A shallow or mini-raised bed—just a yard sq. and 6 inches deep—will help you broaden herbs and vegetables on a small patio, balcony, or rooftop. (Be sure to check with a structural engineer or contractor to verify your roof or balcony is strong enough and water resistant.)
A raised bed is a bottomless sq. or rectangular frame made of planks. Many garden amenities advertise lightweight raised bed kits. You’ll be able to moreover broaden plants in a flexible bag planter.
Place landscape subject material beneath your raised bed to forestall potting mix from sitting at once on the roof or balcony flooring. Many raised bed kits include feet and wire-mesh panels to set the bed up from the outside; place the landscape subject material underneath the mesh.
For balcony and roof-top beds use a lightweight potting mix; seek for a soilless mix or lightweight potting mix. Add computer virus castings or well-rotted compost to the bed a few occasions a twelve months to stick the soil fertile.
Listed here are plants for raised beds 6 inches deep, 8 inches deep, and 12 inches deep:
Vegetation to broaden in a 6-inch deep bed:
- Asian greens—mizuna, mibuna, tatsoi
- Beans–bush beans, mountain climbing pole beans, and runner beans
- Carrots–round-rooted
- Garlic
- Herbs–basil, chives, cilantro, dill, oregano, mint, thyme
- Lettuce and other greens
- Onions, shallots
- Peas
- Radishes
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes—bush, determinate, miniature, tumbling
- Zucchini
Vegetation to broaden in an 8-inch deep bed:
- Cabbage
- Chard
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Fava beans
- Florence fennel
- Herbs—rosemary, sage, tarragon, parsley
- Kale
- Leeks
- Melons
- Parsnips
- Peppers—bell peppers and chiles
- Pumpkins
- Squash
- Tomatoes—bush and vining
- Turnips
Vegetation to broaden in a 12-inch deep bed:
- Beets
- Blueberries
- Carrots
- Currants—red, white, and black
- Corn
- Potatoes
- Raspberries
- Rhubarb
