The raised bed is a central element in the permaculture garden because it enables productive cultivation of various plants in a small space without the use of external fertilizers or chemicals. Below you will find out why the raised bed should not be missing in the permaculture garden.
Why is the raised bed important in permaculture?
The raised bed in permaculture enables productive cultivation in a small space, uses existing material, maintains soil fertility, maximizes yields through natural processes, keeps pests away, enables long-term cultivation and makes gardening easier for everyone.
Why should the raised bed not be missing in the permaculture garden?
A raised bed allows you to grow fruit and vegetables easily and productively. Various characteristics make it an essential element in the permaculture garden. The raised bed meets these permaculture principles:
- Maximum yield in a small space: The raised bed allows you to grow very high-yield fruits and vegetables in a small area. A raised bed can even be created on the balcony or terrace.
- Using and processing existing material: Grass cuttings, tree cuttings and garden waste are processed in the raised bed. You can find out more about the structure here.
- Maintain or increase the fertility of the soil: Through the use of various organic material and its decay, the raised bed is extremely nutrient-rich, which makes fertilizer unnecessary.
- Maximize yield through natural processes: The rotting process releases heat, which promotes the growth of the plants and thus enables an early harvest.
- Keep pests away naturally: Due to the height, the raised bed is less susceptible to pests. In addition, the damage in the event of a pest infestation is minimal due to the diversity of species.
- Growing for the long term: A raised bed can be used for several years if the crop rotation is observed. You can find more information about the principles of permaculture in this article.
- Easy gardening and social integration: Due to the height, the raised bed allows comfortable gardening even for older people or people with physical limitations.
Framing the raised bed - natural ideas that cost nothing
To limit your raised bed, you can find not-so-cheap wooden boxes in the hardware store as well as foil with which to cover the raised bed so that the wood does not suffer. But there is another way. One of the principles of permaculture is to use what is available. So take a look around your garden and get creative. For example, you can create your raised bed frame from large stones, use tree cuttings or build the border from old flower pots, bricks, tree roots or sod. A mix of different materials is also conceivable. If you have clay-rich soil, you can seal and stabilize the walls of the raised bed with clay or you can use chopped stones or small stones to close gaps in the frame. If you have no idea what you can use to frame your raised bed, lay it Just look at a hill bed - it doesn't need a frame. You can find out everything you need to know about the hill bed here.