Garden Beds: In-Ground versus Raised Beds
When it comes to structuring your garden, two different garden bed styles are in-ground and raised garden beds. But which is better? In this post, we’ll see how they compare.
Raised beds are becoming increasingly popular in the home garden setting, while in-ground beds have traditionally been used for both the home garden and commercial production. But what are the differences when it comes to these two different gardening styles?
In this post, we’ll identify the main benefits and drawbacks of both in-ground garden beds and raised garden beds. If you’re on the fence on which to use in your garden, read on for an in-depth comparison.
Here is a quick summary of the pros and cons of raised garden beds and in-ground beds:
Raised Garden Bed Pros:
- Ability to protect from underground pests
- More control over soil quality
- Raised height can be more comfortable to work in
- Defined borders can make weed control easier
Raised Garden Bed Cons:
- Materials can be costly
- Some materials will deteriorate over time
- Can dry out quickly in some climates
- Takes up more space
In-Ground Garden Bed Pros:
- No extra materials needed
- More practical for large scale
- Ability to flood irrigate
- More space efficient
In-Ground Garden Bed Cons:
- Takes longer to improve soil quality
- More prone to flooding in wet areas
- Can be less comfortable to work in
- Underground pests can be a problem
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. This comparison is based on our experiences and what many gardeners tend to like and dislike about the two different bed types. Which type of bed works for you in your garden will differ based on a number of factors.
Let’s dive in and talk about the ins and outs of raised garden beds first.
Raised Garden Beds
Raised garden beds have become really popular in the home garden setting. They may even be the most common set up in home gardens these days. Why? They have some key benefits that make them a great choice. Let’s go over a few.
Raised Garden Bed Pros
Ability to Protect from Underground Pests
Raised beds can easily be lined with netting or wire before filling with soil to help keep underground pests at bay. Moles and ground squirrels can wreak havoc on a garden, so this is a major benefit of raised beds where these pests can be a problem.
More Control Over Soil Quality
Since raised beds are above ground, you get to choose the soil that goes in them. If the native soil in your garden is less than ideal for growing plants, this can be a huge selling point. Raised beds can be filled with a well-draining, nutrient rich soil, making them instantly ideal for growing.
Raised Height Can Be More Comfortable to Work In
Stooping down to ground level can be tough on your back. The elevated height of raised beds can be much more comfortable for sowing seeds, weeding, and harvesting.
Defined Borders Can Make Weed Control Easier
The above-ground aspect of raised beds can also make weed control more manageable. Since there’s more separation between your plants and the ground, there’s likely less weeds in direct competition with your veggies and flowers.
As you can see, there are several reasons why a gardener might choose raised beds. But what are some possible downsides? Let’s talk about a few negative aspects that you might want to take into consideration.
Raised Garden Bed Cons
Materials Can Be Costly
If you’re thinking about building raised beds for your garden, you’ll need to source both the materials to build the raised beds and the soil to fill the beds. Both can be expensive, which is a downside when compared to the simplicity of in-ground beds.
Some Materials Will Deteriorate Over Time
Raised beds can be made from several different materials such as milled lumber, rock or stone, metal, natural wood logs, and even concrete. Some of these materials will deteriorate over time and some deteriorate relatively quickly, like wood. So if you do decide to build raised beds, make sure you take into account how long you want the beds to last when choosing materials.
Can Dry Out Quickly In Some Climates
Raised beds will dry out at a faster rate than in-ground beds, which can be a downside in hot, dry climates. Gardeners in these types of climates make sure to water their raised beds thoroughly every day, or install a drip irrigation system.
Takes Up More Space
If you are limited on garden space, raised beds may not be for you. The bed frames themselves take up some space, plus ample spacing is required to allow access to each bed. When you think about it, raised beds actually use up more garden space than in-ground beds do.
In-Ground Garden Beds
Now that we’re aware of some of the main benefits and drawbacks of raised garden beds, let’s talk about in-ground beds. Even though raised beds seem to be the more popular choice for home gardeners recently, there are plenty of perks to using in-ground garden beds!
In-Ground Garden Bed Pros
No Extra Materials Needed
Perhaps the most appealing aspect of in-ground garden beds is there are no extra materials required. You don’t have to build anything (other than mounding the existing soil into beds). This translates to less time and money invested right out of the gate.
More Practical for Large Scale
If you are looking to garden or farm on a large scale, in-ground beds are much more efficient than raised beds. Due to the material costs, space limitations, and the time involved in building them, raised beds are just not practical on a large scale.
Ability to Flood Irrigate
Another perk of in-ground beds is the ability to flood irrigate the entire bed. If your in-ground beds are situated so that they are parallel to the slope of the land instead of perpendicular, you will have an easy way of irrigating your garden.
More Space Efficient
In-ground beds are more space efficient than raised beds. Since they don’t have the raised height that requires more spacing in between the beds, in-ground rows can be closer together allowing more space for planting overall.
In-ground beds are the long-established choice for home gardens, and for good reason. There are some downsides to in-ground garden beds, however.
In-Ground Garden Bed Cons
Takes Longer to Improve Soil Quality
Perhaps one of the main reasons gardeners choose raised beds over in-ground beds has to do with soil quality. In-ground beds require you to work with what you have, which in many cases isn’t exactly ideal soil right from the start. On the other hand, you get to choose which soil goes in raised beds. Not to say that soil quality can’t be improved, because it can. It will likely take longer to improve the native soil, though.
More Prone to Flooding in Wet Areas
Another possible downside of in-ground garden beds is flooding. While flood irrigation can be a perk of in-ground beds, too much water can be an issue. Gardens in flood-prone areas and climates may do better with raised beds, as the elevation of the beds can help prevent damage from flooding.
Can Be Less Comfortable to Work In
Kneeling or bending down low to reach in-ground beds can be tough on your back and knees. Some gardeners might prefer raised beds as they are easier to reach and more comfortable to work in.
Underground Pests Can Be a Problem
Since in-ground beds are directly in the ground, underground pests such as moles and ground squirrels have direct access to your garden. If your garden is in an area where these pests are common, you may choose raised beds since they can be lined with a protective mesh or wire.
Which Type of Garden Bed is Better?
Raised beds and in-ground beds both have some significant benefits, and some serious drawbacks. Which type of garden bed is best really comes down to each individual garden and gardener.
When choosing your garden layout, be sure to consider your location, climate and soil quality. Your budget and time investment are also important factors.
We hope this post was helpful in choosing which garden beds are best for you. If you liked this post, please be sure to share it and/or leave a comment below!
