When is the best time to start a raised bed garden?

by Colleen
(Stockton, CA)

When is the best time to plant a raised bed garden? Can it be planted earlier than an in-ground garden? How do I know when the soil is the right temperature?

Answer:

Hi Colleen,

Some early vegetables such as peas, lettuce, and onions can be planted early; almost at the end of winter depending on your climate zone.

However they will need to be protected in the event of a hard frost or snow event.

You can put a frame over your early garden bed, and cover it with clear plastic. This will provide extra warmth during the day for your early crops, and offer some protection from extreme cold at night.

Raised bed garden soil will warm earlier than the soil in your yard; that is one of the advantages to having a raised bed. Raised beds can be planted several weeks earlier than in-ground gardens.

If you cover your raised bed with a sheet of black plastic at the end of winter, it will help bring the soil temperature up even earlier.