Gardening in raised beds, a common practice before colonial times, is enjoying a resurgence of popularity among home vegetable growers. In parts of the world with greater population densities or less tillable land, gardening in raised beds is still the norm. "Raised" means that the soil level in the bed is higher than the surrounding soil, and "bed" implies a size small enough to work without actually stepping onto the area used. A bed should be no wider than 4 feet, but length can be whatever suits the site or gardener's needs. Wider beds can be subdivided into sections accessible from wooden grids. The raised garden bed does not have to be enclosed or framed. The use of power tillers is feasible, for example, in unframed beds, although a properly maintained bed should not need power-cultivation. Higher Yields: There are many reasons for the raised vegetable bed revival, but probably the most important is more production per square foot of garden. In a traditional home garden, good management may yield about 0.6 pounds of vegetables per square foot. Raised beds do not require the usual space between rows, as no walking is done in the bed to cultivate or harvest. Hence, vegetables are planted in beds at higher densities - ideally spaced just far enough apart to avoid crowding but close enough to shade weeds. Improved Soil Conditions: Another reason for greater production in a given space is the improvement of soil conditions. Soil compaction can reduce crop yields up to 50 percent. Water, air and roots all have difficulty moving through soil compressed by tractors, tillers or human feet. Plows, tillers or spades have been the usual answer to this problem, but gardeners can avoid the problem completely by creating beds narrow enough to work from the sides. Soil organic matter content can be increased greatly without getting bogged down. Raised gardening beds also help in problem soil situations where compaction is not the only culprit. Homeowners may have low spots unsuited for conventional gardens because of ponding or excessive erosion from runoff. Raised beds rise above these, with frames as a foundation. Soil acidity can thus be more easily maintained in the 5.8 to 6.8 pH range, which is preferable for most vegetable culture. Ease of Working: The first, and most important, benefit of gardening with raised beds is the increased ease of timely planting and harvesting. Many people avoid working traditional gardens in rainy weather to avoid compaction and muddy feet. Because raised planting beds are designed for walking around, not in, there is no reason for mud to delay operation. Spaces between beds may be mulched or even paved with stone or brick. Ease of Pest Control: Pest control also becomes less difficult in raised beds. If burrowing rodents are abundant, the bottom of the bed can be lined with poultry wire or hardware cloth. Rabbits and groundhogs can be discouraged simply by placing their favorite foods in a framed bed with a low fence. The narrow dimensions of vegetable planting beds even make bird netting suspended on flexible conduit frames practical. Weed control with plastic mulch can be achieved economically, as the width of the bed can be spanned by one roll. Water Conservation: The narrow dimensions of planter beds are advantageous for water conservation. Canvas soaker hoses, perforated plastic sprinkle hoses and drip-type irrigation disperse water in a long, narrow pattern well-suited to beds. Directing water to the soil helps to reduce disease problems which can result from wetting the foliage with overhead sprinklers. To set up a self contained garden fountain, barrel fountain or corner water fountain, aside bed is a good choice, you can water the vegetable conveniently. The bed and water fountain together are also a charming landscape