Information And Tips On How To Start A Raised Garden (2024)

FAQs

Information And Tips On How To Start A Raised Garden? ›

Cardboard or newspaper: Cardboard is a great option if you are on a budget. You can line the bottom of your raised garden bed with cardboard and newspaper to deter pests and weeds.

Cardboard or newspaper: Cardboard is a great option if you are on a budget. You can line the bottom of your raised garden bed with cardboard and newspaper to deter pests and weeds.

Remove all rocks, old roots, and plant debris. Dig down a little further with the shovel (a few more inches) to just loosen up the soil. Mix the soil with organic matter such as compost. We recommend that the compost make up about 25% of your soil.

Determine Size Of Raised Beds

Choose the right size to ensure you can work comfortably to reach your plants. Easy reach into the bed from any side makes it comfortable to dig, plant, and weed your plants. Height is also an important aspect that you need to decide on depending on the type of plants you choose.

The smaller pieces are placed on top of the larger pieces to fill space, such as branches and sticks, and then grass clippings, leaves and kitchen scraps. Compost and topsoil are on the top two layers for your raised garden bed so you can start planting as the organic matter beneath decomposes.

It acts as a physical barrier to block out pernicious weeds. Usually, 2 – 3 layers of cardboard will suffice, though you may want layers in more weed-prone areas. The damp environment created by the cardboard is conducive to earthworms and other beneficial soil microorganisms.

The fact is, landscape fabric is not a necessity if say, you want to control weeds because the confined space makes it easier to control weeds. But, you can use landscape fabric as a raised bed liner for other reasons, such as preventing soil erosion or improving the life of the raised bed itself.

Vegetable Beds: On the other hand, when it comes to vegetable beds, the bed must be approximately 12 to 18 inches deep to ensure adequate depth for the roots of your plants. This is especially important if your raised bed is placed on cement or the patio, which will inhibit roots from growing deeper into the ground.

Whether deep or shallow, raised beds give a gardener a way to create ideal soil conditions on an even larger scale. While potting mix alone is too light for use in raised beds, creating a 50:50 blend of potting mix and Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Garden Soil will give just the right balance.

Water Usage and Seasonal Considerations - Due to a raised garden's superior drainage, they tend to dry out faster in the warmer months. This requires more frequent watering to keep your plants hydrated. Due to the increased air circulation, raised beds can become colder sooner than natural soil.

How many plants can you have in a 4x8 raised bed? ›

You can grow up to 32 different plants inside your 4' x 8' raised garden bed using “Square Foot Gardening” techniques. There are countless books and online resources available to guide you in this rewarding method of gardening.

Some perennials that grow well in raised beds include daylilies, lavender, oregano, rhubarb, raspberries, and hostas. Just know that if you plant these in your bed, they'll continue to occupy that space for quite a while (unless you decide to pull them, of course!).

Can you fill a raised bed with just top soil? Topsoil is good for filling raised beds, but always use it as part of a mix with compost or other organic matter. Topsoil on its own will not drain well in raised beds and it may not contain the same levels of beneficial microorganisms as you would get in compost.

Fill the bottom half with broken branches, twigs and general forest waste. Add green material like grass clippings, weeds (without roots or seeds) comfrey cuttings, kitchen vegetable waste. Top up with 6 inches of topsoil and home-made compost mix.

Use the Lasagna Garden Method

To start, lay down sheets of cardboard or newspaper for weed suppression and then fill the raised bed structure halfway up with alternating layers of nitrogen-rich materials (like kitchen scraps and grass clippings) and carbon-rich materials (like wood chips and dried autumn leaves).

Plant Waste or Compost

We have a huge pile in the back of our property where we burn leaves, large pieces of wood that we don't want to split, twigs, etc. It's really good to layer all of that stuff in your raised beds as it will break down even more. There were, of course, ashes from burning which will also be good.

You can line your raised bed to make it more durable and to prevent toxics from leaching into the soil. For lining, use landscape fabric found at garden supply stores or cloth fabric from clothing. Avoid non-porous plastic, as it can retain too much water and discourage beneficial insects and worms.

A strong and stable base is essential for the health and productivity of your raised garden bed. By using the right materials, such as gravel, landscape fabric, sand, compost, cardboard, or soil, you can create a well-draining and nutrient-rich foundation for your plants.

PSA: It's completely fine to put logs, sticks, twigs, and garden scraps at the bottom of a raised bed to fill up space!