Preparing Garden Beds For Spring Planting
Jesse Frost takes you through the steps to prepare beds for planting in spring. Several key issues to consider include bed length along with soil depth, and the width of the path.
Line your garden with a layer organic mulch, such as grass clippings, or straw. This helps to smother weeds and keep moisture in the garden.
Easy to Assemble
Garden beds allow people with poor soil to successfully grow their own vegetables and flowers. They can be constructed of a variety of materials, including natural rot-resistant wood, stone, woven willow recycled composite plastic lumber, and concrete. Some are designed into furniture that provides an aesthetic and practical touch to the home. The majority of kits come with everything you need to construct the beds. These include pre-cut pieces like edges, bottoms, and stands. The assembly is simple and requires only the use of a few hand tools.
It is best to begin the project by sketching your space and working out the number of beds you'll require to plant all the veggies and flowers you'd like to plant and also how wide to make the paths between them. Then, think about the layout of the beds and the location they will be taking into consideration sun exposure. If possible, use an Google Earth overhead snapshot to determine the direction and intensity of the sun in your garden.
Before you begin assembling the beds, clean the area and level the ground where the bed will be placed. It is recommended to cover the bed with a layer of mulch or compost, for example straw, leaves grass clippings, grass clippings, or wood chips that can be turned into a rich compost over time. This will help in reducing weeds and help keep the soil moist and add nutrients to it.
When building flower gardening , 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 choose to use treated lumber, put an extremely thick liner of plastic between it and the soil used to grow plants to prevent contact between them.
Before adding soil to the area, cover it with a thick layer of several layers of newspaper or metal hardware cloth if you have lots of tall grass and weeds. This will also deter the burrowing of pests like voles and moles, and it is easy to get rid of after the weeds have been removed.
Durable
If you're looking to grow vegetables and flowers in your garden, a raised bed is a great alternative. They are easy to assemble and are also sturdy and will last for years to come. There are many garden beds that are available however wood is by far the most popular. However galvanized metal is getting more popular as well. So, which one is right for you?
Some materials are better for building raised beds than others. Beds made of recycled materials such as old railroad fence posts or ties may be a good choice, but they aren't as sturdy as beds made of galvanized steel or wood. In humid climates, they will also degrade faster.
Another issue with repurposed materials is that they may contain toxic chemicals, like chromated copper arsenate (CCA) that can dissolve into the soil and into your food crops. Even repurposed stock tanks can have a problem, as they'll begin to rust after a while.
Galvanized steel, on contrary, is more durable than wood. It is also less heavy than other materials making it more convenient to move around the yard or around an allotment. It's also a good choice for those planning to move into a new home, since galvanized raised beds can be disassembled and moved with them.
Other options for durable garden beds include concrete, brick, and stone. They are relatively inexpensive and add a nice touch to your landscaping. Be sure to use non-porous landscaping materials, as they will ward off the growth of rot.
Plastic and resin are durable materials that can be used for raised garden beds. They are not as expensive as wooden garden beds and will not warp or rot in extreme temperatures. They are available in a variety of colors that will complement your landscape while others are natural colored. Some brands even boast that they'll stay maintenance-free for up to 15 years.
If you're looking for a unique style, consider using curved or round flower beds to create a more rounded garden. These styles are especially attractive in gardens with a slope.
Easy to maintain
Raised beds are often used by gardeners to make gardening easier. This could include removing the necessity to sit or kneel for long periods of time, or keeping the soil of the garden from becoming muddy after heavy winds or rain. It's crucial to plan the bed in a way in order to achieve the intended purpose. The height of your bed and the plants you select will determine the amount of care required to keep it looking nice.
A low-maintenance bed of flowers should be filled with durable plants which will return year after year. It's an excellent idea to layer the plantings. Taller plants should be placed in the back, with mid-height and ground cover plants in the middle. This makes the bed look lush and full. The addition of evergreen plants will add color during winter.
If your raised garden will be used to grow vegetables, it is recommended to build it higher to accommodate the various root depth requirements of vegetables. Raised beds must be at least 4 feet wide. It's not easy to reach further than four feet without stepping on the soil. When you're getting ready to harvest your veggies You'll need to think about how far you can stand away from the bed's edge.
Vegetable-gardening raised beds must be lined with a plant barrier. This will prevent soil from leaking out after heavy rains, and will aid in keeping weeds in check. The plastic liner will protect the beds from animal feces and other debris. If you're worried about the plastic liner becoming too hot, choose an breathable biodegradable material such as netting, jute, or jute instead.
Another method of reducing the amount of work a raised vegetable bed requires is to add mulch. A layer of organic materials like compost, shredded leaves, or commercial mulch in bags will help keep the soil cool and decrease the amount of water that evaporates. Mulching can keep weeds away.
Low-maintenance flower beds for raised beds should include shrubs that require little care once they are established. You can select from honeysuckle, hollyhocks "White Delight" and sage. Choose shrubs that suit the light conditions in your garden. For a border that is sunny, choose flowering shrubs like Philadelphus "Belle Etoile" and hydrangeas such "Annabelle." For areas that are shady, consider heuchera, Sarcococca hookeriana or mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis "Soft Caress'.
Great for Kids
Garden beds are ideal for children as they allow them to have their own little garden of vegetables and plants which they can care for effortlessly. Gardening can also encourage physical exercise in the sunlight and fresh air. This improves overall health and cognitive function. Gardening offers many educational opportunities.
For instance, planting vegetables like tomatoes, carrots and green beans is an excellent way to educate yourself about nutrition. Then, kids can appreciate their hard work by eating the veggies that they have planted and nurtured.
A themed vegetable or herb garden is another way to get kids involved. For example pizza gardens could contain all the ingredients needed to make a delicious pizza. This can help kids to learn to cook using ingredients that they grew themselves. It's also an excellent opportunity to discuss the importance of eating food that provide brain-building vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
In addition to the nutritional lessons gardening is an excellent way to teach children about the cycles of nature and the role sun, water and soil play in the growth of plants. It's a great way to teach children about other sources of food and the importance of to not waste our earth's precious resources.
In addition, kids will be thrilled to observe their own garden grow from tiny seeds to a fruiting plant. It's also a great opportunity to foster social interaction by encouraging children to work together in the garden. They'll love watching which plant grows first.
To promote even more learning, choose an elevated garden bed that can meet your children's unique requirements. A raised garden bed that is 2 to 3 feet in width will provide children with plenty of space to reach out and manage their own gardens of plants and flowers. This size is ideal for gardens where a lot of physical labor is required, like driving wheelbarrows or moving soil that is heavy.