Easy-to-Grow Fruits That Suit Raised Garden Beds
May 17, 2018
Your mom loves the idea of having fresh fruit and vegetables all summer.
You’ve put in raised gardens for her. She wants to dedicate one to fruit, but you’re not sure what will do best in a raised bed. Here are some suggestions.
Growing Berries in Raised Garden Beds
Strawberries do well in raised beds. You do need to protect them from insect pests and birds. Netting can help with that. As the plants begin to flower, place netting over the plants. When the berries are ripe, your mom can reach under the netting to harvest the strawberries.
If your mom can stand up, you may consider raspberries and blackberries to be grown in the garden beds. If she needs to garden from a sitting position, it will be harder to harvest the ripe berries. One of the benefits of growing raspberries in a garden bed is that it limits their spread. In just a matter of years, blackberry vines can easily spread to cover a 10-foot square. In a raised bed, there’s more control over how far they go.
Blueberries grow on bushes. There are dwarf bushes that grow well in raised beds. Tophat is one of the varieties to look for. They do expand with growth, however. You may only be able to fit one or two bushes in one bed. Tophat blueberry bushes usually grow to be up to two-feet wide. Patriot blueberry bushes need as much as six feet of space.
Blueberries need acidic soil. Your mom will need to buy and use a pH testing kit and add acidity as needed.
Growing Melons in Raised Garden Beds
Cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melons are a few of the varieties that do well in raised garden beds. They do need room to spread. They grow on vines that will stretch out for many feet if given the chance. The hardest part of growing melons in a raised bed is ensuring they get plenty of water. Melons have a high water content and need a lot of water to grow properly.
You might find the vines end up spiraling out of the garden beds and cascading onto the ground below. If your mom has someone who can bend to the ground to harvest ripe melons, don’t be too concerned about this type of spread.
Home care professionals can help your mom with her gardening. Caregivers can monitor her time in the sun and make sure she stays hydrated. Caregivers can help her harvest her ripe fruits and vegetables.