Why choose

Raised Bed gardening is perfect for people interested in "square foot gardening". It requires very little gardening space, in fact it can be done in an area as little as 4ft by 4ft. The V-gloo offers an ideal planting depth of 30cm, which is sufficient for most plant requirements and with the use of additional sections can be increased to 60cm. This is ideal for those with mobility problems who find bending difficult and for wheel chair users. It’s great for all ages and abilities - and there’s no need to get your feet muddy!

Why choose a raised bed gardening system?
Why use the V-gloo over other raised bed systems?

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Why choose a raised bed gardening system?

Raised bed gardening is the perfect solution for those with limited growing space, limited mobility or for those who wish to grow a wider range of crops that their existing growing medium or soil type does not allow.

Raised bed gardening also offers the gardener a higher degree of control over the growing environment of crops. For example, the bed can be sited according to the light requirements of the crops being grown and the growing medium or make up of the soil can be easily adjusted.

Whatever the reason for considering raised bed gardening, there are several advantages that fall broadly under the following headings:

Ease of working

Ideally, beds should be no more than 4ft or 1.2m wide – the length is a matter of choice and available space. This enables the bed to be tended to and accessed from all sides without stepping on the soil. The height of the bed also brings the garden much closer to you. If you have restricted mobility or are a wheel chair user, the flexible height of some beds can make gardening much more accessible.

By keeping crops in a contained raised bed, any work put into the bed will only benefit the crops and you won’t be feeding weeds unnecessarily!

Higher yields

Studies have shown that raised bed gardening produces yields up to twice that of traditional growing techniques. This is because planting is done at a much higher density (more plants to the square foot) which helps suppress weeds - perfect for vegetable gardening!

Improved soil conditions

One of the biggest problems with soil is the issue of compaction (walking on it). In wet conditions, compaction can turn the most friable of soils into a dense impenetrable mass. Raised beds avoid this issue by being raised above the existing soil level and wide enough to reach into, avoiding the need to stand on the soil to tend to crops – especially in wet conditions. This leads to a looser soil texture which is ideal for germination, root penetration and is strong enough to support plants.

It is also easier to change the soil type in a raised bed, by adding organic matter, fertilizers, sand and gravel. This enables the growing of a wider variety of crops that the existing soil might not support.

Having full control over the soil within the raised bed also makes it ideal for organic gardening.

Better drainage

Once the level of soil in the bed is raised by around 8 inches / 20cm, the drainage of the bed will improve over that in the existing area. This can be adjusted further by the addition of sand or grit to enable a wider range of crops to be grown relatively easily. You also only need water the bed rather than the whole general area, leading to increased water conservation.

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Why use the V-gloo over other raised bed systems?

  • The hollow and robust moulded plastic bed sections - offer increased insulation and heat retention properties over single skin raised beds.
  • The beds are easy to assemble and dismantle and do not require any tools to put them together - making it easier to move them around the garden according to the season or light requirements of the crops being grown.
  • The design of the bed system - enables the user to add additional sections to make longer beds than the standard 1.2m square bed.
  • The V-gloo comes complete with a mini domed plastic 'greenhouse' - which is made from strong and durable materials and can be placed on or removed from the bed quickly and easily, depending on the season and growing requirements of your crops. The high dome shape enables a wider variety of crops, such as tomatoes, to be grown under cover.
  • The high dome has 2 zipped openings - for increased access and has a ventilation flap backed by mesh to prevent pests entering.
  • The standard V-gloo also comes complete with a liner - so it can be placed on to a patio or decking without soil leaching out.

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