When you think about gardening, the image that often pops into your mind is usually of small people working in garden sheds digging in the dirt. This image is quickly made obsolete when you realize that gardeners of all shapes and sizes are now creating amazing gardens right on their own front lawns. No longer are gardeners limited to a small plot of land with a few grass beds or flowerbeds. Nowadays, people have entire spaces that are devoted exclusively to their gardening interests. They have entire gardens and outdoor spaces that are planted with everything from fruit trees to ornamental flowers. All thanks to gardeners like yourself who are now using outdoor garden guides and other resources to learn how to layout garden beds.
Good soil is absolutely necessary to provide your plants with a firm foundation for growth. If you’ve ever seen a garden that has been created without the proper soil, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Too many gardeners try to go the route of trying to make their own soil and call it their own. Unfortunately, it’s rarely very good. In fact, most low quality soils will drain extremely quickly and can even be unhealthy for your plants if they are not properly maintained. The key is to properly create a structure on which your plants can thrive.
Fortunately, making your own soil is extremely easy. One of the best DIY gardening tips out there for building a raised bed is to use wood or metal waste as the base material. Some of the best options for building a raised bed base material are wood chips and crushed stone. Other materials such as cedar chips and pine needles are also very useful. However, before you go to the trouble of gathering these materials, you should consider the following points.
First of all, the soil you’ll be working with should be relatively dry. Some seasoned gardeners still prefer to use wetting agents when growing their gardens in containers, but in reality this can actually be counterproductive. Wetting agents may slow down plant growth, but they can also encourage the growth of fungus and other organisms that can be detrimental to your garden. If the soil is dry, then it’s much easier to avoid problems like these. On the other hand, a moist garden allows the development of fungi and other organisms that can be destructive, so it’s always best to have the proper moisture levels in any garden.
It’s also important to realize that not all gardeners are interested in building raised beds filled with soil. Many gardeners are more interested in building a vegetable garden free form soil, which allows them to plant everything from grass to flowers directly into the garden. In fact, there are many who are turning their back on gardeners and vegetable gardens altogether and opting for a food production strategy.
Regardless of which method you decide to go with, there are some things that are essential when gardening in a raised garden bed or in any type of container. For one thing, it’s essential to have good drainage; moisture levels in the soil have a direct effect on whether or not you’ll have healthy root systems. Another important thing to remember when working with a raised bed or a container is to have good lighting. Proper lighting will enable you to see what’s going on in your garden, so it’s crucial that you work to ensure that your plants are getting the proper amount of sunlight.
In addition to having good drainage, good lighting, and an organized or structured garden, you’ll also want to consider purchasing one of the many building a raised garden bed kits available out there. Building a kit can be extremely helpful, because many of these kits will include everything you need to construct your bed right at home. These kits can be purchased online and include everything from the soil and gardening tools to the gravel and the recycled plastic to construct the bed. While many people choose to go with building a kit because they are cheaper, it’s important to keep in mind that many of these kits are made with cheap materials that won’t last for long. And just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean you have to settle for subpar products.
Many people who are building a raised garden bed choose to go with something a bit more substantial than a simple bed of dirt. They like to plant a bed of cedar, for example, so they can build a bed that’s six inches deep and six inches wide at the foot of the bed. A six inches deep bed will allow plenty of room for the roots to grow. And, since cedar requires very little maintenance, it’s a great choice when it comes to planting a bed of cedar. Plus, a bed of cedar looks beautiful and has a distinct scent that is pleasant.
