There are many reasons for constructing a raised bed. Sometimes your soil is far from ideal. Or perhaps you need to conserve space. You can grow twice as much in a raised bed than you can in a traditional garden in regular soil, increasing your production.
Another caveat of a raised bed is that it saves both time and money. Since you only need to tend to the bed and not to any surrounding soil, your efforts pay off much more quickly. You don’t have to weed as much when crops are grown closely as weeds can’t compete in the mix and die off on their own.
Raised beds are perfect for gardeners who are wheelchair bound or have limited mobility as this style of bed brings the garden upwards making it within reach. A raised bed can allow a disabled person the ability to continue to garden or perhaps become a new viable pastime.
The quickest way to make a raised bed is to buy a pre-fabricated bed in a box kit which is readily available at both DIY stores and garden centers. Alternately with just a few tools you can easily hammer together a wooden frame. Frames hold the soil in and keep it from washing away. You can also use rocks, bricks or concrete blocks to frame a bed.
Once the frame is erected, the fastest way to fill it is with compost. If your existing soil is bad, you may want to have new topsoil and soil amendments delivered to start from scratch with in the raised bed. This way you don’t use any of the existing bad soil which might taint the bed.
The traditional way to treat the existing soil is to do what is called double digging. This is a tough process that requires a good deal of work requiring the topsoil to be completely removed and the underlying subsoil mixed with new organic matter to enrich it.
Once the bed is built, you are ready to plant it and reap the bountiful rewards of a very productive raised bed garden.
An organic garden is a great way to help save money in tougher times, as well as enjoy the benefits of all-natural produce. An organic garden may seem intimidating at first, but with a little time and research, you can be on your way to an abundant crop and healthier eating.
Start your garden by doing a good deal of research on the subject. The Internet is full of websites dedicated to the art of growing your own organic fruits and vegetables. Learn what grows the best in your specific climate, and what will more than likely fail. Take books out from the library, and talk to others who have grown organic produce before. Educate yourself on the ins and outs of the subject as much as possible.
Choose the best area for your garden by figuring out where the sun hits the most. You may also want to choose a spot where your crops will be protected by the wind. Also, make sure you can easily water your plants, since they will need to be watered every day to flourish. Start your composting early by saving your kitchen scraps and grass clippings for an easy, natural and free fertilizer. You can also research various chemical-free pesticides that you can use on your fruit and vegetable plants to keep pests and diseases away. A fence may also be needed to keep deer, rabbits and other animals from tearing up your garden.
If you are planning to try and sell what you produce from your organic garden, it is very important to understand the rules and regulations concerning the subject. The United States regulates the sale of organic foods carefully, and you will be required to get an organic certification from your state to sell your food under the label of organic. The United States Department of Agriculture can give you all the information you need to sell your products, which can be found at their website.
The basics of organic gardening are quite simple. You can have healthy produce in no time with a little patience and practice!