| | | | The three of us all garden in raised beds, and get lots of questions from fellow green thumbs about building plans, the best soil, planting, etc. We thought it would be a great topic to get you into the DIY and gardening spirit.
In gardening news, Jessica was interviewed by Margaret Roach for a fantastic feature about Plant Partners in the New York Times. Niki shared some tips for urban veggie gardens on the Domus website. And Tara shares new veggie varieties for her latest article on CBC Life. We hope these articles inspire you with your garden plans!
Happy gardening!
Niki, Jessica, and Tara | | | Raised Bed Basics: Getting Started | | There are lots of benefits to gardening in raised beds. Because they stand a bit higher than the existing soil, they're often better-draining after heavy rains, and the soil in them warms more quickly in the spring, a huge boon to heat-loving crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.
Raised beds are also easier to weed. The soil in them is less trampled, and therefore less compacted, and weeds are super easy to pull. Plus, turf grass and weeds aren't able to creep into the edges of a raised bed like they tend to do with a ground-level garden. And, depending on the height of the bed, you may find yourself not needing to bend over quite so far.
Raised bed materials
Raised beds can be made out of many different materials. They can be constructed from concrete or Belgium blocks, bricks, stones, logs, lumber, plastic, galvanized steel and many other materials. If you don't want to build your own from scratch, you can purchase a raised bed kit at many local and online retailers. Such a kit includes all the materials you'll need to quickly and easily construct a garden bed. If you decide to go the lumber route, avoid treated lumber products, particularly if you're growing food, and stick to naturally rot-resistant redwood, cedar, cypress or locust.
The ideal dimensions
For the best results, be sure your raised bed is a minimum of 10 to 12 inches tall (18 to 24 inches is ideal). This gives enough depth for the roots of most popular flowers and vegetables. As for the bed's width, stick to somewhere between three and five feet across. This enables you to reach into the center of the bed without having to step inside and compact the soil. The length of the bed is entirely up to the resident gardener and the amount of available space.
Filling your raised bed
Once your raised bed is in place, you'll need to fill it with soil. Because purchased topsoil products are often devoid of organic matter and nutrients, it's best to use garden soil from somewhere on your property, if it's available. If not, you can purchase topsoil in bulk or in bags, but be prepared to amend it generously. If using your own garden soil, add a hearty dose of organic matter, such as well-aged horse or cow manure, compost, or leaf mold/leaf compost. If using commercially purchased topsoil, combine it 50/50 with one or more of the organic matters mentioned above. The more organic matter, the better. Don't skimp. Most garden centers have assorted types of bagged organic matter available for purchase, and many of our local municipalities give leaf mold/leaf compost away for free to residents.
Fill your bed generously, heaping it up a few inches above the frame's top. Then let the bed "rest" for a week or two. The soil will settle into the bed, hopefully making it level with the frame.
Now your new raised bed is ready to plant. Fill it with edibles, such as bush beans, tomatoes, peppers, and cabbage. Choosing short-statured bush-types over full-sized varieties means they'll have more room to grow and you can plant a greater variety of vegetables. Include some flowers in your plan as well. They'll increase pollination and add to the beauty of your new garden. Frame the outside of the bed with sweet alyssum, marigolds, or other low-growing annuals to create a colorful edge. | | | | More Savvy Raised Bed Info | | | 4×8 raised bed vegetable garden layout ideas
You've built your raised bed and filled it with soil. How do you figure out how much to grow? Here is a 4×8 raised bed vegetable garden layout to show how much can be planted in a raised bed. Read more | | | |
Raised bed designs for gardening: Tips, advice, and ideas
Whether you're building from scratch, from a printed plan, or you'd like to give an old object a new life, find ideas to make your dream garden a reality. Read more
| | | | Set up a self watering raised bed: Pre-made and DIY options
Just like growing in regular raised beds, self watering setups have a multitude of benefits—and some added advantages. Learn why you may want to consider one when looking for designs.
Read more | | | | Raised bed gardening is one of the hottest gardening trends because it allows you to garden anywhere, whether you have a suburban backyard, a teeny tiny patio, or a balcony. There are also multiple benefits to raised bed gardening, from covering up poor soil and providing better accessibility to extending the growing season. Raised Bed Revolution is jam-packed with step-by-step projects, dozens of inspiring images and ideas, and plenty of tips and information for both new and experienced green thumbs. | | | | | | | |
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