OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

In article .com,
"simy1" wrote:


OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

In article ,
zxcvbob wrote:

I'm about to tear down my raised beds because they dry out too fast. My
garden was more productive just planting in rows than it is with raised
beds.

Best regards,
Bob

Mulch......
And I filled my bases with sand.

I wasted _tons_ more water on an open garden bed. :-(

But it is true that raised beds consume more water. There is more
exposed surface. Sunken beds preserve water best. Raised beds are great
for everything else, and of course the loss is minimized if one uses
drip, which allows the water to soak in.


Hm, I wonder if we are talking about two different concepts?

My "raised beds" are built out of Cinder blocks or limestone. They are
essentially giant planters. :-)
This concentrates the water usage considerably for me...


And I add a generous amount of peat into my raised beds. The water
retention is phenomenal.

..

Zone 5a in Canada's Peat-abundant Far East.