Any recommendations on raised beds for gardening?
I’d like to install a raised bed for vegetable gardening this year. I think this will allow me more control over the soil quality. What’s the cheapest and easiest way to go about it? Should I buy one of the ready-made beds available online?
In case I wasn’t clear, the soil is not my concern, it’s the actual bed itself. Should I try to build one, or buy one that snaps together?
July 4th, 2010 at 5:01 am
start compost for kitchen waste, don’t use citrus fruits, just about everything else can go into it, worms love it and the soil gets a very rich color great for plants
July 4th, 2010 at 5:16 am
Depends on the size, You can also use railroad ties, but make sure you have the right sizes and means to cut and drill. If it will be small like under 10×10 the kits are ok
July 4th, 2010 at 6:05 am
actually the other person is right but I will be specific…Try putting banana peel,eggshells, coffee beans and filters and lemon peel,the tops of strawberries (the part you don’t eat), and the peeals of other things also if you kill a bug or something you can put that in the soil or dead leaves from the trees…alll the things are put into the soil in the natural world and they are the natural version of fertilizer and if you can remember from now the periodic cicadas act as a great fertilizer for plants.Or if you would prefer man-made fertilizer you can always go waste your money on that.Oh well if you want one then I would recomend you buy one unless you have pofessional skills in that area
July 4th, 2010 at 6:10 am
We made ours using gravel boards, which you get from a timber merchant. Gravel boards are long planks of wood about 2metres by 15cm (6ins) which you can cut to the length you want. They come pre-treated against rot and last a good long time. We put strong stakes in the corners and screwed the planks to these. 6 years ago, they’re still going strong, much cheaper than the plastic kind and you can make them to your own size requirements.
July 4th, 2010 at 6:38 am
google ” square foot garden” its really cool site for your type of garden.
July 4th, 2010 at 7:21 am
If you are handy at building then you should build one yourself. When you buy prefabricated kits you are then locked into size and design. Building one yourself will give you much more flexibility.
Not sure if this post will help but I thought I would give you the option of reading. Good luck and the neat thing is you will be gardening no mater which way you decide to go.
http://naturehills.com/gardening/blogs/common_questions_answered/archive/2008/02/13/raised-bed-gardening.aspx
July 4th, 2010 at 8:02 am
if you can avoid it dont buy a bed, they are not worth the expence.
the bed i have my cacti in is just a square of concrete blocks.
[8″ tall, never rot, easy to move if needed, ]
July 4th, 2010 at 8:13 am
If you are not handy or short of time buy one. If you build one don’t use treated lumber in a vegetable garden. The chemicals leach into the soil.
July 4th, 2010 at 8:21 am
I have 2 long & narrow planters down 1 side of my patio. I plant tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, peppers & things like that it them. They’re made of landscape timbers & are held together with long nails or spikes. I also have large black rectangle plastic containers that I’m going to plant cucumbers, beans, watermelon & cantaloupe in. They are too shallow for tomatoes. I had to drill a lot of holes in the bottom for drainage. I also have some big round plant pots I grow stuff in like lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes. I use to have a couple of whiskey barrels. For dirt I use Jungle Growth Professional flower & vegetable mix. It has composted aged forest products, Canadian sphagnum peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, charcoal, lime (ph adjuster) plus fertilizer in it. It works real good & cost less than some of the others. I get it from Lowe’s. You can get everything else from any nursery or Home Depot or Lowe’s. Yahoo’s Square Foot Gardening can probably answer any questions you have. The plastic containers were something just quick & easy to use plus I put them on plant dollies with wheels & I can roll them inside when it freezes, etc. Think I’m going to order my seeds & stuff this year from parkseed.com.