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The raised-bed gardening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It allows producing more vegetables than any gardener would haveimagined, on a smaller surface he or she would have dared to hope.

 

And by considerably reducing the work amount and hardness.

 

Instead of planting more beans in lines and stepping between them, theraised-bed gardener organizes elevated cultivation planks of about 1.2m; on which the gardener will never walk. They are separated by alleysthat will not be cultivated.

 

It allows for a considerable decrease in the needs to work the soil,possibly to zero.

 

Meanwhile, the gardener lets living beings of the soil work andfavours their multiplication. They will provide the work in his stead.

 

The raised-bed gardener takes care to always let over the soil a coverlayer of straw, compost or other living plants.

 

Thus the soil retains water, while it is drained by galleries and itsinhabitants.

 

This cover layer, by its decomposition, perpetually enriches the soil.

 

The raised-bed gardner associates the various species of plants andanimals, wild or domestic.

 

The raised-bed gardner favours the good weeds, and offers them space.

 

As early as within the first months, the work is decreased, wateringreduced, productivity increased.

 

After a couple years, the raised-bed's soil is considerably enrichedin humus, the ground absorbs and retains water, while beingwell-drained. Your garden is tired? You now know what needs to bedone.

 

Two main trends practice raised-bed gardening: the first one is ofbiointensive inspiration, the second one is of permacultural inspiration.

 

The biointensive trend basically tries to maximize the yield as fastas possible via the use of all organic means available.

 

Permaculture does rather focus on mimicking nature, and avoiding highwork-costly practices, even if it means lower yield or requires alonger time to get better results

 

Hozever, the two trends have a common point, in particular the use ofraised-beds, the creation of a whole ecosystem, and soil improvement.