How To Plant Successful Raised Garden Beds

How To Plant Successful Raised Garden Beds

Gardening

Raised gardening beds bring together form and function in a way that is easy for anyone to do. The gardening technique is the best way to ensure that you have a balanced soil that is free from toxins and weeds and ready for planting. If you haven't thought about this garden type, read on to discover the benefits of raised garden beds.

When you use raised garden beds, you may find it is easier to control pest because you're working with better soil. The right soil mixture reduces the amount of water you will need to use to produce a better garden yield. For added savings, install a weeping irrigation system, which will virtually eliminate the evaporation that can occur with normal watering.

Additionally, raised garden beds allow you to segregate your plants better than you can do in a traditional garden. It's also easier for you to rotate crops each year, which can help eliminate nutrient depletion in the soil. The confined space makes it easier to bundle plants closer together, which can make it more difficult for weeds to take root.

Finally, you can easily adapt raised beds into green houses or protected areas by covering the beds with screens or plastic covers. With all these benefits, why would someone not use a raised bed? The answer is simple. It looks like it is going to be a lot of work. While building a raised garden bed can take time, you'll spend less time weeding and tending to your garden.

Garden Location Is Key to Raised Bed Gardening

The location of your raised garden bed(s) is very important. Putting the bed in the right place can make your job as a gardener easier. Since most people use permanent raised beds, consider how you use your yard all year long. Also, keep the following things in mind:

• Align your row of beds in a north to south direction to ensure full light exposure.

Choose a level area, when possible, to reduce the amount of digging you'll do when making raised garden beds.

Ensure that you have easy access to a water source.

Make sure that you have enough space for all your beds. Each bed should be about three-feet wide by 6-feet long. Allow for at least 18 inches in between each one or enough space for a lawn mower if there will be grass between the gardens.

Avoid placing the planter underneath a tree that will block too much sun.

Don't set planters too close to the house, or the roof may block the sun.

Keep your raised gardens away from gutter drains, waterspouts or other places where water may continuously drip.

Join the best Facebook page for home improvement advice, tips & more!

Building Raised Beds for Your Garden

Most gardeners build raised garden beds using wood. While any wood can work, the best wood for longevity is red cedar. Many people feel it is important not to use treated wood because toxic chemicals can leach from the wood into your soils, where it can enter your plants.

Railroad ties may seem like a good wood source, but be careful. Most have a chemical coating of creosote, which is a toxin derived from coal. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed creosote as a possible carcinogen.

Once you have a source of wood, you can build your raised bed by creating a rectangle with the wood. You only need the walls to be about two feet tall, but you can make higher walls if you want to pay for more material. Remember, it will take more soil to fill a taller garden bed than a shorter one. If you want to keep your costs low, leave the bottom of the bed open. This requires less wood for construction and less soil.

Alternatively, you can use other materials to build raised garden beds. Recycled materials can be an eco-friendly way to start your container gardening. Pair an old claw-foot bathtub filled with vegetables and a vintage pedestal sink filled with herbs. You just have to ensure that the drains are open before adding the soil and plants.

For a western theme, use old animal troths. The walls are just the right height for a raised garden. If you still want to use lumber, look for reclaimed wood, perhaps from an old barn. Some gardeners prefer to use rocks to make garden walls. You can find rocks on your property or collect them on your travels. Brick pavers from an old street make or privacy glass can make interesting raised beds, as well. Be creative.

Plan Now for a Successful Garden

A little extra work up front will pay out huge dividends for many seasons to come when you used raised garden beds. Whether you want to plant flowers, herbs or organic vegetables, you can create healthier plants with the controlled environment of a raised garden.

Click on the following link for more info about organic gardens.

Read more...

Sent with Reeder