If your harvest is disappointing and your garden plot is not as productive as you would like, or if your plot of land small size, creating raised beds can be the solution to all your problems. Raised beds allow you to garden more efficiently, in a smaller area and on firmer soil.
Use the old one wooden boat. Using a wooden boat can be a great way to add a unique touch to your garden, and it will also help if you don't have any building or carpentry skills. To find the right boat, look online for listings such as Craigslist or ask local fishing stores.
Use an old wooden bed frame. You can purchase an antique bed frame so that your garden beds looked quirky and unique. The downside, of course, is that the height may be awkward for planting, and it will be difficult to reach the center of the bed if very a large bed. It is recommended to use a child's bed.
Use old wine crates. Wine boxes, tangerine boxes or any similar boxes can be turned into a great planting box. Simply drill holes for drainage, if there are none, fill with soil and plant. Place them on the ground, on a flat or sloped surface.
Determine and design the shape of the raised bed. Luckily, constructing a raised bed doesn't take long! You just need to build a box with an open top and bottom. You can make it any shape you want. Think of it as if you are making a mold to pour soil into it (like pouring cement or plaster into a mold).
Draw a plan for your beds, measure your plot, and add the measurements to the drawing. Now you can determine how much material you will need to build your garden bed.
Decide what materials to use. You can use anything: boards, plastic, synthetic wood, sleepers, brick, stones or a number of other materials. However, the use of wood is usually the simplest and effective method. This article talks about creating a bed from planks or synthetic wood.
Gather everything you will need. Full list what you will need is presented below. All you really need are boards cut to the correct length and at least 60cm high. If you want to make a triangular bed, you will need three boards. If you want to make a square bed, you will need four boards of equal length. For a rectangular bed you need four boards, two of one length and two of another!
Install the frame. Use 4 pegs in height equal to twice the height of the proposed bed. Dig holes and place pegs halfway into the ground. Make sure the pegs are level and in the correct places.
Attach long boards. Measure the larger distance between the pegs, including the width of the pegs themselves, and cut the boards to the appropriate length. Use nails or screws of the appropriate length. Drive two nails or screws into the ends of each board. Place the boards on the sides, adjusting the expected height of the bed. Reduce the width of the boards if necessary.
Attach the boards along the short sides. Measure and cut the boards for the short sides of the bed according to the distance between the outer edge of the two boards on the long side. Again, use two nails at the ends of each board, driving them into the pegs.
Create an overhang if necessary. You can create a more attractive bed by adding a lip to the top edge of the sides. First, take boards of the desired width and cut a 45-degree bevel on the ends of each board, picture frame style. Purchase wooden pegs half the width of the overhang and use matching nails to attach them to the outside at the top of the bed. Fit the cut edges of the boards together and nail the lip to internal corners on top of the pegs.
Cut a piece of garden plastic or cover material to fit the area of your raised bed. By placing it on the surface, you will significantly reduce the growth of weeds. Seven or eight layers of dampened newspaper or packing cardboard will also keep weeds at bay (be sure to remove the tape from the cardboard).
Once your bed is in place, fill it with soil. Add some compost fertilizer to the base of the bed and then a layer of soil on top of the rich nutrients compost. You can significantly reduce costs by using soil (up to 50%) from other parts of your site. Fill at least 1/3 of your raised bed with compost or manure (sold at garden nurseries or garden centers in 20 kg bags).
Proceed with landing. Some people like to grow flowers in raised beds. Some people prefer to grow vegetables. The options are endless. If you want to grow vegetables for food, raised beds are an excellent choice for growing lettuce, carrots, onions, radishes, beets and other root vegetables.
Protect your raised bed from the elements. To build a miniature greenhouse, install arches on the bed by bending PVC pipes into the shape of an arch. Install arches every 1.2 - 1.8 meters.
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Do you know what innovation is, how raised beds came to our country from Canada. The land there has been cultivated in this way for many years. Such planting options can be used not only for growing vegetable crops, but also for creating original ones. Let's find out how to make beautiful and practical raised garden beds with your own hands. Photo, description technological processes and the diagrams will help you with this.
The rate of gas exchange, soil moisture and the presence of beneficial microorganisms depend on the size and shape of the beds. All these parameters affect the quality of the soil.
Raised beds can be used to grow big harvest berries, vegetables and fruits. At the same time, you can get good results even from a plot of land that is not very fertile. The peculiarity of high beds is that they warm up faster than low structures.
There are several types of vertical beds. They differ not only in material, but also in functionality. Some options are made from building materials, and others are simple.
Here are the types of beds that exist:
When creating isolated beds, you can take into account factors such as lighting, soil composition, and its structure. At what height such beds will be placed depends on the volume of the root system, soil characteristics and your own preferences. The minimum height is 15 cm, but to provide better insulation, you can raise them by 30-40 cm. Warm raised plantings can be higher than 50 cm, since a layer is still laid on the bottom. Narrow beds can be up to half your height.
The length can be very varied. Most often it depends on the length of the garden. If the bed is too long, then its sides need to be further strengthened. When arranging any garden bed, remember your own comfort and convenience. The best width is when you can reach the middle of the structure. The optimal value is 90-120 cm.
You can grow different crops in raised beds. It is not recommended to use plants with tall stems, as they will be inconvenient to collect fruits from. Root crops, strawberries, peppers, herbs and cucumbers are often planted on bulk structures.
For your information! Raised bed filler is particularly useful. It is made from organic ingredients. In this case, the root system is located in the fertile layer, which promotes the development and growth of plants.
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Let's find out how to do original beds and from what materials they can be constructed. Interesting ideas Our review will help you create a variety of designs.
The main advantage of raised beds is that you can accommodate a variety of vegetables and plants in a small area. Raised beds are especially popular for strawberries, aromatic herbs and cucumbers. Such designs also have other advantages:
Such designs also have certain disadvantages, but there are not many of them. First of all, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers will be required. It is also important to monitor the mole cricket invasion.
For your information! Before you start work, treat the wood parts with an antiseptic and special impregnations. This will prevent rotting processes and protect materials from destruction.
You can also create warm raised beds or vertical structures. They are popular because of their appearance and cost savings. usable area. In addition, this is an excellent solution for protecting crops from various pests. Vertical structures are great for growing flowers, strawberries and herbs. You can not only make such structures from available raw materials, but even purchase ready-made options. You can see how to make warm structures in the video:
You can see different variants design of vertical beds, but their most important advantage is their miniature dimensions. Such structures can be built from any materials, even from plastic bottles.
Vertical products do not require special care. They are at the optimal height to be handled comfortably.
You can see how to make a raised structure for strawberries in the video:
You can build beds with a pyramidal structure on your own. You will need tools and materials such as a tape measure and a board. To make the base you will need 4 support boards. They can be 2 meters long. In this case, the sections need to be connected under acute angle.
To increase rigidity pyramidal bed you need to install an additional pillar as a supporting element. In this case, the boards are mounted on a horizontal surface and attached to each other. A rail is installed in the base. The resulting side is fixed vertically, and then the second and third sides are attached to it. After installing the frame system, the length of the slats is measured. They are placed at intervals of 25-30 cm. To make the shelf raised, its ends should be cut at an angle of 30 degrees. After assembly, the structure is filled with soil, which is compacted.
To grow strawberries, you can build a vertical bed from. In this case, you need to prepare plastic pipes, a steel cable and a special knife for cutting. The volumetric section allows you to place the required amount of soil inside. The cut should be made along the structure. To fix the bed in a horizontal position, you need to make a hole in each half. Then a fishing line or cable is pulled through them. The parts are then placed one on top of the other. In this case, you can do different levels do-it-yourself beds made of PVC pipes.
For your information! If you plan to place the structures in a suspended state, then you need to take into account that they can sway. Therefore, it is better to install them in places that are well protected from the wind.
A compact structure can be built for crops such as strawberries, greens, flowers or potatoes. A good solution would be a vertical bed. To do this you need to prepare metal mesh, straw, special soil and necessary tool for processing the material.
To create a bed you need to bend the mesh into a pipe. In this case, the cross-section should be 0.9 meters. The edges are secured with wire. Straw is laid on the sides, and the free space is filled.
To plant potatoes, such beds should be placed at a height of 50 cm from the surface level. 10 cm gaps are left between the plants. Then the first layer should be shed, then the soil should be laid and the seedlings should be planted.
To grow strawberries, you can also use ordinary ones. Such designs allow you to create an attractive external design. You can use both plastic and clay pots. In this way, you can create a multi-level composition.
Pots must be selected so that their diameters become smaller towards the top of the structure. In this case, the difference between pairs of pots should differ little.
The largest pot is placed in the chosen location and filled with soil. After this, a smaller pot is placed in it, etc. When the structure is ready, plants are planted in the soil and watered. The largest pot is installed at the base of the structure. A rod of a smaller size than the diameter of the container is placed inside. The pot is filled with soil, and the remaining products are strung on rods one by one. After filling with soil, plants are planted. The pots are mounted on a pole or high stump.
Exist different ways growing cucumbers in open ground. In this case, you can build vertical beds. This option is also suitable for planting strawberries.
The tire structure is mounted according to the same principle as pot structures. Tires are suitable for this different sections.But keep in mind that old products are not particularly environmentally friendly material.
Before mounting, tires should be cleaned, dried and, if necessary, painted. The largest tire is placed down, and a part is cut off from the side. The hole is filled with soil and planted with plants. In this way, other elements are also laid out. Tires can be beautifully decorated with patterns or even unusual cuts.
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This article describes all the intricacies of the process during which raised garden beds are created with your own hands: photos and detailed descriptions of the technology, types of structures, their purpose and features, advantages and disadvantages. Specificity of vertical products intended for growing strawberries, cucumbers and other crops, recommendations for their production.
The construction of raised beds opens up new opportunities for growing crops in the garden. This approach to organizing plantings allows you to create an interesting design on your site and effectively grow berries, fruits and vegetables. It becomes possible to get a wonderful harvest from a plot whose soil is not particularly fertile.
Warming up of tall structures occurs much faster than that of ordinary beds. The process of caring for plants is simplified because a person does not have to bend too low.
Note! Organic matter is used as filler for raised beds. Due to the fact that plant roots are located in a nutrient medium, crops grow faster and produce a rich harvest.
The construction of such structures is accompanied by minimal costs, so summer residents prefer to make high beds for strawberries and vegetable crops.
Advantages of raised structures:
The designs have few disadvantages. They consist in the need for enhanced mineral nutrition and frequent watering. You will also need to keep an eye on the mole cricket. This pest loves to live in high beds.
The following types of beds are most in demand among owners of summer cottages:
Note! To arrange high beds is not required high costs. Many summer residents use improvised materials for these purposes. In most cases, it is enough to create raised beds by purchasing bricks, as well as a mixture that improves soil quality and drainage.
To build a high, triangular-shaped mound garden, you only need a shovel. The dimensional parameters of the bed are selected taking into account what plants will be grown. The size of the root system of crops is taken into account. The maximum permissible height of a bulk garden is 0.3 m, the width is about 0.7 m. In the process of filling the bed with soil, there is no need to compact the soil.
A similar scheme is used to create a trapezoidal bed. The upper part of the bulk garden should not exceed 0.3 m in width. You can use boards to cover the upper slopes. It is also possible to use mulch, which will have a positive effect on the condition of the soil.
Suitable for making a multi-tiered bed for strawberries with your own hands profile pipe or fittings. Metal structural elements are fastened by welding or bolting. Containers or boxes filled with soil are placed on the finished frame base.
Fences on high beds are needed to ensure that the soil with plants is inside the structure. Most often, beams or boards are used for construction. Do-it-yourself technologies for making high beds from slate are also popular.
Wood is considered traditional material, allowing you to create practical and reliable designs for high beds. Slate is also popular, but less environmentally friendly. In addition, it has one significant drawback - its fragile structure. During the construction of a vegetable garden, this material can be damaged if the rules for handling it are neglected.
The most durable and strong beds are made from brick or stone. Large elements are connected using concrete mortar. Concrete itself is often used, when working with which you should carefully consider the shape, dimensional parameters and location of the garden, since the bed in this case will be stationary and it will not be possible to move it over time. When making structures from concrete, stone or brick, it is important not to overdo it with the thickness and width of the frame. In massive products, the earth will not be able to warm up quickly.
Summer residents also use other budget materials:
Note! Construction of raised beds from plastic panels- the most budget-friendly way to get a vegetable garden. You can even find plastic slate in the assortment of individual stores.
Igor Lyadov’s beds are based on technology invented at the end of the twentieth century by Jacob Mittlider. The American worked on creating optimal structures for growing strawberries. These products are distinguished from ordinary box beds by their reduced width - only 45 cm. Any material can be used to make the sides, but boards are most often used.
Fertile soil and a layer of sawdust are used as filler. Mittlider set aside a width of 0.9 m for the paths between the structures. To prevent the growth of weeds in this area, the vegetable grower spread agrofibre.
Unlike his American colleague, Igor Lyadov suggests using organic matter rather than mineral supplements. He became the author of several recipes, which include such traditional fertilizers as bird droppings and manure, as well as herbs. The design of the beds looks somewhat different in the photo. Lyadov's high beds are 0.6-1 m wide.
Between the structures there are passages 0.6-0.8 m wide. This area can be covered with roofing felt, sand, tiles or sawdust to make it easier to move along the plantings and not think about weeds. The space of paths between the beds is often sown lawn grass. But in this case, you will have to periodically mow the vegetation so that the passages look neat and do not go beyond their boundaries.
Note! Igor Lyadov strictly indicated the placement of the beds. Plantings should be placed from north to south. This is the only way the plants will be provided with the necessary level of sunlight.
The technology provides for the construction of a bed, the width of which is 180 cm, length - 3 m, height - 40 cm. However, the dimensional parameters of the structure can be changed taking into account the area summer cottage. At the first stage of construction, it is selected optimal place for placing a vegetable garden. It is better if the selected area is illuminated by the sun for at least 5 hours throughout the day. Even a place unsuitable for growing crops, such as a vacant lot, is suitable for this purpose.
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After this, the design of the beds at the dacha is developed, photo interesting options placements can be found on the Internet or in gardening magazines. Before construction begins, the site is cleared of debris, stones and perennial rhizomes. weeds. Annual weeds do not need to be removed, since the need for this procedure disappears during the initial digging of the territory.
First, the fences are prepared. To do this, you will need to cut the material so that you get 4 boards 1.8 m long and 4 boards 3 m long. In addition, you should prepare wooden blocks, each 40 cm high. At the ends of the boards intended for assembling the frame, a cut should be made at an angle of 45°.
Before you begin assembling the frame, you should treat the wooden elements with a special impregnation or antiseptic to stop the rotting process and prevent rapid deterioration of the material, which can be caused by exposure to moisture. WITH outside the boards can be painted or coated with a varnish. For decorative purposes, patterns can be applied to the surface. After waiting for it to dry completely, you can begin assembling the box. If the design of the bed provides two levels, each of the tiers is fastened with beams.
Helpful advice! To protect the plantings from moles and rodents, it is recommended to nail a net at the bottom.
Filling the high bed is carried out in the following order:
After the bed is filled, it should be watered generously and allowed to sit for 2-3 days so that all the layers can settle. It is not recommended to immediately start sowing or planting seedlings. It is better to keep the bed for some time so that it has time to warm up well. To do this, you need to cover the structure with black material. Polyethylene will do.
Helpful advice! If the construction of the beds is carried out in late summer or autumn, the structure should be left covered until spring.
Vertical beds are used for growing spices and berries. The advantages of such structures are associated with a decorative appearance, saving space and protecting crops from birds and various pests.
The construction of vertical beds will become great solution for planting crops that require a lot of space on the site. These structures are ideal for growing herbs, wild strawberries, flowers, and strawberries. Moreover, owners of summer cottages can not only build themselves, but also buy vertical beds in finished form in one of the specialized stores.
There are many design options for vertical beds, but their main advantage is their compact size. Moreover, this advantage of the products will be beneficial not only to owners of small summer cottages, but also to people who want to grow herbs or berries on their balcony. A lightweight bed made from plastic bottles is best suited for these purposes.
Vertically installed beds do not require complex maintenance. The plantings are at a sufficient height to allow weeding or harvesting to be carried out in comfortable conditions. To do this, you do not need to bend low and endure back pain. In this case, the plants and their roots are raised high above the ground, where rodents and small pests. Pyramid or cylinder-shaped beds make it difficult for birds to land comfortably to eat the berries.
Prices for ready-made structures:
product name | price, rub. |
Agrotextile bed | 150 |
Plastic mesh bed | 490 |
Pipe with holes | 1500 |
Pipe with holes | 3200 |
Vertical ladder | 4700 |
For work you will need the following tools and materials:
To create the base, 4 are used support boards. To make them, you can cut a board 2 m long. It is recommended to make cuts at an acute angle so that it is convenient to connect the pieces later.
Helpful advice! To increase the rigidity of the structure, an additional pillar should be placed in the central part of the pyramidal bed to act as a support.
After this, a pair of boards 2 m long, with an angular cut at the edges, are laid on a horizontal plane and connected to each other. A rail is mounted into the base to organize the future bed and is fixed on both sides. The dimensions of this element are 5x40x5 cm. The resulting side of the pyramid should be installed vertically and the second and third sides should be secured to it. They are made in a similar way.
When the frame part of the pyramid is ready, use a tape measure to measure the length of the slats intended for making beds. They should be placed in increments of 25-30 cm. To secure the slats, you will need to cut the ends at an angle of 30° to make the shelf raised. Upon completion of assembly, the structure is filled with soil, which should be compacted. The products can also be successfully used for growing vegetables and herbs.
This design option is great not only for growing strawberries, but also for greens.
List of required tools and materials:
The large diameter of the pipes is necessary so that the pipe cut in half can accommodate the amount of soil required for growing plants. The product is cut lengthwise. To fix the beds in a vertical position, holes should be made on both sides of each half. A steel cable or thick fishing line is passed through them. The halves are placed one above the other according to the principle of a ladder. The number of such half-levels can be unlimited.
Note! Since the structure can swing when suspended, it is recommended to install the bed in places protected from the wind.
Small vegetable gardens created on the basis of a building grid are suitable for growing strawberries, flowers, herbs or potatoes. To work you will need:
To create a bed, you will need to bend a rectangular piece of mesh into the shape of a pipe, the diameter of which is 0.9 m. Using wire or other devices, the edges of the section must be fastened in this position. Straw is placed on the sides inside the structure. Thanks to this, the soil will not spill out. The free space is filled.
If you intend to grow potatoes, the first level of plants should be located at a height of 50 cm from the ground. Approximately 10 cm should be left between crops. After this, the first layer is shed, 50 cm of soil is laid again and the plants are planted. A tower bed can have any height. To give a vertical bed a more attractive appearance, you can use black film instead of straw.
Flower pots can be used successfully to grow strawberries. Such designs have a decorative appearance. Clay or plastic products are suitable for work. The result is a multi-level design. The number of such levels is limited only by personal wishes. Pots are selected so that each subsequent one has a smaller diameter than the previous one. It is desirable that the difference in size between each pair of pots be approximately the same.
The largest pot is placed in the chosen location and filled with soil. After this, a smaller pot is placed in it, etc. When the structure is ready, plants are planted in the soil and watered.
The next option is based on pots of the same diameter. Only one of them should be large. It will be installed at the very base of the structure. A metal rod or wooden stick should be placed inside a large pot.
Note! The size of the rod must be selected so that its diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole located at the base of the pot.
The pot is filled with soil. The remaining products are strung one by one onto a rod through a hole at the bottom. The result is a multi-tiered structure with pots that seem to balance on top of each other. They are filled with soil, where plants are then planted.
If there is a tall stump or pole on the site, the pots can be fixed to it. Under no circumstances should this be done on a living tree. Products are fixed around the circumference in any order. The spiral looks beautiful from the outside. You can also use the technique of placing pots in a checkerboard pattern. The only disadvantage of this garden bed is the inconvenient watering system.
A tower made from car tires is made in exactly the same way as a structure made from flower pots. Tires of different diameters are selected for construction. This material has a significant drawback. Old car tires are not environmentally friendly. Therefore, it is recommended to create such beds for one-time use, and after a year to build new ones from other tires.
Before starting work, car tires need to be prepared:
After this, the largest tire should be laid on one side. On the other hand, the side part with the hole for the disk is cut off. The finished element is filled with soil and planted with plants. You should do the same with other tires and install them one on top of the other so that the size of each next one is smaller than the size of the previous one.
Helpful advice! Car tires can be beautifully decorated, as is usually done with flower beds made from this material. For these purposes, you can use bright colors, patterns, or make decorative cuts.
Plants will look great in a bed made from a bag. This design can be conveniently placed on a fence, wall of a gazebo, house, barn or any other permanent building. To work, you will need a bag made of plastic or natural fabric. Burlap is much better in terms of performance. It is environmentally friendly and, unlike plastic, is reusable. The fact is that artificial materials undergo rapid destruction under the influence of the sun.
On the other hand, burlap has a good throughput, providing air access to the plants. To prevent the bottom and sides of the bag from breaking through over time under the influence of gravity, it is recommended to stitch them several times. A loop is made at the top of the product for hanging. On one side of the bag there are holes for planting plants. After this, the bed can be filled with soil and planted.
Multi-tiered structures can be made from wooden or plastic boxes different sizes. They are stacked one on top of the other with a gradual decrease in dimensional parameters. This ladder of boxes can be painted in a bright color and laid around a tree or pole.
Helpful advice! You can use an old chest of drawers to create a garden bed by pulling out its drawers and filling them with soil. Other unnecessary furniture will also be suitable for these purposes.
Before you start making a vegetable garden, it would be useful to take into account some tips on optimal construction designs:
Note! The construction of vertical beds for cucumbers is also welcomed by many summer residents. Most of the designs are made by analogy with products for strawberries. Since cucumbers belong to the category of climbing crops, the bed should be supplemented with supports to which the plants will cling.
A vertical bed for cucumbers can be presented various options designs. Most often, bags or products made of plastic are used to grow these crops. The surface for fixing the beds can be the walls of buildings, nets or shields, as well as all kinds of partitions. Vertical bed for cucumbers you can arrange it yourself inside a plastic pipe. This product is closed on one side and hung vertically on the crossbars.
A net made of plastic is considered the simplest option for organizing a decorative garden for cucumbers. The product is positioned vertically and the plants rise up the mesh as they grow. This type of garden bed can be purchased ready-made or you can make it yourself. To do this, you will need a thick fishing line and straight tree branches that will serve as supports. They are placed in a circle with equal spacing and at the top they are connected at one point so that a peculiar resemblance to a hut is obtained.
Using thick fishing line, you need to walk around the circle, forming a vertical base to secure the plants as they grow. If you plan to build a bed in the form of a net for cucumbers, it is strictly forbidden to use metal products for these purposes. Such structures will overheat in hot weather. summer days, and injure plants, leaving burns on them. Safe option bags or canvas bags are used for growing cucumbers.
For the construction of vertical structures it is allowed to use unusual materials, for example, pallets, old furniture, empty stumps, etc. An unusual approach to decor will allow you to create not only a vegetable garden, but a beautiful decorative composition that will optimally fit into the space of your summer cottage.
What amateur gardeners can come up with to get a good harvest.
Today we will introduce you to an unusual technology - growing crops in high beds.
Raised beds are a limited space raised above the ground.. They are used for growing other crops.
It is best to build such structures in the fall, but with proper maintenance you can create an “elevated” structure at other times of the year.
Important! If you build too high sides - more than 70 cm, the bees will not be able to pollinate, which will negatively affect the further growth of the crop.
Like any decision related to growing vegetable crops, this has its advantages and disadvantages.
Let's list the advantages of high beds:
Don’t be afraid of possible difficulties - just take the construction of an unusual structure seriously, and you will get a rich harvest.
Each gardener can independently choose the size of the future garden bed, since there are no clearly established dimensions. However, there are certain recommendations that may come in handy when you build tall ones with your own hands.
Optimal height sides vary from 15 to 50 cm. If you plan to place the structure on fertile soil, you need to limit the height to 15–20 cm. This amount of embankment is quite enough to get a good harvest.
If the soil on the site is not very favorable for growing crops, the bed should be raised higher - about 50 cm. Depending on the wishes of the gardeners, you can raise the walls of the structure even higher - in this case you will not have to bend over while weeding or planting. But remember that such a design will require more materials.
The optimal width of the structure is considered to be a distance from 90 to 120 cm. It is necessary to arrange the site in such a way that it can accommodate 2 rows. This layout will allow the plants to receive sufficient air and sunlight, which will undoubtedly affect the harvest.
If you plant many rows, there is a chance that the ones in the center will not receive the required amount of air and light, which will lead to a decrease in yield. Ridge standard width easy to process.
Important! When choosing plastic for construction, be careful: some types of plastic emit toxins and are not suitable for use in agriculture.
When thinking about the length of the site, you can be guided solely by the capabilities of the territory. However, most often there are structures from 1.5 to 3 m long. Such areas look compact and neat.
It is very important to take a responsible approach to choosing the location where the structure will be located in the future. It is better to place high beds at the dacha on sunny areas: Light should reach this place for at least 6 hours a day. Be sure to take this requirement into account if you plan to place the structure near any buildings or fences.
When placing an embankment on open ground, you should adhere to the following recommendations:
A wide variety of materials can be used to build tall ones. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the most common types of structures and the features of their manufacture.
This material is perhaps a classic for creating beds. It attracts gardeners with its accessibility. For manufacturing, you can use boards and logs.
Did you know? By choosing larch boards for construction, you will significantly increase the service life of the structure. Tree resin is an excellent protectant against external influence and prevents the destruction of boards.
Important! When installing a bed next to fruit trees, before marking, you will need to install a barrier for the root system.
After installing the structure, you can fill it with soil and begin planting.
There can be no doubt about the durability of such a design. But due to the high cost of the material, not everyone can afford such beauty. If you find the funds for a stone bed, it will become a wonderful decoration for your summer cottage.
Instructions for the manufacture of such a design include the following steps:
By building a high brick bed, you will undoubtedly decorate your site. This design is very similar to stone structure: has the same construction principle and relatively high cost of materials.
In addition to the costs of materials and a long manufacturing process, you will have to find a specialist who can lay out a beautiful, even composition.
This material is distinguished by its durability. Everyone at their dacha has unnecessary pieces of slate, which are just useful for building raised beds.
We invite you to read the manufacturing instructions:
Plastic beds can be of two types. The first is the use of plastic panels. IN in this case it's practically perfect option to create a design. It has excellent thermal insulation, has long term service and allows you to create a bed of any shape.
Such blanks can be purchased in specialized stores. The principle of constructing the structure is the same as in the case of slate.
Important! When making beds from slate, you should not drive it into the ground - this creates the risk of its destruction. To install the edges, carefully dig the slate into the soil.
Another option is to make a garden bed out of plastic bottles. However, this is not entirely good way, since there can be no question of tightness. Besides plastic bottles quickly deform, which over time will make the site not very attractive.
One of the cheapest materials for making beds is straw.. Bales are quite affordable, so this method of building beds is the most budget-friendly.
IN Lately So-called “high beds” have become popular among amateur gardeners, as they are more convenient to work with than regular ones.
Gardeners who have just begun to develop their plots should be interested in the idea of a raised bed. An already landscaped area will not lose from such a bed, and the harvest from such beds will pleasantly surprise you.
How to make warm, tall and comfortable beds Location on?
These are boxes without a bottom, 7-11 m long, 1.3 m wide, 0.7-0.8 m high, and 0.4-0.5 m deep below ground level. This height of the bed (table height) allows the elderly and physically weak people can carry out planting and caring for plants without much effort.
Digging the bed below ground level by 40-50 cm is necessary in order to lay down walls through which rats, mice, and moles will not penetrate into the bed.
You can build a garden bed along the wall of the house, but not on the north side; its width in this case should not exceed 80 cm (length arm's length). If the eaves of the house's roof retain rainwater, this garden bed option is no longer necessary.
Oval and even round beds are possible (Fig. 1,2). They are built from flexible wavy sheets, and are fastened inside with wire.
If possible, choose the direction of the bed from north to south. If the direction of the bed is from east to west, then the plants should be placed so that tall types of vegetable crops, such as peas, are located on the north side of the bed.
A raised bed is a structure that should last for decades. This must be taken into account when making a construction decision. Essential Elements buildings - walls. What material should they be made of? More important than others are properties such as frost resistance, rot resistance, corrosion resistance and relative strength. Some amateur gardeners solve the problem by buying on occasion. cheap material, for example, what is left of a broken house, and most often destined for a landfill.
As they say, “everything on the farm comes in handy.” It can be wood (Photo. 1), hollow blocks, porous or just old brick (Photo. 2). And finally, the most suitable building material is sheets, the use of which for building beds saves working time.
These are, first of all, wavy sheets (Photo. 3) usually measuring 2x1 m, made from the very different materials(for us it can be slate). The advantage of sheets is their stability and strength, provided by “waves” that evenly distribute the external load. Even the thinnest corrugated slabs are suitable for constructing the walls of a high bed.
Organic material for filling the beds is prepared in advance, several months before the planned construction. A pile of branches, twigs, and round timber gives the impression of a huge mass, but after chopping and compacting this pile turns into a modest heap. Hence the rule, confirmed by experience: to prepare twice as much material for stuffing as seems sufficient at first glance. And since the need for organic material for raised beds is very large, it is necessary to use waste that can become compost.
From wood material trunks, twigs and branches, waste construction timber, sawdust, and shavings are used to build the garden bed. Pieces of plywood are less suitable, as they contain chemical glue. But if you do use them, then only as a “bulk filling,” and their place is at the very bottom, at the bottom of the pit.
Suitable material - old newspapers. Newsprint, made from wood pulp, decays quickly and is readily eaten by earthworms. The same can be said about cardboard if there is no photo or color printing on it. As a filler to increase the quantity arable land a 10-meter bed requires 2 m2 of clay or sand (Fig. 3).
In the future, you can refuse the spirit level. To do this, you need to find two fixed points on the front wall, and on opposite side hammer in two pegs to which you can attach the cord.
It should start from the bottom, with the most voluminous material: tree trunks, boards, logs, stumps, piles of newspapers can be laid between them. The larger the material for packing, the deeper it must be laid.
Blocks and stumps, located lower than others and receiving less air, form a kind of “reserve” for soil microorganisms, thanks to which they remain active even in winter.
The clay filler is mixed with arable soil, and sand is buried in the middle layers of the bed, where it serves as an air-conducting material.
Then come the unchopped branches, which are trampled underfoot. They are covered with subsurface soil taken from the next section of the bed.
Then again crosswise a layer of branches, this time chopped.
This layer is covered with the remaining subsoil and then in the same order until the end of the bed, until another front wall is installed.
At this stage, it is already possible, without fear of ending up with your feet in the water, to water the loosened arable soil from a hose so that swimming occurs in places. And in the future, the bed will be moistened not only through watering from above, but also due to the capillary rise of moisture from below.
There is no need to worry about compaction of the bed from flooding, which is harmful to plants. This “care” is taken over by brushwood, branches and twigs. Thanks to their cross-shaped position, in an almost meter-thick layer, thousands of small depressions appear - chambers filled with air and so important for the functioning of the bed.
Now you can continue filling the bed: sticks the size of a hammer handle, finely chopped bushes and again a shovel of arable soil from a pile lying to the side, then newspapers, but now not in a whole pile, but unrolled and pre-moistened.
As the volume of filling increases, more and more arable land is required for filling. We are surprised to suddenly discover that our “creation” is even more insatiable than we could have imagined. Instead of soil, if you run out of it, you can pour sand and lay cobblestones.
When the filling level reaches 30 cm, counting from the top, begin stretching. A steel wire is threaded through two holes drilled through the convexities of the sheet on the opposite walls of the bed, both ends are connected and tightened with a screwdriver until (Fig. 4). until the wire loop is stretched, in this case it is necessary to catch in time the moment the tension of the opposite walls stops.
Due to the fact that seasonal bacteria create an initial strong heating of the bed above (40°C), and the subsequent temperature is kept constant at (2°C) above the ambient temperature of the earth, vegetables grow faster than in a flat bed. Fever This is explained by the fact that the overheating of the organic material of the bed occurs in some places slowly, in others faster, and not immediately, as in conventional plots.
A high bed creates optimal conditions for growing spinach, lettuce, green asparagus, strawberries, kohlrabi, Chinese cabbage, celery, tomatoes, leeks, carrots, mushrooms, tuber fennel and other crops (Fig. 6). You can, of course, grow flowers, but not those that are “too lazy” to bloom in rich, nutrient-rich soil.
If we assume that a high bed is a bed for 10 years, then we can count on a constant increase in the humus layer, savings in fertilizers and an almost complete abandonment of plant protection products.
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