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How Do You Explain Raised Garden Beds To A 5-Year-Old
Raised Garden Beds for Vegetables and Herbs

Garden beds that are raised are an excellent focal point for the garden. They are simple to maintain. These beds can be simple, spartan, or elegant and ornate.

Use your level to assess the level of the board from one end to the other. Make adjustments as required.

Put stakes in the ground along the long sides of the frame, spacing them around 18 inches apart.

Size

If you want to grow more vegetables and herbs in a small space, raised garden beds are the answer. They are less labor-intensive than in-ground gardens , particularly for people with back issues or other physical limitations. You can either build your own raised bed or buy a prefabricated set from garden centers or home improvement stores. Some of these kits come with wooden frames that make an easy, but stylish addition to your garden or patio. Some are made of composite materials that resist insects and rot and require minimal maintenance.

Examine the available space and your needs to determine the size of the raised bed. If you plan to plant plants with deep roots such as potatoes or carrots, you'll need to dig deeper. For this reason, it is crucial to plan for a depth of at least 12 to 24 inches.

The size of the raised bed is important to consider. It is necessary to have enough space to work in the middle of the bed without getting in the way of plants. Raised beds should not be wider than four feet. You will not be able to reach the middle of the raised bed to plant, weed or harvest.

Once you have decided on the size of your bed, you can begin construction. To start, line up two new boards along a framing angle and mark them to drill. Remove the boards and drill holes in the areas you have marked. Attach the new boards with washers and hex screws as well as washers and nuts. Repeat this process for each of the boards remaining until the frame is complete.

If you are planning to plant in a spot that receives a lot of water runoff, you may require a method to divert that water away from the garden area or select a different spot altogether. The water that is accumulating in the garden will wick into the soil, and then drown the roots over time, even though the raised beds keep the soil higher off the surface.

Some people cover their raised garden beds to protect the soil, assist in controlling the growth of weeds, and also keep out insects like rabbits and snails. If you decide to do this, make sure that the liner is safe to be in contact with food sources.

Materials

One of the most important aspects to consider when building raised garden beds is the material used to construct them. If you want to grow edible plants, choose the kind of wood that is resistant to pests and rot. You should also consider the way in which the wood is treated and whether it contains chemicals that could leach into the soil. For instance, a lot of older pressure-treated wood products were treated with chromium copper arsenate (CCA), which contains arsenic. This kind of lumber which contains CCA, is no longer safe to use in gardening since it could leach into soil and contaminate nearby plants. The latest pressure-treated lumber is usually preservatived with borates or alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ), both of which are safe for gardening , according to the Oregon State University Extension.

Wood pallets are another potential material to use in the construction of raised garden beds, however, avoid those that bear the stamp "MB." MB is methyl bromide which is a broad-spectrum pesticide which can be absorbed into and contaminate soil and water. It is also a substance that depletes ozone, which can harm the environment and human well-being.

Cedar and redwood are resistant to rot and can be used to build raised beds, but they are also more expensive than other types of lumber. If you're on the tightest budget, you can choose pressure-treated wood but line the interior of the raised beds with heavy plastic. This will prevent the leaching into the soil of the chemical used to preserve the wood.

Other options for creating raised garden beds are concrete blocks, cinder block and bricks. There isn't much research on the safety of these materials for growing vegetables.

Consider enclosing your garden beds with a tall fence if you live in a place prone to deer or rabbits, or other burrowing foraging animals. These animals can destroy the raised bed in a matter of minutes. You can choose to make use of 3 foot tall corner posts encased in chicken wire or the door to create a proper enclosure. If you do decide to enclose the beds, keep in mind that they should be left open enough that pollinators, such as birds, can access their plants to forage for seeds and nectar. You can also put a layer of 1/2'' or 1/4' hardware cloth on the bottom of the bed, prior to adding soil, to keep out burrowing animals.

Drainage

The majority of vegetables and herbs require lots of sun and well-draining soil. If you're planning to use raised beds for your garden, be sure to select a spot that receives at least eight hours of sunlight every day. If you live in an area that is shady and shady, you should select herbs and vegetables that thrive in shade, like parsley, chives, and arugula.

When you construct your raised beds, fill them up with topsoil that is free-draining and of good quality. Avoid using wood treated with chemicals that will leach into your soil. Try using newspaper or cardboard to line your raised bed. This will help insulate the soil and keep pests away, and prevent weeds. If you don't line your beds, make sure that they are free of weeds, which will save time and effort in the garden.

Another way to improve drainage in your garden bed is using Hugelkultur, which involves the construction of a mound made of organic matter within the beds to boost the activity of microbes and improve soil quality. Good materials include large decaying logs, sticks and branches, and grass clippings, coffee grounds, and compost. The material will break down and make a rich compost which can be added to the beds.

Adding cover crops, which are annual plants that are grown to improve the health of the soil and help with drainage issues in raised beds. Clover is an excellent option for this purpose, as it has deep tap roots that break down the soil, and also add nutrients. Rye, Buckwheat, and Fava beans are all options.

You can consider adding rock minerals such as gypsum or limestone to your garden bed raised to improve drainage. These rocks balance out the soil's pH, which, in turn, boosts nutrient uptake and enhances water retention.

One of the most significant issues that can ruin the raised bed garden is excessive water, so it's crucial to learn how to detect this. Use a level when you water your garden to check whether the soil is evenly moist on the surface. If it's not, water the beds less until it is.

Planting

There are a myriad of options for lining raised beds, such as newspapers, cardboard, mulch compost, shredded grass or leaves, concrete and other materials. The best lining depends on the use of the bed as well as the growing conditions of your area. For instance, if are growing vegetables that require a lot of water as well as a loose, sandy soil, then you might want to consider using gravel or crushed rock as the base layer. This will ensure good drainage and will prevent the soil from sinking.

A layer of organic material can also assist in keep soil cool, reduce weeds and help maintain the correct soil temperature. It can also increase soil fertility, the roots of plants being able to break down organic material and incorporate it into the soil. It is recommended that the mulch is applied after the soil has been planted to minimize the number of weeds that grow.

Because the area of planting is much smaller in raised beds that the plants are planted intensively. This keeps the weed population to a minimum and permits the crops to be grown with less watering. Additionally, the denseness of the plants means that any weeds that do crop up will be competing for limited space and nutrients, rather than for water and sun.


Before adding soil, it is suggested to cover the bottom of the raised bed with a 1/2 inch hardware cloth if the area is prone moles or other burrowing insects. This can be stapled to the bottom of the frame or, in certain cases, buried deeper into the soil.

Installing a "spannerboard" is also recommended. It's a narrow board that is longer than the height the bed. It can be used as seating or to place buckets of water and other gardening tools while weeding or tending the plants. A weed barrier, like a layer of heavy plastic sheeting can be placed on the top of the raised garden beds to minimize the requirement for herbicide.

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