raised bed gardening question?
August 27, 2010 Categories: Organic Gardening
Question by cherry: raised bed gardening question?
I want to purchase a kit 1m by 1m, have I left it too late to start. do i need to do any preparation to the location I am going to place the raised bed?
I am a beginner and would love some more details on what I should do.
thanks in advance
Best answer:
Answer by Paul
My first time too this year. Just planted lettuce 4 days ago. and it is already coming up. only way you will learn is to get started. Just try different things and see what works.
Add your own answer in the comments!
A raised bed garden be done anytime, just be sure to have plants that match your remaining growing season. The two big issues are light and drainage. Depending on if you want plants that need lots of light like tomatoes, or some that need less, like ferns, depends on where you put your garden. Shade can be built with a cover but sunlight can’t. Remember, the object is healthy plants, so start by checking what your plants need and built to that need.
Drainage will make your garden work. Follow kit directions on the foundation and the type of material needed. Often gravel is on the
bottom to help excess water drain out and keep roots from rotting. Soil is next. I avoid the soil with built in fertilizers as the one-size-fits’ all approach often is not best for the plants. I mix my own using
good garden dirt, sand and sometimes a bit of organic mulch. Depends on what I want to grow.
You can buy a kit but the truth is it is much cheaper to build your own.
I’ve made all of mine 3X8x8…the reason for the 3 foot wide is because of my arm reach. I can span the width without having to move to the other side.
Edited:
Use the link below click on your state access information from your state since all states have different times of planting. Plus you have free email access to Master Gardeners.
http://www.greenhousecatalog.com/cooperative_extensions_for_each_state.php
For Example:
Recommended Fall and Winter Vegetables *When to Plant (Ask Your Extension Agent for Specific Dates) Frost Hardy?
scroll down and see list
http://www.wintergardeningtips.com/fallandwintervegetables.html
Cornell Cooperative Extension or Cornell University
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/vegetables/index.html
Build a portable garden cloche
Protect newly planted beds and seedlings – extend the growing season!
http://eartheasy.com/cloche.htm
University of Minnesota Extension
Planting Vegetables in Midsummer for Fall Harvest///scroll down page
to see planting times for some vegetables.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/M1227.html
For a newbie you need to know all of these things
Good & bad companions for vegetables
http://www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/vegetables/vcomp.asp
The link below even tell you what flowers since many flowers help keep the bugs away
Companion Planting Chart for Vegetables
http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/companion-planting.html
Good Luck Hope these sources help. What I did was make a vegetable file with all of the information I need to reference.
Hi sorry im late,but you can make a raise bed with patio wood flooring it already treated come in the right lengths,you cut to your size or as the size of length that come out of the ready cut lengths,screw together with treated screws [galv or similar] clear where you are going to install raised bed lay on top and fill with a growing compost peat/soil and just plant what you want and water in, you can always add a pick me up to the plants later,watch out for drying out in hot weather that’s all .John