Cave Run Resort & Stables

Posts Tagged ‘garden’

Planning a Raised Garden Bed: Not just for the elderly or disabled.

Article by Mish James

Not only do raised garden beds look esthetically pleasing, they are perfect for older or disabled gardeners as well as for anyone who dislike doing a lot of hard-on-the-back bending.

Raised beds should be sufficiently wide enough to comfortably reaching the middle from either side easy, especially if you plan to grow vegetables or flowers for cutting or harvesting. It is a good idea to leave a path between beds that is wide enough for your wheelbarrow or wheelchair to move freely through.

Your raised garden bed should also be at height that is suitable for you to stand or sit next too. If you can not stand for long periods then it is a good idea to have the beds at a height that you can sit next too but still be able to reach into the middle of the garden bed.You may even be able to incorporate the edge of the garden bed into a seat, so that you can sit on the garden bed as you work.

Once you have settled on the desired sizes for your raised garden beds, buy the timber necessary for raising the bed to the desired height and width. Dig a trench at least half a shovel in depth around the bed perimeters; if your raised garden bed is located on a slope, dig the top trench deeper than the lower one to ensure that the finished bed sides will be level.

Build the sides for the raised bed, settling the lumber into the groove of the trench. Adding posts at the corners will make the garden beds more stable. Remember that wood can warp, so place your boards so that visible curves of the wood are on the outside of the bed to avoid having nails pop out later on.

When the raised garden beds are built in is now time to fill them with soil. If your soils are clay or otherwise heavy, lighten them by mixing in some sand and organic matter first.If your soils are sandy or light then organic matter may need to be added. Buying premixed potting or topsoil soil that contains a good balance of sand, peat, and organic matter is the easiest way to go. The other way to go is to fill the beds with alternate layers of newspaper, straw or hay and potting mix, like what you would do for a no dig garden.

When your beds are filled with soil, you’re ready to start planting and enjoying your new raised garden beds!

Question by Travis: Raised Garden Bed question? ?
I only have space at my home for a raised garden on an empty concrete slab measuring about 6ftx6ft. My question is what do I put on the bottom of my framed bed to allow for drainage on a concrete slab? I was planning on putting two pieces of plywood, raised just slightly at an angle to allow for minimal runoff but I’m worried about termites and quick deterioration of the plywood underneath such heavy soil. Any other suggestions for drainage on raised bed on concrete?

Best answer:

Answer by chuck.mush
If feasible, put down about a 4 – 6 inch layer of 1 inch diameter gravel under the garden bed. This should do the trick.

Give your answer to this question below!

Why you should have a Raised Garden Bed

Article by Colin D Price

Building a raised garden bed in your backyard can be particularly useful if you have poor, waterlogged soil and your plants are not growing well.

A raised bed has advantages over the ordinary bed because you are totally in control of the soil that you use and you are able to garden in a more comfortable position. The different soil conditions required for individual plants can be controlled much more effectively and can be varied from bed to bed; a pH soil test kit is a very useful tool to enable you to achieve the correct conditions for individual plants.

You can easily achieve loose, well draining soil as you won’t be walking on it to compact it. Raised garden beds drain excess water much better than normal garden beds, great news for areas with heavy soils and excess rainfall. This will help your plants intake of air round the root system, a major plus for abundant, healthy plants.

You can tend your raised garden bed in a more comfortable position which will help guard against backaches which can sometimes deter you in your endeavors to supply the family with fresh quality produce. It is also more convenient for those with disabilities or who have to garden from a seated position. We consider raised gardens to be a great asset to any gardener.

There is a wide choice of materials and sizes to choose from when deciding on raised garden beds for your own use. The availability of space will determine the size of the beds and how many you have. You can buy kits, or you can quite easily build your own out of anything that will hold dirt such as lumber, plastic, bricks or rocks. Lumber is the most commonly used and probably the easiest to work with.

There are a few things to think about when planning the raised bed. Decide on a comfortable height for you and make sure you can tend your plants from any angle without the need to walk on the raised gardens, thus preventing the soil becoming compacted. Make sure it’s situated in a position suitable for whatever you intend to grow, with regards to sunshine and light and there should be good access for tools and wheelbarrows. Raised gardens should be a minimum of 6 inches in height to help correct any drainage problems; also it would be wise to enclose the area to eliminate runoff and erosion of the soil.

Usually, when building raised gardens you have to buy soil in, just take the overall dimensions to your garden centre and they will work out what you need. If you know upfront what plants your raised gardens are going to be used for, they can advise and supply the appropriate soil mix. If you’re only raising the beds up to about 15 inches we advise you to fill them up with one half organic matter (from your composter) and one half soil. You can greatly reduce your costs by making your own compost. Now if your going to be looking at raised gardens that are waist high, say three foot, it makes sense that you take a different course of action to get good results and to try and lower costs. In order to reduce the amount of soil needed to fill this large space you can half fill it with rocks or sand then top it off with a 50-50 mix of manure or compost and soil. Adjust the pH levels for the plants you wish to grow and this will give your raised garden the ultimate growing conditions.

Raised garden beds are a great deterrent for various pests such as slugs and snails and also keep pathway weeds at bay.

Question by Having a Bad Day.: Raised Garden Bed. MAJOR weed issues in garden area. Would this work?
Hello! I’m planning on making a raised garden bed because what I was doing resulted in HORRIBLE weeds and I can’t get on my knees to weed.

I want to grow a BUNCH of tomatoes, different types of peppers, herbs, etc. and I was thinking that on top of making a raised bed with wood, I would take the plants that will grow really big and have the biggest problem with weeds and plant them in these:

Oldcastle 8 in. x 8 in. x 8 in. Concrete Block

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Concrete-Cement-Masonry-Concrete-Blocks-Bricks-Lintels/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xmiZboge/R-100350198/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I would dig down and put a tomato plant or pepper plant in each block so that the roots start below the bottom of the block and then fill in the block with potting soil.

I would then use these for herbs or lettuces:

QUIKRETE 4x8x16 Normal Weight Block

http://www.lowes.com:80/pd_10382-286-097120_4294858233_4294937087_?productId=3006074&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1&pl=1&currentURL=%2Fpl_Block_4294858233_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1%26Va%3Dtrue

Would that work?

I’m thinking that I will do 3 individual Planting Beds, each one 5 feet long by 3 feet wide.

One for tomatoes, one for peppers and zucchini, one for herbs and lettuces.

If I use the blocks, I can cover the whole box with anti-weed matting and just cut holes for the blocks.

Any advice or comments?

Best answer:

Answer by plantguy2010
Your idea will work just fill the holes with the tomato plants in them as the plants grow. Use preen weed control before putting down your weed mat and this will help to control the weeds. Also use a good mulch on top of the weed matting as this will help retain moisture and also help control any weeds that do decide to grow.

What do you think? Answer below!

How To Get The Best Garden Design

Article by Sabrina Whetham

Learning how to get the best garden design will take some time. Many changes occur here so it’s up to the individual to know his or her stuff. However, it need not be a difficult task. All that is necessary is research and planning.

If one knows the plant in question, it will be easy to design with it. The problem with most people is that they only see it for what it is at time of purchase. They have a hard time envisioning it when it is full grown. This is essential when planting a perennial garden.

Many times, people will purchase plans that can be invasive, for example. These invasive plants will grow outwards and take over the neighboring plants. Obviously, those will be damaged unless they are properly maintained. Therefore, it is in your best interest to know exactly what you are putting in your garden.

So, before purchasing anything, referred to what it looks like and what the requirements are when it is full grown. Aside from that, to get beautiful design, there are many things that have to be added, such as light, color and texture.

To get some great ideas, look at professional weight landscaped properties. Also, visit your local library and look up some books dedicated to the subject. There are also some incredible magazines that can be helpful with great ideas and solutions. Before proceeding with anything, ensure that what you plan to plant can withstand the weather conditions in your location.

As for lighting, it’s crucial. It can make your home stand out in the dark while emphasizing some beautiful parts of the garden. Try using light pointing up or down or both for maximum effect. While this might be a costly endeavor, as a consumer there are many products available in all price ranges. Therefore, regardless of budget, there are things that can help create a fantastic look.

Question by adnamarie: free floral magazine subscription?
do u know where i can find a free floral magazine subscription? maybe floral design or general garden?

Best answer:

Answer by Tina B
visit Lowes.com

The have a Garden Club magazine free subscription.

I highly recommend the Lowes Creative Ideas magazine also. Really neat ideas.

You have to register on their site to sign up for the magazines.

Add your own answer in the comments!