in fertile, well-drained soil with a sandy, loamy texture, and plenty of direct sunlight.
Hoping for some tomatoes with that kale salad? Lenhart warns that they’ll have to grow in separate beds, because brassicas such as kale can inhibit the growth of nightshades. Harvest roughly seven weeks from planting seeds, when the stems are about 12 inches long. Remember, kale will continue to produce after harvesting the older leaves.
Best season to plant: Early to mid-spring for a summer harvest and throughout the fall.
Cucumbers
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“Newbies should ease into gardening with relatively fuss-free species like cucumbers,” says Lenhart. The most complex part of growing this fruit is the added trellis you’ll need for the bed, adds Cowan, which keeps the growth above the ground to help reduce risk of disease. Plus, they’ll be easier to harvest this way. Cucumbers like nutrient-dense soil, with weekly waterings (more when it’s hot and dry in the summer). As long as the soil is warm, you can expect a crop after 50 to 70 days.
Best season to plant: Mid-may, or when soil temperatures are between 65 and 85 degrees.
Companion Flowers to Plant in Raised Garden Beds
“Planting ornamentals with edible plants attracts pollinators—thereby increasing pollination for some food plants—repels some pests, and generally creates a healthier garden ecosystem over monoculture crops,” says Cowan, who recommends marigolds, zinnias and nasturtiums when planted at the edges of garden beds.
In hot, dry climates, coneflower and milkweed are particularly useful for attracting beneficial insects to the beds, advises Lenhart. “Other flowers, like clover, help to improve soil quality by adding nitrogen,” he continues. The landscape architect adds that in cool, moist conditions, bee balm, goldenrod, columbine, and trillium grow well and are a nice complement to an edible garden.
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