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yardener wrote: I do raised beds and your typical flat row garden. I've done the "in-ground raised beds" in the past but our late hot and dry weather made it hard to keep irrigated because the water would run off, even with mulch.
Using constructed raised beds allowed me to have a "raised bed" but to maintain a flat top with wood side to allow the irrigation to stay where I put it.
Of course a drip irrigation system would help but I practice a more self sustaining garden and use collected rain water to irrigate.
The wooden sides of the raised beds help to keep the mulch from blowing off too, and this helps to maintain the nutriants of the soil. I also like that I can start gardening earlier in the season because the beds are not water-logged after the the winter thaw.
I would encourage you to try both systems on a small scale and see which one you prefer. You may end up preferring SFG over in-ground or vice-versa. The bottom line is to enjoy gardening and not make it a chore.
Good Luck!
