How To Achieve Success With Raised Garden Beds

For anyone looking to enjoy the benefits of a garden without the hard work associated

with a traditional garden plot, raised garden beds are a super choice. These attractive additions to the yard not only are easier to tend, they are very productive. Here are the most important ways to insure success when growing a garden in this way.

To build a simple garden, start with a border. Untreated wood like redwood or cedar is the best choice. Stay clear of treated wood that might leach chemicals into the garden soil. Untreated 4x4 beams are also a viable option. Simply build a box at least 8 inches high or more and you're on your way. Build the box as long as you like, but avoid a width of greater than four feet. This way, you can reach the center of the bed from either side without stepping in the garden and compacting the soil.

After you have built the box it's time to add soil, but not just any soil will do. Instead, fill the garden with materials like peat moss, vermiculite, and compost. Equal parts of each is a perfect mixture that will create a light soil that retains water, is easy to weed, and will be rich in nutrients. Be sure to add at least 6 inches of this soil mixture to the garden so there is plenty of room for root crops.

Pick a site that is well positioned for your crops. For peppers and tomatoes or a vegetable garden in general, a spot with at least 8 hours of sun is best. Whether that sun hits the garden in the morning or afternoon is not as important as the fact that it hits the soil.

Keep the garden clean of weeds. This is incredibly simple in a raised garden with the recommended soil mixture. First of all, that soil is not filled with weed seeds and, if some weeds do germinate, they are easy to pick since the soil remains light and fluffy all season.

To increase productivity, try your hand at square foot gardening. Use this method to get the most produce per square foot of garden space by planting each item in specific formations per square foot. Garden boxes are perfect for this since it is easy to add a grid with twine or wooden dowels to mark each planting area.

Rotate crops and practice companion planting. Some vegetables leave behind nutrients in the soil that other vegetables will enjoy the next season. Learn about these companions and plant them in succession on the same plot. Also, learn which plants help to defend each other from pests when planted close together to cut the need for pesticides.

Maintain the garden after each growing season. To keep the soil productive and light, add some extra compost each year and mix it in. This will add new nutrients to the soil and fight off plant-borne diseases as well as fuel your prized plants without additional fertilizer. You can even add your own compost from the kitchen.

If you follow these simple rules, a successful garden is easily achievable. Raised bed gardens are easy to build, simple to keep up, and offer great productivity. It will change the way you think about gardening.

Copyright (c) 2012 Jack Russell

by: Jack Russell

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