Raised Bed Gardens
How attractive will your flowers and vegetables be, when they make themselves
at home inside of a raised bed garden!?
Raised bed gardening is a great way to grow almost all of your favorite flowers,
herbs, fruits, and vegetables. Raised bed gardens offer many advantages,
and is aesthetically pleasing. Some of the prettiest and best kept gardens,
are grown in raised beds. There is something about a raised bed garden, that
make gardeners more conscious about the appearance of their plants.
Making a raised bed garden frame is relatively easy. All you need is a hammer,
saw, wood and some nails. If you want an even easier set-up, you can buy
long lasting, heavy duty plastic raised beds, that are both quick to set-up,
and strikingly attractive.
Did You Know? Raised Bed Frames do not have a bottom. You want your
plants to be able to send the root system deep, often much deeper than the
height of the raised bed.
Benefits of Raised Bed Gardens: There are a lots of reasons why plants
grown in raised garden beds, are bigger, better,healtheir, and more productive.
Warmer soil- The soil within the bed is elevated above ground level,
allowing the sun and air to warm it faster. This facilitates earlier planting,
and better seed germination, especially in colder, more northern climates.
Easy to reach- Less bending over and stretching makes the joys of
working in your garden and harvesting it far more pleasurable. People with
back or knee problems, other handicaps, and elderly people really appreciate
the ease of access. They are also great for kids, who have a shorter reach.
Good drainage- Soil in the bed is above ground level. So, heavy rains
drain off much better. Soggy, standing water is entirely eliminated. And,
the existence and length of waterlogged soil after heavy downpours is minimized.
Improved soil quality- Sure, you can use soil from the surrounding
area. But, people with raised beds bring in as much as 100% of the soil,
including plenty of rich compost and manure, to fill the beds. The resulting
mix is a vast improvement over the soil in your back yard. In addition, growers
seek a soil mix and pH level that is ideal for
the plants they will grow in their raised beds.
Appearance- Raised beds make for just about the most attractive gardens
around. Maybe, it just seems that way, or it's personal preference. More
likely, it's the fact that people who use raised beds tend to care more about
the overall appearance of their garden .
How to make Flower and Vegetable Raised Garden Beds:
The frame can be landscape timbers, railroad ties, two by tens, concrete
blocks or just about any other durable and strong material that will hold
in your soil. Even an old tractor trailer tire can be used. Years ago, this
was in fashion. Make sure the frame is sturdy enough to hold in the soil.
Anchor the sides from collapsing outward if need be. The bottom should be
open. If you are using a box or container of any kind, remove the bottom
to provide good drainage. Do not line the bottom of the frame with plastic
which will impede drainage.
Tip: Make sure the width of the bed is no more than two arms lengths
deep. This allows you to reach any part of the garden, without stretching
or climbing across the bed and plants.
Raised bed soil- While you can use soil from the surrounding area,
it is best to select the soil mixture that is ideal for the plants you are
planning to grow. If the raised bed is really high, use soil from the surrounding
area at the bottom.
Drip hose- This is optional. You can use sprinklers or hand water.
But a drip hose makes the raised bed more maintenance free and efficient.
Add it at or just below the soil level . Make sure to work it in a pattern
that will evenly cover the entire area in the raised bed.
Mulch- To make your raised bed almost maintenance free, use plastic
mulch to keep weeds out. Add organic mulches of your choice for appearance.
Make a series of smaller beds. Landscape around the beds with stone, mulch
or add paving blocks to create whatever style and look you desire.
Raised Bed Garden Soil:
One of the best things about having a raised bed frame in your garden, is
the soil you put into it. Here is where gardeners excel.
Filling your raised garden bed, starts with lots and lots of compost. Most
raised beds contain far more compost than the garden itself. While you will
want to add ample amounts of compost, and some decomposed manure, you should
also mix in some regular garden soil.
Much more on raised garden soil
Tip: After filling and mixing the soil in your raised bed frame, check
the soil pH. The materials you use in the frame, could easily need adjustment
to reach an ideal pH level for your plants.
More on Soil pH
See our Soil Testers now!!
Raised Bed Boards
Raised beds are made of almost any material. Perhaps you've seen an old car
or truck tire, filled with soil and flowers. This is indeed a raised bed
planter.
Most raised beds are constructed of either wood or plastic. Both can be
attractive, and both are effective. Wood is less expensive, but does not
last long. They rot and lose their clean and neat appearance. Applying paints,
stains or pressure treated wood, can extend the life of the wood boards.
But, they can leach chemicals into the soil. Plastic boards last a long,
long time. While they cost more, they are cheaper over time.
Buy Guarden Raised Garden Bed Frames Perfect for people
who aren't into building their own raised beds. These raised beds are attractive,
long lasting and affordable. Guarden raised bed frames are the strongest
in the industry. A greenhouse system can be added to them, too.
Buy Flower, Vegetable and Herb Seeds Ferry Morse
seeds, America's oldest seed company with their famous "guarantee to grow".
Better quality, better prices.
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