Raised Bed Garden Ideas For a Decorative Garden Space
If you are a gardener and are willing to grow your vegetables, the raised bed garden idea is the winner. Raised bed gardening is an old gardening technique, but now its surging popularity due to its several advantages is noticeable.
When we talk about raised beds, that means a surface that is over the ground level. Raised beds can be very simple to build. You can create them by using a diy raised garden bed kit. The initial cost depends on how elaborate you want to make them.
Important factors before growing plants in raised beds:
Meeting yours and your plants’ needs:
The thumb rule of making a raised bed is never to make it very wide. The raised bed should be wide enough so that roots can spread properly but not that wide so you can’t reach the center of the bed. Length is a personal preference. How much space do you have? It depends on that. But depth is also another important dimension. At least 6 inches of depth must be provided. If you want to give your plants enough space for expanding roots, you can create deeper than the minimum.
Making soil:
As we discussed earlier, raised beds are best for the area which has poor native soil. You get the advantage of making your soil by adding compost and fertilizer. You should mound organic soil in your raised beds. Also, adding organic soil also improves the drainage condition of the soil. That enhances the growth of your plants.
Picking the spot:
When you are picking the spot for your raised bed garden, these are the factors you need to remember
- The spot gets direct sunlight for about 6 to 10 hours because this is a must for growing vegetables
- Water source is near from the beds
- Enough breeze to the ground level
- Keep it in sight so it doesn’t get out of your mind.
Choosing a material for raised beds:
While constructing a raised bed garden, there are so many options available for the material and many raised bed garden bed designs. It can be daunting to choose. So here are some options that will make your work easier:
Rot-resistant wood:
Cedar, oak, cypress, redwood last for years without any chemical treated solution. So if you are looking for a permanent solution, then this is a great option. But one drawback is the higher initial cost.
Chemically treated Pine:
This is a cost-effective solution. If you don’t mind wood-preserving chemicals in your garden soil, you can try this option.
Other plastic and metals:
This is one of the popular choices right now because of the low initial cost and long-lasting nature. The only drawback is the plastic look that is not impressive.
Raised bed gardens are not only for vegetable gardening but also for places where the native soil is not good enough to grow anything.