I'm feeling really frustrated with my raised garden beds and I'm considering ripping them out completely. I bought my house last year, which came with three raised beds in a fenced area surrounded by river rock. I've tried growing some veggies and berries this year, but it's been a total flop. I only managed to get a handful of strawberries, a dozen Thai chilis, and one sweet pepper amidst a jungle of weeds. Honestly, I have no gardening skills and burn out quickly when plants require more attention than just a bit of watering. I've done great with hibiscus bushes in the past, but this veggie garden is just not for me. I'm contemplating hiring someone to just remove everything and turn it back into lawn, maybe even plant a fruit tree. However, I know my neighbors admire the garden space and I'm hesitant to give up. Is there anyone who can suggest low-maintenance perennial plants or some strategies to keep the weeds at bay? I'd be open to flowers or bushes as well. I'm in Zone 4a, if that helps!
4 Answers
You might want to consider planting asparagus! It's a perennial that can produce for up to 20 years without a lot of care. Thornless blackberry bushes are also low-maintenance – they only need to be mulched well and fed a couple of times a year. You could even try raspberries. If you're looking for veggies that don't take much effort, go for beets, broccoli, or radishes rather than strawberries, since they tend to need more attention, especially when starting out. If you include some dwarf fruit trees, they could give you fruit without much fuss. And seriously, don’t tear everything out just yet – it could be worth tweaking what you have instead!
I just posted a picture of my garden in the comments. Do asparagus really not need any weeding? I thought all fruits and veggies needed some upkeep!
Have you considered using mulch? A thick layer of wood chip mulch can really help suppress weeds by preventing them from germinating. If you get strawberries established, they could eventually spread and create a living mulch. They have shallow roots, so they work pretty well with other plants, like peppers.
Mulch? Like wood chips? I usually only use them around my trees and bushes.
Why not rent the beds out to your neighbors? Or you could fill them with native plants for a more low-maintenance solution!
Posting a photo of the garden would help others visualize what you’re working with and offer better suggestions.
For the strawberries, I wonder if planting more would help them compete against the weeds?