Garden Bed Strategies That Will Change Your Life

Preparing Garden Beds For Spring Planting

In this article, Jesse Frost walks you through the steps to prepare beds for spring planting. Bed length and soil thickness as well as the width of the path are all important factors to take into account.

Line your garden with a layer of organic mulch, such as grass clippings, hay or straw. This smothers weeds and helps retain moisture.





Easy to Assemble

Garden beds are an excellent method of growing vegetables and flowers in poor soil. They can be constructed of a variety materials, including natural rot-resistant wooden, stone, woven spruce composite plastic lumber and concrete. Some are even fashioned into furniture, bringing an attractive and functional touch to your home's landscape. The majority of kits include everything you need to construct the beds, including pre-cut pieces for edges, bottoms, and stands. The assembly process is relatively easy and requires just the most basic tools.

It is recommended to begin the process by sketching your space and figuring out how many beds you need to grow all the vegetables and flowers you'd like and also how wide you want to make the paths between them. Design the shape and layout of the beds, taking into consideration the sun's exposure. Google Earth overhead photos can be used to determine the direction and intensity of the sun in your garden.

Before you begin assembling the beds, clear the area and level the ground in which the beds will be set. It is a good idea to lay down layers of compost made of grass clippings, leaves, and wood chips that will eventually turn into rich compost. This will help in reducing plants and keep the soil damp.

When building the beds, be sure to avoid using pressure-treated wood such as creosote or pentachlorophenol-treated lumber, as these chemicals may leach into and injure plant roots. If you do use treated lumber, put a thick layer of plastic between it and the soil used for growing plants to prevent contact between them.

If you're dealing with a lot of tall grass or weeds in the area you want to put your garden beds, you should consider covering them with a thick layer of cardboard or several layers of newspapers or metal hardware cloth prior to adding any soil. This will also deter the burrowing of pests like voles and moles, and it is easy to get rid of after the weeds have gone.

Durable

Raised beds are a fantastic method to grow vegetables and flowers in your garden. They are easy-to-assemble and durable, meaning you can use them for many years. There are a myriad of types of garden beds to pick from, but wood is the most sought-after material. Galvanized metals are becoming more popular. So, which one is right for you?

Certain materials are better to build raised beds than others. Beds made from repurposed material like old railroad fence posts or ties could work fine, but are not as durable as beds constructed from galvanized steel or wood. They will also degrade faster in humid climates.

Another problem with repurposed materials is that they can contain harmful chemicals, like chromated copper arsenate (CCA), which will be absorbed into the soil and your food crops. Repurposed stock tanks are also an issue because they rust.

Galvanized steel is less difficult to maintain compared to wood. It's also lighter than other materials, which means it's easier for one person to move the beds around the yard or to an allotment garden. Galvanized raised beds are ideal for those who are planning to move into a new house because they can be disassembled.

There are other choices of durability for garden beds, such as stone, concrete and brick. They are also relatively inexpensive and can provide a pleasing appearance to your garden. Make sure to choose non-porous materials as they are resistant to rot.

Plastic and resin are two other durable materials for garden beds. They're not as costly as wood, and they won't be damaged by rot or warping in extreme temperatures. They are available in a variety of colors that will complement your landscape, while others are naturally colored. Some brands boast that they'll last free of maintenance for up to 15 years.

If you're looking for a unique design, consider using curved or round flower beds to create a more rounded garden. These designs are particularly appealing in a garden that has slope.

Easy to maintain

Many gardeners construct raised beds to help with gardening. This could include making it less necessary to kneel for long periods of time and preventing soil from becoming muddy after heavy rain or winds. It is important to design your bed properly to achieve the intended goal. The bed's height and the plants you choose will determine the amount of maintenance is required to maintain its appearance.

A low-maintenance bed of flowers should be filled with sturdy plants which will return every year. It's also a good idea to layer the plants. The taller plants should be positioned in the back, with the mid-height and ground cover plants lining the center. This makes the bed look fuller and lusher. By adding some evergreen plants, you can bring color to the winter.

If your garden raised will be used to grow vegetables, you'll need to build it higher to accommodate the different root depth requirements of vegetables. The ideal raised bed should be at least four feet wide. Any wider will be difficult to reach without getting sucked into the soil. It is also important to consider how far you can stand from the edge of the bed when getting ready to harvest your vegetables.

The raised beds for vegetable gardening should be lined with an herbicide. This will prevent the soil from spilling out after rainy days and aid in keeping weeds out. A plastic liner will also protect the soil from animal waste and other debris. If you're concerned about the liner becoming too hot, you can use a breathable, biodegradable fabric like netting or jute instead of plastic.

Mulch is another method to cut down on the effort required to maintain the raised bed. A layer of organic material, such as shredded leaves, compost, or commercially-bagged mulch, can aid in keeping the soil cool and reduce transpiration. Mulching can keep weeds away.

Low-maintenance raised flower beds should include shrubs that require only minimal care once they are established. There are many great options for hollyhocks (Helianthus annuus) and honeysuckle 'White Delight' and sage (Salvia elegans). Choose shrubs that suit the light conditions of your garden. For a border that is sunny, choose flowers-loving plants like Philadelphus "Belle Etoile" and hydrangeas such as "Annabelle." For shady spots, choose Heucheras Sarcococca Hookeriana, or mahonia eurybracteata. ganpinensis "Soft Caress".

Great for Kids

Garden beds are perfect for children as they offer them their own plot of vegetables and plants they can easily manage. Gardening is also a great way to exercise in the sun and fresh air. This helps to improve overall health and cognitive abilities. Gardening offers many educational opportunities.

Planting vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and green beans can be an excellent way to teach children about nutrition. Then kids can enjoy their hard work by eating the fruits and vegetables that they have planted and nurtured.

Another fun way to encourage kids to be involved is to create an imaginative herb or vegetable garden. A pizza garden, for example could contain all the herbs needed to make a delicious pizza. This can help kids to learn to cook using ingredients they have grown themselves. It's also an excellent occasion to talk about the importance of eating food that contain brain-building vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

A garden is an excellent way to teach children about the cycles of the natural world and the importance of water, sunlight and soil in the development of plants. It's also a great way to learn about other food sources and to understand the importance of not to waste any of our earth's resources.

Children will also love to watch their garden develop from a tiny seed to a fruiting crop. It's an excellent way to promote social interaction as they'll be working together in the garden. They'll also relish the excitement of waiting to see whose plant will sprout first.

To help promote learning, choose an elevated garden bed that can accommodate your child's specific requirements. For instance, a garden bed that's 2 to 3 feet wide will give ample space for children to easily reach into and tend to their own garden of flowers and vegetables. This size is ideal for [1] [2] gardens where much physical effort is required, like driving wheelbarrows or moving soil that is heavy.