How Much Space Between Raised Beds
Whenever gardening in raised beds, know that you are using one of the best ways to cultivate a wide range of plants in an organized way, including managing the space between raised beds. What we love most about this planting method is its versatility and freedom. You can place them however you want without any consequences. Or is that so? What we noticed lately is that many people find it tricky to deal with raised garden beds. People are struggling with spacing when it comes to this cultivation method.
We are not only talking about spacing between plants, but spacing between raised beds too. They are equally important. So, today, our focus will solely be on that. Therefore, let’s explore and learn together!
Why does spacing matter?
Many tend to ignore this at first unimportant question. But, there is a recommended space between raised garden beds you should consider. This can greatly affect certain gardening aspects.
First thing, it is all about accessibility. Whenever you’re planning the distance between raised beds, think about how you can reach the center of each bed. Is it easily accessible or not? This should be the primary focus of your attention. The second is the health of the plants. We love putting plants under the spotlight, and probably the best way to do so is to organize the spacing between them – not just in terms of sunlight or healthy growth but also decreasing vulnerability to diseases.
However, we are sure that you’re just like us – and you want to see the magnificence each time you look at your garden. Therefore, besides the plant being healthy, it also has to be visually pleasing. The visually pleasing aspect means a lot to everyone. That is why spacing between raised beds is part of today's subject.
How much space between raised beds
In the garden, people need enough space for various activities like weeding, fertilizing, watering, and harvesting. An 18-24 inch spacing is usually the minimum. However, for tools like wheelbarrows and hoses, a 24-36 inch spacing is ideal. Cornell University’s gardening guidelines suggest that 18-24 inches provide enough space for plant maintenance and harvesting. When using raised beds in the garden, consider the bed sizes to determine the ideal distance between raised beds. For example:
Regular Shaped Raised Beds
17-inch 9-in-1 (8x2 feet) and 10-in-1 (8x4 feet) metal garden beds
Recommended spacing: 18-24 inches. This spacing allows easy movement between beds for daily maintenance.
Special Shaped Raised Beds
17-inch L-shaped (7x7 feet) and U-shaped (8.5x7 feet) raised garden beds
Recommended spacing: 24-36 inches. L-shaped and U-shaped beds might need more work space at the inner and outer corners, so slightly larger spacing is beneficial.
Overall, for smaller regular shaped planters (8x2 and 8x4), maintain an 18-24 inch spacing. For larger special shaped garden beds (L-shaped and U-shaped), maintain a 24-36 inch spacing. These distances ensure you have enough space for daily gardening activities while keeping your garden organized.
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Distance from fence for a garden bed
When considering the placement of raised beds in your garden, it's crucial to maintain proper spacing. The minimum recommended spacing is 12-18 inches, ideally 18-24 inches, and for more room, 24-36 inches is best. Here’s why these distances are important:
- Access and maintenance – the most important factor to consider when you are calculating the spacing between the raised beds is access. You will need to leave to do certain tasks. Likewise, proper access leads to proper maintenance too. These tasks include checking the plants for pests, cleaning the beds of any debris, and pruning the plants if necessary. Just about any other technical maintenance requires space to get in and out.
- Light and airflow – another thing you should consider when you are thinking about the distance between the fence and your raised garden beds is the light and air circulation. If you put the beds too close to your fence, you might limit their sunlight, ultimately affecting their growth. Therefore, ensuring there is enough space between the fence and the bed will allow for proper airflow.
Now you know the two most important aspects of spacing, so keep them in mind at all times.
Can you put a raised garden bed next to a fence?
We get how you still want to pursue your idea of adding the raised garden beds next to your fence. After all, you might be dealing with raised beds in a small garden, or you simply may have a very good layout in your mind and want to make it come true. Either way, we’re here to tell you this is possible. However, before you jump head-first into work, keep the following things in mind:
The material of the fence
This is a crucial element. Allow us to explain. The wooden fence can leach chemicals into the soil, especially if the wood is treated with preservatives. If this is the case, think about using a plastic liner or a landscape fabric. It will keep the bed and the fence separate and will prevent any soil contamination.
Selecting your plants
We love all plants, and if we could have all of them in our garden, we would! The thing is, raised beds in a small garden come with a limited amount of options. The sooner you realize that, the better gardening choices you will make. For this particular subject, the type of plants you want to grow can directly affect your raised beds next to the fence. In some cases, this might not be a very good idea. In other cases, it might just turn out perfectly. For example, shorter plants may lack sunlight if placed next to a fence, while taller plants or vining crops may benefit from this position. So plant smart.
Thinking about the future
We can assume that, since you wanted to add raised beds to your garden, you acknowledge that it is a full-time job and a long-term investment. You want to keep the raised beds as long as possible, and that means regular repairs. While we mentioned this and the recommended space between raised garden beds already, we cannot accentuate its importance enough.
They also require constant maintenance and sometimes even small repairs, and you need to be able to have unobstructed access to them – from all sides. If you place the beds too close to the fence, you might not be able to reach some spots. So when the time comes to repair or repaint the bed, you will be unable to do that. Oh, and the same goes for the fence too! You’re not only obstructing your garden's access but also your hedge!
Conclusion
You see, it is easy to answer the question of spacing between raised beds once you consider the proper factors. Now that you know them, all you need to do is measure your space, determine how much you need to have full accessibility, and plant the raised beds as per your plan! If you liked this article, keep on reading our other gardening articles!
