Looking to start gardening but unsure where to begin? These easy-to-grow plants for raised beds make it a breeze to cultivate a vibrant garden.
According to multiple studies, exposure to nature through gardening can improve our psychological well-being by relieving stress and elevating moods. Gardening may also activate our energy levels and stimulate mental creativity.
The fact that farming encourages spending more time in the sun means seniors can work their muscles as they take in essential vitamins from sunshine, such as vitamin D. And for people who live in close-knit neighborhoods, engaging in gardening activities provides an opportunity to connect with local communities.
Sadly, old age comes with inherent challenges that can impede our ability to stay productive through gardening. One such issue is the gradual weakening of abdominal muscles, which makes it difficult to bend for much longer.
A solution? Raised garden beds. Raised beds are designed to lift the garden off the ground and hoist it to a comfortable height. This allows seniors to explore their gardening hobbies without suffering excruciating backache.
5 Beginner-Friendly Plants for Raised Garden Beds
Gardening is a rewarding hobby that boosts mental health, reduces stress, and keeps you active. For beginners and seniors, raised garden beds are the perfect solution, offering easy access without the back-breaking bending.
The key to a thriving raised bed garden is choosing the right plants—ones that are easy to grow, low-maintenance, and highly rewarding. Wondering where to start? Here are 5 easy-to-grow plants for raised beds that will turn your gardening journey into a delightful and productive experience.
Whether you’re aiming for a fresh vegetable harvest or a burst of colorful blooms, these beginner-friendly choices ensure gardening success. Let’s dig in!
1. Radishes
After investing in properly raised garden beds for seniors, the next step is to pick the best plants to grow. For most growers, that decision often comes down to ease of cultivation.
Radishes are a fast-growing and low-maintenance plant, making them perfect for cultivating in raised garden beds. If the conditions are right, these vegetables can be ready for harvest within 3 – 4 weeks.
To ensure a bumper harvest, opt for sandy-loam soil with a pH range of 6.5 – 7.0.
Radishes also prefer a generous amount of sunlight. But since they’re a cool season crop, aim for cooler temperatures between 60- and 65-degrees Fahrenheit.
Early spring or late summer is the ideal time to sow your radishes. The yummy, nutritious veggies will be ready for harvesting by fall.
2. Tomatoes
It’s exciting to know that one of the vegetables that causes frequent trips to the grocery is incredibly easy to cultivate in a raised garden bed.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders and thrive in nutrient-dense soils. Fortunately, you won’t need to spend much of your pension on expensive fertilizers. Adding compost every few weeks is enough to nourish the crops and keep them healthy.
In terms of soil profile, consider loam soil for its free-draining but moisture-retentive properties. You can toggle the soil pH between 6 and 7.5.
Unlike radishes, tomatoes are warm-weather crops requiring 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight daily. For the best outcome, place your raised garden bed in the sunniest spot.
3. Strawberries
Strawberries are delectably tasty and nutritionally dense, which explains why they’re a staple salad ingredient. According to research, consuming strawberries regularly might alleviate inflammation, reduce blood pressure, and combat blood sugar spikes. Besides, the fruits pack potent antioxidants and can fight multiple diseases of old age.
Strawberries like well-drained, fertile soils with a slightly acidic pH range of 6.5 – 7.0. The plants also thrive best in the sun, although they can tolerate a bit of shade.
As strawberry seeds are very small, it’s best to plant them earlier than many raised garden crops. This allows them ample time to germinate and take root.
Early spring is the ideal planting season. If the conditions are ideal, your plants should start fruiting within 60 days.
4. Lavender
Food crops aren’t the only plants you can add to your raised garden bed. There are also inedible but no less therapeutically beneficial herbs, such as lavender.
Cultivating lavender in your raised garden bed provides easy access to the plant’s extracts, which are highly prized for their potent mental health benefits.
Add lavender flowers to your bath water to enjoy a relaxing bath, or sprinkle them underneath your sheets to get restful sleep.
Mix lavender extracts into your laundry soap or vacuum detergents to unlock its long-lasting freshness. The plant’s powerful fragrance is due to terpenoids like linalool.
As a perennial, lavender is remarkably weather-resistant and low-maintenance. Just ensure you aim for low-to-moderately fertile and slightly acidic soils. The plant also thrives in full sunshine and warmer climates.
5. Marigold
Marigold isn’t only famous for its cute-sounding name and colorful blossoms. This plant is also a fan favorite for green-thumbed seniors thanks to its ease of growing and incredible resilience.
Marigolds bloom in diverse colors throughout most of the year. Depending on the species, you should expect charming shades of yellow or orange. The plant also attracts pollinators and other beneficial insects that protect your garden crops from harmful pests.
Like lavender, marigolds like full sunshine and slightly acidic soils. The soil should be relatively loose and well-drained to allow the plant to take root.
For the best outcome, sow marigold seeds directly in your raised garden bed about one inch apart. You can plant multiple seeds to increase the germination rate and later thin it as desired.
Easy Plants for Raised Beds: Top 5 Choices
Numerous plants are ideally suited for growing in raised garden beds. You can opt for root vegetables like radishes, fruits like strawberries, and even non-edible plants like lavender.
Remember to define your needs when looking for the right plants to add to your raised garden.
For instance, edible crops would be excellent if the idea is to reduce frequent trips to the grocery. But if you’re seeking to transform your home into a visual spectacle whenever flowers bloom, then perennial flowers would serve you best.
Jessi is the creative mind behind The Coffee Mom, a popular blog that combines parenting advice, travel tips, and a love for all things Disney. As a trusted Disney influencer and passionate storyteller, Jessi’s authentic insights and relatable content resonate with readers worldwide.