Raised Bed Gardening vs. In-Ground Gardening: Which One is Right for You?

When we first started our little farm, we were faced with a big decision: Should we go the traditional route and plant everything directly in the ground, or should we invest the time and effort to build raised beds? Like most things in homesteading, the answer turned out to be a little bit of both. Over the years, we’ve experimented with both methods — and we’ve learned that each has its own unique benefits (and a few drawbacks, too).

If you're trying to decide how to set up your garden this season, here’s a look at the pros and cons of each method, plus a few personal stories from our own experience growing everything from tomatoes to towering sunflowers.

Raised Bed Gardening

One of the first reasons we built raised beds was because our soil was heavy clay, and raised beds gave us the chance to create the perfect soil mix right from the start—rich, loose, and full of organic matter. They also offer much better drainage; after one particularly rainy spring when half our in-ground garden turned into a mud pit, I learned to appreciate how raised beds naturally shed excess water. 

Weed control is another huge advantage. Starting with fresh soil and a good layer of mulch drastically cut down on the endless weeding chore we had grown used to. On top of that, we quickly noticed was that the soil in raised beds warms up faster in the spring, meaning you can sometimes sneak in early plantings a couple of weeks before your neighbors. 

When we first decided to build raised beds, we didn't go out and buy fancy lumber or pre-made kits. Instead, we got creative with what we had. Scattered around the property were old paving stones and a stack of forgotten cinder blocks left behind by the previous owners. It wasn’t the easiest path—hauling and stacking those heavy blocks was a slow, grueling process. In fact, somewhere in the middle of it all, I even managed to break a finger wrestling one of those stubborn cinder blocks into place.

But looking back, it was absolutely worth it. Those improvised raised beds turned out to be some of the sturdiest, most dependable parts of our garden. They’ve held up beautifully over the seasons, weathering storms, freezes, and the relentless summer heat without missing a beat. Best of all, they’ve dramatically improved our yields, giving us rich, fertile plots where before we had nothing but patchy clay and stubborn weeds. Sometimes the best parts of a homestead aren't the ones you plan perfectly—they're the ones you build with what you have, a little grit, and a whole lot of determination.

Of course, raised beds aren’t without a few downsides. Building them does take an investment upfront—both in materials and good soil—and if you're dreaming of planting huge, sprawling crops like pumpkins or corn, they can feel a little tight. Plus, wood frames eventually rot, and over time, you'll need to top off the soil each season as it settles. Not to mention, stone is heavy and can be challenging to move around.

In-Ground Gardening

In-ground gardening is the classic method—tilling or amending the existing soil and planting directly into it. It’s what most old-timers still swear by, and for good reason. If you have the land, in-ground gardening allows you to grow larger plots of crops without the constraints of bed size, making it ideal for bigger dreams like sprawling pumpkin patches or fields of corn. It’s also much more affordable upfront, requiring no frames, special soil mixes, or construction—just the ground you have, plus a little sweat and love. Another benefit we’ve noticed is that in-ground gardens tend to hold moisture better than raised beds, which can dry out more quickly, especially during the heat of summer. And of course, there’s something timeless and beautiful about rows of crops planted directly into the earth, especially when the morning dew sparkles on the leaves.

However, in-ground gardening does come with its challenges. Soil quality can vary wildly depending on where you live; you might be dealing with poor, rocky, sandy, or heavy clay soils that need major amending before anything will thrive. We’ve also battled way more weeds in our in-ground plots—without a fresh layer of mulch or serious diligence, they seem to spring up overnight. Soil compaction can be another big hurdle, particularly in areas like ours where the clay is thick and heavy. When the ground becomes too compacted, it’s harder for roots to breathe and grow deep, making regular aeration or amending critical to long-term success. Clay soil has been our nemesis here in southwestern Ohio, and the primary reason we've turned half of our garden into raised beds this year while we work on amending the soil to improve drainage. 

When we first planted our in-ground garden, we spent days raking long, neat rows by hand, feeling incredibly proud of the clean, orderly setup. But we quickly learned that nature doesn’t always cooperate with neat plans. After a series of heavy spring rains, large sections of our garden flooded, leaving many of our young plants waterlogged and struggling. Our soil, already on the heavier side, didn’t drain fast enough, and the once-promising rows turned into muddy trenches.

Even in drier years, we found that working with our native soil was a constant battle. No matter how carefully we raked, amended, and planted, our yields often fell short of what we expected. Some crops did fine, but others—especially more delicate vegetables like carrots and lettuce—struggled in the dense, compacted ground. It was frustrating at times to put in so much effort only to harvest a disappointing handful of produce.

So Which One Should You Choose?

The honest truth is: it depends on your space, your goals, and your resources. If you have poor soil, limited space, or physical limitations, raised beds might be the way to go. They offer more control, easier access, and a tidier setup, especially if you're starting from scratch or working in a smaller area.

On the other hand, if you have lots of land, want to grow big crops, or don’t mind putting in a little more work to amend your soil, in-ground gardening can be incredibly rewarding. There’s nothing quite like standing back and seeing wide rows of corn or pumpkins stretching across the field.

Of course, you don’t have to choose just one. We ended up doing a little bit of both—using raised beds for high-maintenance crops like greens, peppers, and herbs, and planting sprawling crops like corn, squash, and sunflowers directly in the ground where they have room to roam.

The beauty of homesteading is that it's rarely one-size-fits-all. It’s about working with the land you have, learning from each season, and finding joy in both the successes and the setbacks. Nothing says you have to commit to just one way of doing something forever!