Sunken Beds or Raised Beds

 When I first started seriously gardening when I was a teenager, I was introduced to the French Intensive Method of gardening which used raised beds. I learned how it was superior to row gardening. With raised beds the soil warmed earlier in the spring, plants could be placed closer together, the soil remained soft and friable so plant roots could sink deep. It made a lot of sense. In order to accomplish the soft soil deep digging was required and once done it would not be necessary to do it again. At least as long as people were not walking on it compacting the soil. After three years of digging and adding compost, manure, and even some cover cropping the yields in my garden dramatically increased. The soil had turned from red to black. I figured that must mean the fertility was rising.

 A little over ten years ago I discovered permaculture. A totally different way of looking at how we grow crops. One of the things I discovered were sunken beds. They have the ability to keep mulch in place, minimize evaporation, and can act as a water catchment. These are good qualities for a dryland situation such as I have where I live.

When I learned of them I had to try it. I picked a hot dry spot on the property and proceeded to dig. I only went one shovel head deep, but once I had the soil out and mounded to make the pathways it was much deeper. I put whatever organic matter I had in the bed. I used branches from trees, straw, grass and weed clippings, pulled weeds, manure, kitchen scraps, the works. After a few years the soil in the bed was black and soft. Each year I have added more organic matter which is the only maintenance this bed gets. A few years ago I grew tomatoes there and the vines were so thick I could not get into them to harvest. There were even volunteer pumpkin vines which went wild with growth. To me it was simply amazing. I loved it. 

I don't know that I would pick one way over the other. I would simply use whatever method is appropriate for the circumstances of the garden. To give more information about these methods I am linking to the TreeYo Permaculture page where I first learned of sunken beds. He has articles about both raised beds and sunken beds. I hope you will find them as useful as I did.

 

Sunken Beds     Raised Beds

UPDATE: May 30, 2024

I did not have any pictures of the original sunken bed I did, but I just finished two more so took pictures of those. 

I am quite excited to see how they do. Of course, I am aware that it will take a few years before they reach optimal production ability. As the soil builds up they will just keep getting better.

After I made this post I realized that I had modified raised beds early on in my gardening. They were supposed to be mounded, but I found it difficult to keep them watered. So I started pulling soil around the edges to make lips so the water would stay where I wanted it. I would take the time to put a hose in and when the bed was full move it to the next one. It worked on the same principle as the sunken beds. It kept the water where I wanted it. Now I water everything. I use the weeds to my benefit as mulch.