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Preparing Garden Beds For Spring Planting

In this article Jesse Frost walks you through the steps to prepare beds for spring planting. Several key issues to consider include the length of the bed as well as the depth of the soil and the width of the path.

Line your garden with a layer of organic mulch such as grass clippings, hay or straw. This will smother weeds, and will help to keep moisture in the garden.

Easy to Assemble

Garden beds permit people with poor soil the opportunity to successfully grow their own vegetables and flowers. They can be made from a variety materials, such as natural rot-resistant wooden, stone, woven spruce, recycled concrete and composite plastic lumber. Some are even fashioned into furniture, bringing an attractive and functional element to the landscape of your home. Most kits come with everything you require to build the beds. This includes pre-cut parts like edges, bottoms and even stands. Assembly is simple and requires only a few basic hand tools.

Begin by drawing out the area. This will aid in determining how many beds are needed to grow all of the flowers and vegetables you want. You can also determine how long the paths must be between the beds. Plan the shape and location of the beds, taking into account sun exposure. If possible, use the Google Earth overhead snapshot to get a feel for the sun's direction and intensity in your garden.

Before you begin assembling the beds, clear out the area and level the ground in which the beds will be set. It is recommended to cover the bed with a layer of mulch or compost, such as straw, leaves, grass clippings, and wood chips, which can be turned into a rich compost in time. This will help to control weeds, keep the soil hydrated and add nutrients to it.

When building the beds, be sure to avoid using pressure-treated wood such as creosote or pentachlorophenol-treated lumber, as these chemicals may leach into and injure plant roots. If you do decide to use treated lumber, you should put an extremely thick liner of plastic between it and the soil used to grow plants to avoid the direct contact between them.

Before adding soil and covering the area with a thick layer of multiple layers of newspaper or metal hardware cloth if you have many weeds and tall grass. This will also stop the burrowing of pests like voles and moles and is easy to get rid of once the weeds are gone.

Durable

Raised beds are a great method to grow vegetables and flowers in your garden. They are easy-to-assemble and long-lasting, which means you can use them for a number of years to come. There are a variety of garden beds available, but wood is the most well-known. Galvanized metals are becoming more popular. So what is the best choice for you?

Some materials are better for building raised beds than others. Beds made of recycled materials such as old railroad fence posts or ties may work fine, but aren't as sturdy as beds constructed from wood or galvanized steel. They also tend to deteriorate faster in humid climates.

Recycled materials could also contain toxic chemicals such as chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) which will be released into the soil, and your food crops. Repurposed stock tanks can also be an issue because they rust.

Galvanized steel is easier to maintain compared to wood. It's also lighter than other materials, meaning it's easier for one person to carry them from the yard to an allotment garden. Galvanized raised beds are ideal for those who are planning to move into a new residence because they can be disassembled.

There are other choices of durability for garden beds, such as stone, concrete and Garden Bed brick. They are reasonably priced and add a nice touch to your landscape. Make sure to choose non-porous materials as they will ward off the rot.

Resin and plastic are durable materials which can be used for raised garden beds. They are not as expensive as wooden garden beds and won't warp or rot in extreme temperatures. Some come in a variety of colors that will complement your landscape while others are natural-colored. Certain brands claim that they will not require any maintenance for a period of up to 15 years.

If you are looking to create a more rounded look you can use circular or curved flower beds. These designs can be particularly appealing when they are used in a sloping garden.

Easy to Maintain

Many gardeners construct raised beds to help with gardening. This could include making it less necessary to kneel for long periods of time and preventing soil from becoming muddy after heavy rain or winds. It is important to design your bed properly to achieve your goal. The height of your bed and the plants that you select will determine the amount of maintenance needed to keep it looking nice.

A low-maintenance bed of flowers should be filled with durable plants which will return year after season. You can also layer your plants. Plants that are taller should be placed in the back, with the mid-height and ground cover plants lining the center. This makes the bed look more lush and full. By adding some evergreen plants, you can bring color to the winter.

If you plan to utilize your raised garden to grow vegetables, you must raise it up to accommodate the different requirements for the root depth of vegetables. The beds that are raised should be at a minimum of 4 feet wide. If it's wider, it's difficult to reach without getting sucked into the soil. It is also important to consider how far you are from the edge of the bed when making preparations to harvest your vegetables.

The raised beds for vegetable gardens flower should be covered with a plant barrier. This will prevent soil from leaking out after heavy rains and will also help to keep weeds in check. A plastic liner helps protect the soil from animal feces and other debris. If you are concerned about the plastic liner becoming too hot, choose a breathable biodegradable material like jute, netting, or jute instead.

Another way to reduce the amount of work a raised vegetable bed requires is to add mulch. A layer of organic material, such as compost, shredded leaves or bagged commercial mulch, can help keep the soil optimally cool and reduce loss of water. Mulching can help keep weeds away.

Low-maintenance raised flower beds should include shrubs that require only minimal care once they are established. You can select from hollyhocks, honeysuckle "White Delight" and sage. Choose shrubs that suit the light conditions in your garden. For a border that is sunny choose flowering plants such as Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile' and garden bed hydrangeas such as 'Annabelle.' For shady areas, try heuchera, Sarcococca hookeriana or mahonia eurybracteata subsp. Ganpinensis "Soft Caress'.

Great for Kids

garden plants beds are great for kids because they give them their own little plot of plants and vegetables which they can care for easily. In addition, gardening can promote physical activity in the sunshine and fresh air, which aids in overall health and cognitive function. Gardening provides many opportunities for learning.

For instance, planting vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, and green beans is an excellent way to educate yourself about nutrition. Then, kids can appreciate their hard work by eating the veggies that they have planted and nurtured.

Another way to get kid involvement is by creating a themed herb or vegetable garden. A pizza garden, for example could contain all the herbs needed to make starting a garden delicious pizza. This could allow kids to learn about cooking with ingredients that they grew themselves. It's also an excellent opportunity to talk about the importance of eating foods that provide brain-building vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

In addition to the nutritional lessons gardening is also ideal for teaching children about the cycle of nature and the role that water, sun and soil play in the development of plants. It's a great way to teach kids about other food sources, and why it's important to not waste our earth's precious resources.

Furthermore, children will love the chance to observe their own garden grow from a tiny seed to a fruiting plant. It's ideal for encouraging social interaction, as they'll be working together in the garden. They'll also relish the excitement of awaiting to see which plant will first sprout.

To promote even more learning, consider an elevated garden bed that can meet your kids' unique needs. A raised garden bed that is 2 to 3 feet wide will provide children with plenty of space to reach out and tend their own plots of flowers and vegetables. This size is ideal for gardens where much physical effort is required, like carrying wheelbarrows, or moving soil that is heavy.