DIY Gardening Tips

submitted: Mar 27th 2008 | by: Admin | Total views: 180 | Word Count: 441 | |

Want to get started with your garden quickly and easily? Try raised garden beds. There are no weeds to pull, no soil preparations, no rocks to remove. When you're ready to plant for flowers or vegetables, just decide on a location, put in some bed retainer walls, and add dirt.

One reason for the popularity of raised garden beds is their simplicity. But you can actually use this method to start your garden earlier. That's because raised garden beds warm up earlier in the season. If you were starting a traditional garden bed in the existing ground, you'd be forced to wait until later in the year.

First, choose the wall materials for your raised garden bed. There's almost no limit to the materials that could be used to create a garden bed. Rock walls can be used to create a natural, carefree design. Want a more formal looking garden bed? Use bricks. Using wood or railroad ties is an easy alternative that also looks good. If you're lucky, you may be able to find these materials for free.

The height of your garden bed will determine how much material you need. The design of your raised beds is completely up to you. Do you want multiple levels or a single height? Single height garden beds are usually about one or two feet tall, but tier designs can range up to five feet in height. Your budget and the space available will also determine what you're able to do.

After deciding on materials, you need to choose the location. The best location will depend on how much space you need and how many hours of sunlight the plants need. In general, vegetables will need more sunlight than flowers. Choose your location wisely. You're not going to want to tear it down and start over.

Once you know where you're building your raise garden bed and the materials that you're using, it's time to get started. Lay out your wall material in the design you want. Once you've created a frame, you're ready to fill it with soil. How much is enough? The soil should come to within one or two inches of the top of the raised bed walls.

Now you're ready to plant. Were you expecting more? Remember, we said raised bed gardening was easy. You can plant seedlings, sow seeds, or even transplant mature plants. After the planting is done, make sure to add some mulch material like bark or grass clippings. This will help keep the plants and garden bed moist.

Comments

No comments posted.

You do not have permission to comment. If you log in, you may be able to comment.