Raised beds are beds that are not at ground level and have been built to provide a bed that you don’t need to be at ground level to tend or view.
These can be made of metal, timber, brick, stone, wooden sleepers, or any other material you have at hand. The bed behind the raise can be back-filled with soil or appropriate compost.
I suppose the first question is "can we grow Hosta’s in raised beds"? The answer is a very easy YES! There are many advantages to growing Hosta’s in raised beds.
Drainage
Raised beds let you have better drainage overall by mixing soil & compost and other materials to suit. Hosta love moist conditions, but are not happy in soggy soil, especially over the winter period. By ensuring good drainage for your Hosta’s, you ensure happier plants.
To improve drainage, you could loosen the soil/border beneath before filling. Put a layer of drainage material across the area. This could be as simple as a shallow layer of branches or twigs.
Put down a membrane layer before filling, to stop encroaching roots from nearby trees.
Accessibility
Raised beds mean that you can gain easier access for maintenance. Whether abled or otherwise, this is a great advantage. Raised beds offer people with mobility issues the opportunity to work more easily in the garden. Weeding is made easier, as the soil hasn’t been compacted by walking on it.
When digging up your Hosta’s for let’s say splitting, access is easier. It’s all at a reasonable working height. You don’t have to get down on your knees to work, and worst of all get back up again afterwards. That is good enough reason for raised beds.
It also goes, without saying, but I will…. Planting in fresh new soil is so much easier than root filled garden borders. The Hosta’s will have a better start as well.
Visibility
Raised beds make it easier to see small and miniature Hosta’s, which can get lost in larger beds. It also brings the rest of the border into eye level from a distance. This can be a garden feature, in its own right.
Unsuitable Areas
Making a raised bed enables you to grow Hosta’s in an area that couldn’t be used before. You might have an area of solid roots that you can’t get through. It may simply be too shallow to plant in. Why not add a raised bed to this area with a good depth of soil, so you can grow Hosta’s. Above, I had a large prostrate Juniper, that was cut back but the roots left in. The raised bed was built of stone, in this case, and filled with a mixture of soil, garden compost, leaf mould and potting compost. The depth is over twice the depth of the expected root growth. The mix of compost gives plenty of drainage and some goodness for the first year.
A raised bed doesn’t have a bottom. If it did, it would be just a big pot. Leave the bottom as soil or open ground for drainage.
Raised beds will solve the problem of poor garden soil. Build a raised bed and fill with better soil/compost.
Warmer soil conditions
In the Spring, the soil in general will warm up slowly or quickly depending on the weather conditions. With a raised bed, this will warm up quicker, therefore producing a show of Hosta’s a little earlier than the rest of the garden. This will extend the season in the garden by a week or so.
Slugs & Snails
Anything raised off the ground, whether in hanging baskets, or raised beds, makes any invasion of slugs & snails must work that much harder to get at your Hosta’s. They are also easier to protect being in a contained area. Having a good mulch will certainly help here.
Raised beds as a feature
Raised beds, when built properly, can always be considered a garden feature. Something that stands out in the garden. Come around that corner, or through the arch and see a lovely raised area, full of your favourite plants. They can always double up as a seating area. Sit on the wall and admire you favourite plants.
If you have an area that is difficult to plant, or your Hosta’s are not doing so well, why not give it a go. Use these winter months to construct a new raised bed and see the difference.
To learn more about Hostas, you may be interested in reading : How to care for your Hostas Over Winter, What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Hostas?, Ways to Protect Your Hostas from Slugs and Snails and "Uncovering the Advantages of Bare Root Hostas
Shop for Hostas HERE. PS Don't forget to use your 20% Early Bird discount code EARLY20
John Plant
Rewela Hostas
Comments