How to Maintain Raised Flowerbeds for Porches

Water each raised bed when its top 1 inch of soil starts to feel dry to your touch. On a shaded porch, the soil may dry out slowly and require watering only every two to three days. Porch raised beds receiving direct sunlight usually require daily watering.

Fertilize the raised beds' soil each spring after planting or when the beds' perennial plants resume growth in spring. Apply ½ cup of a balanced fertilizer, such as a 13-13-13 blend, over every 4 square feet of soil, sprinkling the fertilizer around the plants so it doesn't make direct contact with stems or foliage. Water the soil after applying the fertilizer. Make a second application of ½ cup of the same fertilizer per 4 square feet two months later, in the middle of the growing season, sprinkling it around plants as you did previously and watering the soil afterward.

Pinch off the dead flowers from ornamental plants with your fingers to keep those plants attractive and to encourage more blooms. Pruning needs depend on the variety of plant, but most plants tolerate light pruning to maintain their shape and size. Prune when necessary so the plants don't become overgrown and impede traffic on the porches.

Check the plants weekly for signs of pest and disease problems. Remove pests by hand, or spray common soft-bodied pests, including aphids and mites, with a premixed insecticidal soap spray at three-day intervals until the pests are gone. Remove dead leaves and dead flowers from the raised beds promptly to minimize the chances of disease, and destroy all plants that that wilt and die quickly so they don't spread disease.

Cut back the raised beds' perennial plants after they die back naturally from frost. Pull out annual plants after they die. In cold climates where plants won't grow in winter, cover the beds with pine boughs or fresh straw. Either of those items will prevent weed seeds from establishing in the soil. Pine boughs also add seasonal greenery to porch decor.