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The 10 Most Scariest Things About Raised Garden Beds
Raised Garden Beds for Vegetables and Herbs

Garden beds that are raised are the perfect focal point in the garden. They are easy to maintain. The beds can be simple and plain, or elaborate and stylish.

Use your level to assess the level of the board from one end to another. Make adjustments as necessary.

Drive stakes into the ground along the long sides of the frame, spacing them about 18 inches apart.

Size

If you're looking to grow more herbs and vegetables in a limited space raised garden beds are the best option. They are easier to manage than in-ground gardens, particularly for people with back issues or other physical limitations. You can build your own raised bed, or purchase a prefabricated kit at garden centers or home improvement shops. Some of these kits come with wooden frames, which can be a stylish and simple addition to your garden or patio. Certain kits are made of composite materials which are resistant to rot and insects and require only minimal maintenance.

Determine the size of your raised bed by analyzing the space available and your requirements. For instance, if you are planning to plant root crops, such as carrots and potatoes, you need to dig deeper than shallow-rooted plants. For this reason, it is crucial to plan for an average depth of 12 to 24 inches.

The width of the raised bed is important to consider. It is essential to have enough space to work in the center of the bed, without stepping onto the plants. Raised beds shouldn't be wider than four feet. Any wider and you will struggle to reach the middle of the bed to plant, weed or harvest.

Once you've decided on the dimensions of your bed, it's time to begin construction. Start by lining up two new boards on a framing angle and mark them for drilling. Then remove the boards and drill holes in the locations you marked. Attach the new boards to the framing angle using hex screws, washers and nuts. Repeat this process for each board remaining until the frame is completed.

If you are planning to plant in a location that is subject to a lot of runoff from water, you might need to incorporate a way to divert that water away from the garden or find a different location. Water that pools in a garden will seep into the soil over time, and eventually drown the roots, even if raised beds elevate the soil above the ground.

Some people line their raised garden beds to protect the soil, aid in controlling weeds and keep out creatures like rabbits and slugs. If you decide to do this, make sure that the liner is not able to come into contact with food items.

Materials

The materials used to construct raised gardens are a crucial aspect to consider. If you plan to grow edibles, choose the rot- and pest-resistant kind of wood. Be aware of how the wood has been treated and if it contains chemicals that can leach to the soil. For instance, a lot of older pressure-treated wood products were preserved with chromium copper arsenate (CCA) which is arsenic-based. This type of lumber, that contains CCA, is no longer safe to use in gardens because it could leach into soil and contaminate nearby plants. According to the Oregon State University Extension, the latest pressure-treated wood is typically preserved using borates or ACQ (alkaline copper quatternary) both of which are safe for gardening.

Wood pallets are another potential material to use in the design of raised garden beds however, avoid those that bear the stamp "MB." MB is methyl bromide which is a broad-spectrum pesticide which can leach into and contaminate soil and water. It is also a compound that depletes ozone and can cause harm to the environment and the health of humans.

Redwood and the Cedar are resistant to rot and can be used to build raised beds, however they are also more expensive than other varieties of lumber. If you're on a tight budget you might want to consider using pressure-treated lumber, but line the insides of the beds with plastic to stop the leaching of preservative chemicals into the soil.

Concrete blocks, cinder blocks, and bricks are also options for garden beds that are raised. There isn't much information on the safety of these materials for growing vegetables.

If you reside in an area that is prone to deer, rabbits or other animals that burrow, forage or that can destroy a garden bed raised in a matter of minutes, think about enclosing the beds with a high fence. You can choose to use three-foot tall corner posts that are wrapped in chicken wire all the way around, or frame a proper enclosure with the option of a door. If you decide to surround your beds, ensure that they remain open enough for pollinators like birds to access the plants and hunt for nectar and seeds. Apply a layer of 1/2 or 1/4 inch of hardware cloth to cover the bottom of your bed before adding soil. This will keep out creatures that dig in.

Drainage


Most vegetables and herbs require plenty of sunlight and soil that drains well. If you are using raised beds to cultivate your garden, ensure that your garden is in a spot that gets at minimum 8 hours of sun a day. If you live in a shady area, choose shade-loving veggies and herbs such as parsley, chives, and arugula.

When you construct your raised beds, fill them with good quality, free-draining topsoil. Avoid using wood treated with chemicals that will be absorbed into your soil. Consider using cardboard or newspaper to line your raised bed. This will protect the soil, keep pests away and also help prevent weeds. If you don't line your beds, be sure they are weed-free to save time and effort in the garden.

Another method to improve drainage in your garden bed is by using Hugelkultur, which involves constructing a mound of organic debris inside the beds to boost microbial activity and improve the soil's quality. The best materials are large decaying logs, sticks, branches, and grass clippings, coffee grounds and compost. As this material decomposes it produces an abundant compost that can be added to beds.

Cover crops that are annual plants that are cultivated to improve the health of soil and also aid in solving drainage issues in raised bed gardens. Clover is an excellent option for this, since its deep tap roots break down compacted dirt and provide nutrients. Buckwheat, Rye, and Fava beans are also alternatives.

If you're looking to add some extra drainage benefits to your garden beds raised, consider using rock minerals such as gypsum and limestone. These materials can balance the pH levels of the soil, which improves absorption of nutrients and improves water storage.

It's crucial to know how to test this. Too much moisture can be the death of raised beds. Use a level when watering your garden to see if the soil is evenly wet on the surface. If it's not, water the beds less until it is.

Planting

There are a variety of options for lining raised gardens, including mulch, newspaper, cardboard and wood scraps, compost, shredded leaves or grass clippings, concrete and other materials. The ideal lining material is based on the purpose of the bed used for and what the conditions for growing are in your region. For instance, if are growing vegetables that require a lot of water as well as a loose sandy soil, you may want to use crushed rock or gravel as the bottom layer. This will allow for good drainage and prevent the soil from settling too fast.

A layer of organic material can also help to keep soil cool, reduce weeds, and maintain the proper soil temperature. It also increases soil fertility, the roots of plants being able to break down organic material and incorporate it into the soil. It is recommended to apply the mulch after the soil is planted in order to reduce the number of weeds.

Because the area of planting is so much more compact in raised beds, the plants are typically planted in a dense manner. This keeps the amount of weeds to a minimum and allows the crops to be grown with less watering. Additionally, the denseness of the plants means that the weeds that do sprout up will be competing for limited space and nutrients, instead of for sun and water.

If the garden bed is in an area that is prone to moles or other burrowing pests It is recommended that you cover the entire bottom of the bed with a piece 1/2'' hardware cloth prior to putting in any soil. This can be stapled to the bottom of the frame or, in a few instances, buried deeper into the ground.

It is also recommended to put in a "spanner board," a short board that is longer than the height of the bed. gardening ideas can be used for a seat or to place buckets of water as well as other gardening tools while weeding, or to tend the plants. A weed barrier, such as a sheet of heavy plastic, can be added to the top of raised garden beds in order to minimize the need for herbicide.

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