Raised garden beds are really like gardening 101. They’re great training grounds for beginners and boast lots of benefits for young families or anyone with a smaller garden to work with. Position your planters near a window for herbs and veggies straight from the garden to the plate.
While edibles are one great idea for raised garden beds, flowers are perfect for creating a cheery pop of colour in your outdoor entertaining space. Read on for more ways to fill your raised garden bed with plants, plus tips on nurturing them so they thrive.
Vegetables
Lots of vegetables love the full sun and rich loamy soil you can get in a raised garden bed. These are the best vegetables to grow, including planting timelines for temperate regions.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a versatile vegetable to have on tap. They need full sun and a stake or trellis if they are a vine variety. Plant them in late September or October.
Peppers
Whether you like hot peppers or mild ones, you can get your fill from your very own raised garden bed. They are from the same family as tomatoes and like similar conditions. Plant them in August or September.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are renowned for their cooling effect on the body, so they are often used in salads or as a DIY eye mask. They’re best planted between September and January.
Root vegetables
Vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and beetroot, can all be successfully grown in a raised garden bed. Plant them anytime except for the coldest months – June, July and August.
Many more kinds of vegetables grow well in raised garden beds. The best thing to do is to experiment with your crop and see which vegetables thrive.
Fruit
Fruit doesn’t only grow on trees. It can also be sourced from smaller bushes, plants, and vines.
Berries
One of the best ideas for your raised bed garden is to plant berries. Choose from strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries, and blackberries. Plant your berries in early September.
Melons
Melons are easily grown in raised garden beds and make a fun garden project with the kids as their fruit ripens. Plant them towards the end of October.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is another plant that flourishes in well-drained soil in a sunny position. Sow rhubarb seeds from September to November.
As for vegetables, there is an abundance of fruits that will grow well in raised garden beds. The above are perfect to begin with. But after a time of successful gardening, don’t be afraid to spread your green thumbs and try some different varieties.
Flowers
Australia has diverse climates, and some plants do better than others in certain weather conditions, so research which would best suit your local climate.
All of the below plants make great cut flowers. Some are perennials that grow year-round, and some are annuals that grow seasonally. Choose what’s best for you depending on the amount of maintenance you want to provide to your garden.
Roses
There are many different species of roses, from standard to climbing to miniature roses. The latter would be best for planting in raised garden beds, and will still provide ample beautiful blooms.
Australian natives
While many Australian native plants are quite large, some small shrubs would be suited to raised garden beds, such as grevillea, bottlebrush, banksia, and wattle species.
Sunflowers
There’s nothing more eye-catching than the yellow hue of a sunflower. You can grow them in your raised garden beds. Just add a few stakes to support their height. They like full sunlight.
These are just a few raised garden bed ideas for you to try. All will help attract birds and bees to your garden, which is an added bonus.
Planting tips
When you use our garden planters, you can make your raised garden beds mobile, and one of the most important aspects of growing in these containers is choosing the right sunny spot to place them in. Most edibles like plenty of sun and watering, especially if you are growing root vegetables. Deep watering will help those roots become established.
How to plan a raised garden bed
Consider the mature size of the plants, sunlight requirements, and companion planting principles when designing the layout of your raised bed. Taller plants should be placed at the back or centre, while shorter plants should be placed near the edges.
To plan the layout of a raised garden bed, you also need to know your aim in creating it. Do you want to grow fruit or vegetables for your family? Or do you want attractive flowers to form posies for your vases indoors? Perhaps you want a low-maintenance garden. These are all considerations you need to make.
Soil for raised garden beds
Another essential factor is the soil you use to fill the garden plants after you have installed them. The best and easiest pick is soil designed to support vegetable and fruit growth. You will also want to supplement the nutrients in this soil with plenty of composted matter applied throughout the growing season.
Grow a healthy crop with Pinnacle
Whether you’re just dipping your toes into gardening or are a seasoned professional, our raised garden beds offer a convenient way to grow your fruit and vegetables at home. Choose from various models, including our mobile raised garden planter, stationary raised garden planter or our specialty kids’ garden planter.
See our full range online or visit your local Bunnings Warehouse.
