The Best Vegetables to Grow in a Raised Bed

Leafy Vegetables

• Leafy plants, such as lettuce, spinach, radishes and chard, grow well in raised beds. These shallow-rooted plants require just 6 inches of soil depth. Scatter the seeds thinly and cover with a light layer of soil. In raised beds, leafy plants can be grown with little spacing. Keep the soil uniformly moist until the plants are at least 3 inches tall. After this, water lettuce plants when the soil is dry 2 inches below the surface. Plant these cool-weather crops in fall in warm climates such as USDA plant hardiness zones eight and warmer, or in spring in cooler zones.

Root Vegetables

• Root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips and turnips, grow well in raised beds. The loose, fertile soil permits these vegetables to grow straight and long, and eliminates forking of the roots. To grow root crops, the soil should be at least 12 inches deep. Plant these cool-weather crops in fall in warm climates such as USDA plant hardiness zones eight and warmer, or in spring in cooler zones.

Solonacious Crops

• Solonacious crops, such as tomatoes and sweet bell peppers, respond well to the warm soil in raised beds. Grow these vegetables in soil that's at least 12 inches deep. Space the plants closer than you would in traditional gardens, about 18 inches apart. The plants require at least 2 inches of water each week, especially during early growth, flowering and fruiting periods. Place tall crops, such as tomatoes, at the back of the garden where they will not cast shade on smaller crops. Tomato and pepper plant varieties grow in all USDA plant hardiness zones when temperatures are warmer than 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Vining Plants

• Place vining plants, such as cucumbers, small melons and squash, at the north end of the raised bed and attach them to a trellis. This will prevent the vining plants from shading out other plants in the garden. Alternatively, you can place vining plants on the southern edge of the the bed and allow them to grow out of the bed, toward the sun. Lay landscape fabric beneath the vines to protect the plants and fruit from weeds and pests.