Raised Garden Beds

If you love gardening and have a tiny space, with soil that is not so good, then raised garden beds is the solution to your problems. This is an easy and efficient way to have a nice green patch in your back or front yard, to bring a smile on your face. These beds also do not require the complex gardening techniques and is suitable for amateurs and beginners. Simple 'do it yourself ' landscaping techniques can make these garden beds look attractive. So, sit back and read these tips before you pick up that shovel and start off!

What is a Raised Garden Bed?

As the name suggests, these are gardens constructed on top of natural soil or land. These are a few inches above ground level. The raised portion of the bed may be free or contained to protect the raised soil, using wooden or stone structures. The soil used in these beds is different from the soil available in your garden. The soil used is fertile and rich in compost, to enhance the healthy growth of your plants. You can grow anything from showy flowers to garden vegetables in these garden beds. It is simple to make a raised bed garden.

How to Build a Raised Garden Bed?

First you need to be sure of what you plan to grow in these garden beds: flowers, vegetables or shrubs. See to it that you choose a spot that would receive a minimum 8 hours of sunlight. Choose a spot that is easily accessible and is not in the way. The spot should be such that, you don't have to walk through it every time to get to the other side. The size of the patch should be such that the middle of the bed can be reached easily as well. A four feet wide space around you is recommended. For the depth of the bed, six inches should work well, as both vegetables and flowers grow well with this depth. Use landscape fabric to cover the patch you have decided. Now comes the part where you will actually construct the bed. Simple plans are available to help you make these raised bed gardens on your own. Here is one such simple plan that you could make use of.

Material

• Lumber: The best wood to use for this purpose would be cedar, as it is weather resistant. For the sides of the bed, use 2x6" boards and for the corners, use 4x4" sized boards.
• For fastening or securing the wood, use galvanized nails which are spiral, 3.5 is a recommended size.

Construction

• The 4x4 corner posts must be cut into four 18 inch lengths. The ends of these must be sharpened with a saw or hatchet.
• Take the two small sides and assemble them on a flat surface. Lay down two of the corner posts, put two of the 2x6" boards on top of it and align them. Drill the nail holes beforehand, to avoid wood splitting.
• Make the assembled piece stand on its edge, such that the sharpened edges point upwards. Take one long piece of the wooden board and nail it to the corner post.
• The remaining long pieces can be nailed to the smaller ones, the other short side can be secured in the end. Flip the constructed structure. The container for your garden is ready.

After completion, the next step is leveling the patch. Once your patch is leveled, you can fill it up with soil, which consists of a fertile mix of good quality topsoil, manure and compost. After leveling and raking, your bed is ready for sowing seeds. Just because these beds are quick and easy to make does not mean they have to look shabby and boring. There are various raised landscaping beds that can make the space look beautiful and will also require low maintenance.

There are plenty of ideas that can beautify the space designed. Arrange the plants in this space according to the landscape of your garden. You can try out different designs and layer the garden beds like steps or contours of a small hill, to make it look attractive.

As mentioned earlier, raised bed gardening requires minimal maintenance. Remember to put in fresh compost and manure regularly. Keep the soil moist all around the year by mulching which is also a guaranteed way to lower the weeds growing in your garden.

With this information, all you need to do is acquaint yourself with a few gardening basics and get started. Gardening will be fun with these few simple steps of building and maintaining these gardens. Not to mention, it will also add to the beauty of your home.