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Vegetable bed designs

31 Raised Garden Bed Design Ideas

Get inspired to upgrade your garden with raised beds for every style

By

Peg Aloi

Peg Aloi

Peg Aloi is a professional gardener covering plants in various contexts, from recipes to heirloom orchard fruits. Her area of interest is the folklore of plants and herbs. She's worked as a garden designer for public housing, individual homes, and businesses, and gives workshops on various gardening topics.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 12/09/22

Reviewed by

Kathleen Miller

Reviewed by Kathleen Miller

Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and Horticulturist who shares her knowledge of sustainable living, organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column.  She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board

The Spruce / Autumn Wood 

Raised beds can be as humble or creative as you like using brick, stones, or upcycled materials. A raised bed planter can be a temporary or permanent fixture for plants to settle in and mature. The initial cost of getting your raised bed set up will depend on how elaborate you make it. You can make raised beds cheaply or for free if you craft raised beds from old planks or used bricks. Once created, raised beds are no more expensive than traditional gardens to maintain.

Depending on whether you want it to be a permanent or temporary bed will determine the foundation material you use. Some typical materials used for the base of your raised garden bed can include cardboard, newspaper, concrete, straw, mulch and wood scraps, leaves, grass clippings, rock, burlap, wool, landscape fabric, and plastic. If you have a large raised bed, you might want to line the bottom with large stones, plastic bottles, or straw so the water drains and doesn't pool or make the soil soggy. Plan for drainage holes at the bottom of your raised bed planter.

Get Inspired by These Raised Garden Bed Design Ideas

You don't need to line a planter—brick or otherwise—however, it is recommended because it keeps burrowing animals away from your plant roots and allows for good drainage while not allowing the soil to drain away.

What Is a Raised Garden Bed?

Raised bed gardening involves growing plants in soil that is higher than the ground. You can most commonly do this with some type of enclosure or frame made of wood, stone, bales of hay, or even repurposed material like old dressers.

Benefits of Raised Garden Beds

Raised beds have a lot of benefits, such as better soil drainage, bringing the planting depth up, so there is less stooping down, and temporary structures can be removed if you change your mind about keeping them. Here's a list of the advantages:

• Easier on a gardener's back
• Looks nice
• Fewer pest invasions
• Improved drainage
• Fewer weeds
• Better soil temperatures
• It can be temporary or permanent
• Less concern about soil contamination

• 01 of 31

  Custom-Designed Raised Beds

  devonandearth / Instagram

  Raised bed gardens can fit just about any space. With creativity, you can create an entire garden sitting area. This multi-level raised bed incorporated simple straight lines by Peter Donegan Landscaping. It comes complete with a potting shed and lamppost. Add a bench section, like the one at the end of the front bed, and you have seating for the outdoor dining area. As the plants fill in and the wood weathers, this garden will have a natural, rustic appearance.

• 02 of 31

  Built-In Red Brick Raised Beds

  _maple_house / Instagram

  Red brick raised beds can enhance the design of your homestead or backyard. When making a raised bed, instead of going in-ground, place a bed where the sun or shade is the best for the plants you want to cultivate.

  Bricklaying is not for everyone. It takes a lot of patience and precision to get it right. Choose bricks that will survive well in continually wet conditions. Most red brick raised beds are built using mortar to keep the walls intact.

• 03 of 31

  Grow Bag Raised Beds

  theurbangardenher / Instagram

  Another great advantage of raised bed gardens is that they sit well above the underground frost line, so the soil warms up faster in the spring, and you can start planting sooner.

  The material used for your beds makes a difference here: metal holds more heat from the sun. But grow bags are a good option as they don't freeze solid, and the soil in them defrosts rather quickly. Also, it is a great way to provide the heat needed to grow Mediterranean plants like sage and lavender. Grow bags may seem too easy, but within minutes you could have a great raised bed garden.

• 04 of 31

  Herb Spiral Garden

  OK-Photography / Getty Images

  Spiral gardens are a popular permaculture technique. They increase the amount of usable planting area without taking up more ground space in your garden. You can easily build them out of stone, brick, or wood, or simply pile up the soil.

  The unusual shape and swirl of plants make for an eye-catching focal point in your garden. Herbs are the plants of choice in this photo, but you can grow anything using the spiral design. 

• 05 of 31

  Trough Gardens

  lynnelambourne / Instagram

  One of the easiest ways to create raised bed gardens is by using animal feeding troughs. No assembly is required, but be sure to drill some drainage holes in the bottom before adding the soil. The metal gives the garden an industrial look and conducts heat, warming the soil in the spring.

  You can use new or used troughs, depending on availability and your desired look. Depending on what you choose to grow, the plants may need a bit of extra water during the hottest part of summer.

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• 06 of 31

  Square Foot Raised Beds

  hollyhillflowers / Instagram

  Square foot gardening involves dividing the growing area into small square sections, typically 1 foot per square. The aim is to produce an intensively planted vegetable garden or a highly productive kitchen garden. This can be measured and divided with various materials, including netting.

  Using a raised bed for growing vegetables allows you to control the soil quality and prevent it from becoming compacted. Vegetable roots can grow unimpeded. The beds do not have to be very high off the ground to benefit from being in a raised bed. Even 6 to 8 inches can be enough.

• 07 of 31

  Flower Boxes as Raised Beds

  Konoplytska / Getty Images

  Raised beds have very few limits. If you have a sturdy fence, you can attach wooden boxes as small raised beds, like window boxes, on your fence. These can look good all year long, with annuals filling in as perennials stop blooming. During the winter holidays, you can also decorate these areas with seasonal greens and decorations as a unique decor idea.

• 08 of 31

  Cinderblock Raised Beds

  mountaincrestgardens / Instagram

  There are many ways to build raised beds out of recycled materials. Concrete blocks or cinderblocks are one of the most popular. Some older cinder blocks may contain fly ash, the "cinders" that remain from burning coal. It is still debated whether this is safe to use around edible plants. You can avoid the ash issue if you get new blocks made out of concrete. The new blocks are substantially heavier than older cinder blocks but are OK for a vegetable garden.

  Be careful, though—concrete blocks leech lime. Lime can raise the soil's pH. To be safe, use plants that thrive in alkaline soil. These sturdy succulents and sedums are hardy and not too fussy about soil, so they're a good choice for these planters.

• 09 of 31

  Hoop House Raised Bed

  hamaksatcher_garden / Instagram

  With a little pre-planning, you can create a multi-season vegetable garden. Raised beds give you more flexibility to control the growing conditions in your garden and make it harder for animals to get at your vegetables. If you build a hoop house on top of a raised bed, you can be prepared for any weather, handle frost, and give yourself a headstart in the spring. This lightweight netting is sturdy enough to hold a cloth covering in case of frost.

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• 10 of 31

  Raised Bed Border

  mkistryn / Getty Images

  Raised beds are a terrific option for yards with steep slopes. By building up the beds at their lowest sections, you can create the illusion of a level garden. Make your beds wide enough so you can still have a layered flower garden with a border of shrubs framing the back of the garden and plenty of room for perennials that will provide colors, textures, and edge-softening drapes. This garden in Italy features a succession of raised beds edged with rocks to make the most of a steep slope location.

• 11 of 31

  Space Saving Design ideas

  ransomebuilds_diy / Instagram

  Gardeners with limited space can often use raised beds designs creatively to make the most of what they have. This clever design puts a wooden raised bed flower box (made of reclaimed materials) on top of the trash bin storage area: sprucing up what's usually a drab spot and bringing beauty to a utilitarian functional area. The string lights and decorations add a personal touch.

• 12 of 31

  Raised Bed Arbor

  BethAmber / Getty Images

  Vertical gardening allows you to grow more plants without taking up more space. Using a trellis or arbor with a raised bed makes it even easier to harvest vegetables and keeps them neater than sprawling on the ground. This raised bed with zucchini plants shows that your design can be as simple as creating a basic frame by tying two dowels (or bamboo poles) together and tethering them. Other crops may benefit from stretching garden netting across the trellis structure.

• 13 of 31

  Lasagna Garden Raised Beds

  nanceband / Instagram

  Lasagna gardens are layered gardens that don't require digging, but the term has come to mean using materials other than soil beneath the topsoil layer. In this case, wooden raised beds are constructed, filled with cut wood and grass clippings, then have a layer of topsoil added. This reduces soil's heavy weight and expense if your plantings don't produce a deep root system.

• 14 of 31

  Milk Crate Garden

  yorbaplants / Instagram

  Repurpose milk crates and make your raised bed portable. This milk crate-raised bed is easy to set up, and you can configure it into any shape you like. If you need your plants closer to your kitchen or you want to place them in a shadier spot, pick up the crate and go. These containers already come with drainage holes. And, when you need to change the soil, you can lift the crate, dump the contents in the compost pile, and start again.

• 15 of 31

  Raised Bed and Container Design

  Rosemary Calvert / Getty Images

  Maybe you have brick raised beds and want to make them feel fuller and more decorative. Placing containers below the level of the brick wall allows you to play with different levels that draw the eyes up and down and allow for an almost unlimited variety of sizes and shapes. You can even plan your planting to provide four seasons of visual interest. Containers can also be moved to change the design any time you want.

• 16 of 31

  Pallet Garden

  The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

  You can make a living wall filled with plants from an upcycled packing pallet, or lay a pallet flat on the ground for a raised bed with natural partitions between the slats to keep your plant growing orderly. Pallets can often be sourced free from businesses that get shipments and don't have a carting service to take them away.

  Tip

  If you see a pallet left outside a business, chances are, it's free. But always ask before you take.

• 17 of 31

  Repurpose an Old Table

  Instructables

  Styles change, or sometimes you want to give your room a makeover. Perhaps an old wooden kitchen table or coffee table is destined for the garbage heap. Think again about tossing it out. Turn the table legs or the entire table into your next raised bed. Grow some simple herbs, which are perfect for picking at table height. Wooden materials will degrade over time, but you can eke out a few more years before rot sets in.

• 18 of 31

  Brick and Cobblestone Rows

  RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images

  Wall blocks and cobblestones were good enough for the ancient Egyptians and Romans and have lasted for millennia, so think about dry-stacking stacking rows of retaining wall bricks, red bricks, or cobblestones to build a sturdy raised bed that can stand the test of time.

  You don't need mortar, but you can make the structure last longer if you use masonry adhesive to hold them together if stacking taller than four bricks (or levels) high. For more stability, build a wall with an inner and outer layer, with a thickness of two bricks or stones all the way around.

• 19 of 31

  Furniture Redux

  Beyond the Picket Fence

  Tables seem made for holding a raised box that you fill with dirt. But less obvious choices are old furniture pieces like dressers, a chest of drawers, media centers, beds and cribs, and bathtubs destined for the dump. Old drawers are perfect as planters for different plant species.

• 20 of 31

  Make It a Destination

   100 Things 2 Do

  Cottage gardens and well-thought-out landscaping often incorporate bench seating in select, picturesque spots. Consider integrating seating into your design when designing a raised box from scratch.

  Seating is lovely for enjoying the garden, but it also has a practical use. If you're constructing a raised bed garden box from wood, several feet tall, seating will make weeding, pruning, and other maintenance issues easier to handle.

• 21 of 31

  Enclosed Raised Beds

  The Owner Builder Network

  Deer, rabbits, and burrowing, foraging creatures can make a mess of your garden in minutes. If you're in a spot where the animal activity will destroy your garden hopes, plan to enclose your raised beds. You can start simple with 3-foot tall corner posts wrapped in chicken wire all the way around, or you can frame a proper enclosure with a door. The key is to keep the top open so birds can have a chance to forage for seeds and, in the case of hummingbirds, get nectar.

  Tip

  When enclosing a raised garden, refrain from using a fine mesh. Give pollinators like butterflies and bees a chance to reach your plants.

• 22 of 31

  Straw Bale Garden

  The Spruce / Steven Merkel

  In rural parts of the country where straw and hale bales are everywhere, resourceful gardeners have found they serve as an excellent growing medium. Herbs and flowers do well when grown in bales. Straw lasts twice as long as hay, which decomposes within a year, versus straw, which can endure for two. Straw is also lighter and less expensive, and less likely to have herbicides.

  A bale can hold 3 to 5 gallons of water. Anything beyond that amount will drain away. You don't even need soil in most cases unless you plant tiny seeds.
  

• 23 of 31

  Planting Boxes on Wheels

  undefined undefined / Getty Images

  Raised planting boxes can be constructed to make your gardening life much easier. Design them with wheels, so you can move your plants to accommodate different light needs or move the plants closer to you. Or, if you need storage for some of your gardening supplies, build a raised bed planting box with shelves to hold your planting containers and gardening tools. You can even repurpose a wheelbarrow.

• 24 of 31

  Reuse Culvert Pipes

  Cameron Sadeghpour

  Culvert pipes are usually used for drainage ditches or moving stormwater. They come in 6-inch to 8-foot diameters, made of metal or plastic. Now, reimagine them as potential raised bed building materials. At the minimum, they are about 10 feet long. You can cut them to any length to make multiple rings for circular raised beds.
  

• 25 of 31

  Make a Terracotta or PVC Pipe Garden

  Piyachok / Getty Images

  Terracotta is porous and great for succulents and plants that prefer drier soils. One-foot lengths of terracotta or PVC pipes can be turned on their side vertically to fence in soil for a large raised bed. The interior of each pipe can also serve as a mini container for herbs or smaller border plants. Alternatively, PVC pipes also work well since they will not rot or rust but are non-porous and retain more water than terracotta.

• 26 of 31

  Get More Out of Old Tire Retirement

  Guara Seckler / Getty Images

  They may not look pretty, but old used tires can be another cool option for raised bed containers. Some people have found beautiful ways to doll them up, such as painting the exterior or stacking them into columns.
  

  Warning

  There is some debate about whether old tires are safe for growing food since they can leach toxic substances over time. The simple response is only to use them for non-edible plants to avoid any potential issues over the long haul.

• 27 of 31

  Make Use of Logs and Sticks

  Octavian Lazar / Getty Images

  A beautiful, natural option for a raised planting bed is a box made from recently chopped tree logs with their bark intact. Sticks and twigs can also be woven into sheets to form one of the four sides of square or rectangular boxes, or they can be arranged in vertical groupings or stands, going all around the perimeter, to make a container.

• 28 of 31

  Tree Stump Planter

  Kristyna Sindelkova / Getty Images

  When a tree dies, most people cut it down or uproot it and remove it. Some decide to cut most of the tree and leave the stump to decompose naturally over time. It can take many years for the decay to occur; in the meantime, beautify the stump by hollowing out the center and making it a raised planter. Add some gravel and compost-enriched soil, and plant flowers or anything you want to give it renewed life.

• 29 of 31

  Corrugated Metal Raised Bed

  The Spruce / Autumn Wood 

  Corrugated metal, commonly used for roofing panels, can be framed by wood to make an industrial-looking raised bed look modern and fresh. The sheets are made of steel and are safe to use in edible gardens. They are not known to leach any harmful substances. The metal is also considered reflective, so it doesn't absorb more heat or sun, keeping the temperature of the soil cooler than many other types of raised container materials.

• 30 of 31

  Plastic Storage Containers Can Grow Too

  The Spruce / Kevin Norris

  Plastic storage containers can be transformed into growing boxes like the "Earthbox. " They don't look so classy, but they get the job done. The Earthbox is a plastic self-watering growing container that brilliantly controls watering, fertilizing, and all the factors that need close monitoring to produce happy plants.

• 31 of 31

  Natural Slab Stone Means Longevity

  Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images

  Stone doesn't degrade like wood or other materials that will eventually decompose. You don't have to be concerned with winter or rainstorms, blisteringly hot summers, or floods destroying your stone-walled raised beds. Stone adds natural beauty and lasts longer than a lifetime. It's also environmentally friendly and food-safe for growing edible plants.

This is just a handful of ideas for creative ways of making raised beds in your garden. Repurposing materials into something useful is a great feeling, and gardeners are nothing if not resourceful. Raised beds can help you make better use of your space and find new and often eye-catching ways of growing food and flowers.

Watch Now: 7 Tips for Every Gardener

Article Sources

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. There are better options than using tires in the garden. NC Cooperative Extension.

28 Best DIY Raised Bed Garden Ideas & Designs

28 Best DIY raised bed garden ideas: easy tutorials & designs to build raised beds or vegetable & flower garden box planters with inexpensive materials!

In case you missed part 1, here it is. It covers the important basics of building a durable and productive raised bed, such as planning, material selections, designs and tips on how to fill your raised beds!

Today we will look at some inspiring DIY raised bed projects, such as simple wood raised beds, no-build fabric planters, easy cinder block garden beds, and many creative garden box ideas.

Before we explore all the best DIY raised garden beds, the first thing to keep in mind is: soil building is THE MOST IMPORTANT part of a great raised bed garden!

One of our favorite methods is to dig in kitchen scraps each week, and they turn into compost after 1-2 weeks!

* Some resources in article are affiliate links. Full disclosure here .

This book Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling talks about a great method to build good soil using readily available materials, such as kitchen scraps, cardboard, mulch, yard trimmings etc, without too much hard work!

Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens ( Images: Ecofilms |Millhollow Works | Polivka )

Now let’s look at how to build DIY raised beds to grow abundant veggies herbs and flowers in our backyard gardens!

Simple raised bed with 4×4 posts

A simple construction of wood raised bed using 4×4 posts and 2×6 boards. Cedar and redwood are naturally rot-resistant, and great lumber choices for years of gardening. ( Image: Vegetable Gardener )

As you can see the hardware cloth keeps pests such as gophers from eating the plants.

Super easy fabric raised planters

I am always excited to discover new & inexpensive raised garden bed ideas and designs! Theses fabric planters are so easy to install and you can have a raised bed garden without any building skills! You can also find many size fabric pots from 1 gallon to 30 gallon! Below is a video by High Caliper Growing to see it in action!

These small and portable raised beds are great for lettuce, peas, beans, herbs, salad greens, onions, etc. For veggies with deep root system such as potatoes and carrots, you will want to use a raised bed without a bottom or make it deeper.

How to build simple wood garden boxes

This raised bed is made of 2×6 planks and 2×2 braces. The braces are optional supports that prevent the boards from warping or twisting.( Image: BHG )

Raised bed garden with hoop house attachments.

A raised bed with a greenhouse tunnel on top! Love the addition of PVC pipes held upright to the inside of the bed with steel tube straps like these. A hoop house can be created using smaller diameter PVC or wires. ( Image: Sunset)

Easy DIY raised garden box designs

Add 2×4 or 2×6 caps to give these raised beds an attractive look. These open bottom raised beds are good for growing anything, including veggies with deep root system such as potatoes and carrots. (Source:  Chris loves Julia | Popular Mechanics )

Stacked wood raised garden planter box

Remember these gorgeous raised beds from Part one: All About Raised Garden Beds? They are made from 4x6s. Below is a tutorial on how to make the from 6x6s, which is the same process.

Waist height raised planter ideas

Building the raised bed to a counter height of 36″ will make it so much easier to garden for seniors, and people who have physical discomfort in their back or knees.

Two really simple and nice DIY raised beds. I would increase the depth on the first one, and add weed barrier landscape fabric at the bottom to both. ( Source: Instructables )

DIY elevated wood garden boxes

3 variations of the elevated planter box: add shelves for storage or casters for mobility. Images: Addicted2Decorating and Instructables.

Portable raised planter boxes

There are lots of attractive garden box variations. You can add wheels or shleves to make them more user friendly. (Source: Ebay | Gardeners)

Elevated pallet wood planters

Wouldn’t this beautiful planter at Williams Sonoma make a great gift for a garden lover? If you are thinking about DIY, someone at Instructables figured out how to build these beautiful raised beds using wood pallets!

Here’s our favorite tool for taking apart pallets – an awesome deck wrecker!

And a detailed guide all about finding and working with pallets!

Detailed guide all about finding and working with pallets

Raised bed garden with fencing and benches.

Video tutorial on how to build a raised bed with benches!

Add fencing to your raised beds to keep out deer and rabbits! You can also add benches to a raised bed for the perfect place to sit and enjoy the garden, or set tools and snacks for the gardener! ( Images: Bonnie Plants )

Tiered raised bed planters for patio and porch

This stepped wood planter herb garden looks beautiful in a corner space and This ladder shaped tiered planter is great for small space growing.

Use inexpensive or free materials to build durable raised bed gardens

Tree logs can provide just the right height for a raised bed. Terracotta pipes become little pots and walls for a raised bed. Or build this chic raised bed with cobble stones and landscape block construction adhesive

DIY galvanized metal

raised bed

Corrugated metal raised bed looks so gorgeous! Just be very careful- they can be sharp on the cut edges. Use wood trim to cover the cut sharp edges when building! (Via MK Library)

Wood and metal raised garden bed

Another great looking variation of DIY metal planter box. ( Source: Aristata )

Galvanized metal

garden boxes with trellis

Add a trellis structure to a raised planter for added function and curb appeal! (Via Plantlust | Blueberry Hill )

Trough raised bed

Isn’t this farmhouse galvanized tank planter bed stylish? Don’t forget to drill some drain holes!

Used tires upcycled into raised garden planters

An used tire can become an instant raised bed garden. These painted tires are so cheerful and pretty! Many gardeners do not think it’s good to grow vegetables and food crops in old tires as there could be harmful chemicals leached ino the soil. But you can always grow ornamental gardens in rubber tires!

Concrete block raised beds

Concrete block (aka cinderblock, CMU ) are great building materials for DIY raised beds. You can make lots of creative designs with them. The first one is by VermiBag on YouTube, see video tutorial below. ( The second image is from Pinterest, original source lost. Please let me know if you find it! )

You can add caps to make your cinder block raised beds more attractive, and double function as a seating bench. ( Via Fab Everyday )

Concrete blocks filled with soil make a sturdy border and additional planting pockets. The key is to take the time and prepare the ground to be level.   ( Source: Houzz )

Love these U-shape cinder block garden bed designs! ( Via Instructables | Shelly Michel )

Straw bale above ground garden beds

IMPORTANT: ( Thanks to our reader Jonh for this tip!) If you are interested in using strawbale in your vegetable garden, please make sure the straw comes from a field that wasn’t sprayed with persistent herbicides, which can inhibit plant growth! The best places to get straw bales for gardening is from local farms that practice sustainable, organic, or regenerative farming!

There are two ways to create raised beds with straw bales. The one above uses straw bales as a border. The method below uses straw bales as vessel and growing medium to grow a productive raised bed vegetable garden.

The pioneer of this method, Joel Karsten, wrote an excellent book – Straw Bale Gardens Complete , which gives all the details on straw bale gardening.

Straw Bale Gardens Complete Book ( Images from book by Joel Karsten )

Below is a video on how it works.

If you have been thinking about starting a garden, I think a raised bed garden is a great way to go!

You may also like these 32 creative planters made from up-cycled objects:

And 21 DIY greenhouses with great tutorials.

Or this article on how to find, select and build with pallets!

Happy building and growing! xo

photos and recommendations for creating a vegetable garden

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This article discusses beds for the lazy: photos of the easiest structures to manufacture for those who want to get a neat garden with a minimum of effort, the most common materials and technologies for creating structures based on them. The reader will learn how to combine vegetable crops in one garden and prepare the soil for planting cucumbers. The article contains practical recommendations for beginner gardeners. nine0004

Proper arrangement of beds in the garden will help save time and effort when planting and harvesting

Contents

• 1 Beds for the lazy: photos and basic information for beginner gardeners
  • 1.1 Varieties of beds in the garden: how to properly prepare for construction
  • 1.2 Making beds with your own hands from improvised materials: photos of high structures
  • 1.3 How to arrange the beds in the garden: photos and recommendations for choosing a place
  • 1.4 How to make the best beds in the garden: choosing the optimal design
• 2 How to make your own beds from boards: useful tips
  • 2.1 Making practical beds from boards: how to make the right choice of material for your own
  • 2.2 Making beds from boards hands: photo, dimensions of structures
• 3 Creation of mixed plantings of vegetables in the garden: photo examples and optimal schemes
  • 3. 1 Proper neighborhood of vegetables in the beds: compatibility table
  • 3.2 Examples of mixed planting of vegetables in the garden: popular schemes
  • 3.3 Table of crop rotation of vegetables in the beds by crop groups
• 4.2 How to make cucumber beds in the garden with laying
• 4.3 Warm surface cucumber beds in the open field
• 4.4 Raised beds for cucumbers in the open field
• 4.5 How to make beds in the garden: a video review of technology

Beds for the lazy: photos and basic information for beginner gardeners

• protection against erosion of the soil in the garden when a large amount of precipitation falls or when the plants are watered. The bed borders will keep the nutrient soil in place, preventing it from washing out onto the paths. In addition, the passages between the structures themselves will remain clean, no dirty puddles and streaks; nine0015

Neat garden beds will make the garden more attractive and organized

• the possibility of forming the basis for the creation of a temporary greenhouse for the spring. By installing high sides as fences, inside the structure you can organize a multi-layered garden bed, which can be used as a greenhouse. To do this, it is enough to install special arcs and stretch the film. The result is a neat greenhouse house;
• improving the appearance of the vegetable garden through orderly and even plantings with beautiful framing; nine0015
• creating borders that prevent the spread of weeds.

By planting the plants correctly, you can avoid the growth of weeds on the beds and paths

Making your own beds from boards and other materials allows you to clearly limit the planting area, thanks to which weeds and harmful plants do not have the opportunity to spread widely. If the fence of the garden is dug in to a great depth, the level of protection increases and perennial weeds that are unable to overcome this barrier can no longer penetrate into the garden. nine0004

Please note! With the help of beds with well-buried fences, the spread of plants such as reeds and couch grass is effectively blocked. Their root system is capable of covering large distances underground if left unchecked.

Tall warm beds made of quality materials can serve the owners for many years

Varieties of beds in the garden: how to properly prepare for construction

Several types of beds are used for gardening:

• standard;
• high;
• narrow.

Wide paths and optimal size of the beds will allow you not to step on the ground when working with plants

Standard beds are on the same level with the garden, they do not go deep into the ground and do not protrude above it. At the same time, the owner of the territory can independently choose the width, length and nature of the location of the beds in the summer cottage, photos of interesting design options can be seen in this article. As a rule, plantings are placed at a distance of no more than 0.5 m from each other, so that it is easier to care for the plants. To mark the territory, it is recommended to use a rope stretched between the pegs. The use of a special garden marker is allowed. nine0004

Paths can be planted with lawn grass, but care must be taken to ensure that the beds are well defined.

Before making a bed with a narrow design, make sure that the building area has a level surface and sufficient lighting. This type of product is characterized by increased row spacing. This parameter can sometimes reach 1 m. At the same time, the beds themselves do not exceed 0.45 m in width. The designs of narrow beds slightly rise above the soil level. The difference between the height of the garden and the surface of the plot is 0.2 m.

Many gardeners find it easy to work with narrow beds

In the area where the beds are planned, the soil should be dug up and fertilized. At the same time, you should not spend nutritional supplements on aisles, you only need to process the planting site. Dolomite flour or a special complex consisting of minerals can be used as fertilizers.

Interesting fact! Narrow structures are also called Mittlider beds (after the man who invented their technology). According to the agronomist, the garden will bring a good harvest if the plants are regularly watered and nutrient mixtures of industrial production are applied. And he, on the contrary, did not recommend using compost and manure. nine0084

Narrow beds according to the Mittlider method, due to the large amount of light received, give a good harvest

Making beds with your own hands from improvised materials: photos of high structures

then proceeds to further planning and construction, since the technology of their creation depends on the physical and operational indicators of the material. Regardless of his choice, the mechanism for manufacturing structures is almost always the same. Construction begins with the installation of the frame. The standard size of such structures is 0.9m (width) and 1.2 m (length). After that, the product is filled with fertile soil.

Beds made from quality wood are more environmentally friendly than concrete or asbestos-cement

Designs of hand-made beds from improvised materials can be created on the basis of:

1. Stone or brick - products from these materials look aesthetically pleasing, while they characterized by a long service life. The disadvantages of stone or brick frames include their cost. In addition, the assembly procedure requires a lot of time, the dismantling of a stationary structure can be difficult. nine0015
2. Vines are the most accessible material found in nature. Due to the flexibility, the beds can be given any shape, however, the service life of such a design is limited to a short period of time. In addition, you will need to carefully study the weaving technique and acquire a special tool for cutting branches.
3. Metal - the material allows you to create lightweight portable structures that can be painted in any color. However, the cost of such a frame is high, and the operation may require a welding machine and skills in handling it. Products also need anti-corrosion protection. nine0015
4. Slate is a relatively inexpensive material that provides easy assembly of the structure, but requires extreme care due to its fragility.

Gabion can also be used to organize a warm bed

How to arrange the beds in the garden: photos and recommendations for choosing a place

Of no small importance in obtaining a rich harvest is the correct choice of a place for the construction of beds and the layout of their placement. It is desirable that the area chosen for organizing the garden is flat and receives maximum sun exposure throughout the day. nine0004

Please note! Most plants need a lot of sunlight. In the afternoon, a slight blackout will be useful.

To make the right choice of a place for organizing a garden, it is recommended to spend some time on the site and observe the distribution of light throughout the day. In addition, special attention should be paid to the placement of trees, both on your site and on the territory of your neighbors. This is necessary in order to determine what size the shadow is and where it falls. It should be borne in mind that a site flooded with sun in winter may be shaded in summer, since dense foliage appears on bushes and trees in the warm season. nine0004

Related article:

Do-it-yourself beautiful garden beds: photo examples and unusual solutions

Photos of interesting designs of beds, recommendations for their creation. Tips for designing unusual landscape design on the site.

The best place is the area where the sun is present throughout the day. It is allowed to install beds where the shadow is present in the morning or in the afternoon. If the proposed construction zone is dark throughout the day, you should not use this place for arranging a garden. nine0004

How to make the best beds in the garden: choosing the optimal design

Choosing the design of the beds is carried out at an early stage of planning, when the place for the garden has already been selected.

Each type of bed has its own advantages:

• Raised or high beds are the most efficient designs and best suited for growing vegetable crops. Building materials for their creation are not expensive, while the soil does not need to be dug up. The width and height of the structures determine how much effort and time it will take to build them. Most often, summer residents prefer wooden beds made of boards. On the network you can find photos of bulk beds with your own hands, such structures do not have a fence. They are also categorized as elevated structures; nine0015

Container beds are very convenient because they can be moved to another convenient location if desired. For organizing such beds, pots of small, large and medium sizes are suitable. Garlic, peppers, lettuce and greens feel especially good in containers. Mobility is another advantage of container beds, which, if desired, can be rearranged to any place; nine0015

open field beds are the oldest way to grow crops that are planted directly in the ground. In such conditions, it is more difficult to get a good harvest, so the technology of joint planting vegetables in the garden is often used.

Annual plants can be grown in large plastic bottles and placed in a convenient location for the site

Helpful Hint! If crops are planned to be planted outdoors, it is recommended to determine the quality of the soil, fertilize it and check the compatibility of vegetables in the garden against the table. nine0084

How to make your own plank beds: useful tips

Raised beds are most often made of wood. This material in comparison with others is considered the most practical and environmentally friendly. Similar designs look very aesthetically pleasing in the photo. DIY plank beds have other advantages:

• simple maintenance system for easy weeding, harvesting and watering;
• the possibility of growing vegetable crops even where the soil is completely unsuitable for these purposes. On the basis of the boards, a frame is made, which is subsequently filled with fertile soil bought in a store, so there is no connection to the quality of the earth and its composition. Thanks to this, plants can be grown even in areas with a rocky surface; nine0015

Sturdy wooden beds can be made on your own or purchased from a garden center

• box constructions keep the soil inside the bed. In addition, the presence of sides simplifies the process of mounting arcs to form a greenhouse. It is much easier to fix these elements on the fence than to dig them into the soil;
• without even knowing how to properly make beds in the garden, any summer resident will cope with the manufacture of wooden structures-boxes. The boards are easy to process, and the construction and assembly of the frame does not require an expensive tool; nine0015
• there is no chance that plants planted near the edges will get burned in the summer heat. Wood, unlike metal, is not prone to overheating.

In order to avoid washing out of soil from high beds, it is necessary to pay special attention to the joints when assembling the box

Please note! The environmental friendliness of the material allows you not to worry that harmful substances will get into the soil. Wood is much safer than asbestos-cement sheets (slate). The exception is boards treated with chemicals designed to double the life of the material. nine0084

Making practical beds from boards: how to make the right choice of material

Summer residents most often create wooden structures based on blanks that they find on the farm. For the manufacture of beds, timber, round timber, slab, lining can be used.

When it comes to purchasing boards in a store, you should pay special attention to the type of wood from which they are made:

• a board made of ash or oak will last a very long time. Although the cost of such products is quite high; nine0015
• pine board remains the most favorable in terms of price and in terms of processing. But this type of wood is highly susceptible to decay while in the ground, so its service life is short. Due to impregnations and antiseptic agents, the life of a pine tree can be extended for a couple of years;
• cedar and larch boards are considered the most suitable material for making boxes. Larch has a natural impregnation with resin, thanks to which the product will retain its novelty for many years without the use of additional impregnations. Cedar wood is characterized by a lower resin content, but it is not inferior to larch in terms of durability and at the same time has an affordable price; nine0015

In order to prevent water from stagnating in the boxes, it is necessary to think over the drainage system before planting the plants. It is worth noting that this type of wood is durable and has a solid structure, so the process of processing it will be more difficult. To work with acacia, you need a powerful electric tool.

Good advice! It is not recommended to save on the quality of the material. Boards made of bad wood are prone to rapid decay. After a few years, holes will appear on the fences of the beds, through which fertile soil will be washed out during rains and watering plants. nine0084

Wooden beds can also be used for planting shrubs and small fruit trees

Making beds from boards with your own hands: photos, dimensions of constructions

Beds-boxes have a rectangular shape and are made of boards. The simplest design does not require special knowledge and skills, so any novice summer resident can handle it. The main thing at the same time is to correctly calculate the dimensions of the boxes.

When planting plants, it is necessary to take into account the optimal amount of light and heat for certain crops, since the higher the bed, the faster it heats up

Recommended bed sizes:

• height - many summer residents strive to create the highest possible sides. However, this approach is erroneous if it is not planned to build a warm bed for cucumbers or other types of crops, where a fence height of up to 0.7 m is welcome. The manufacturing technology of such structures requires the laying of a multilayer insulation. For ordinary beds, such high fences are not required, it is enough to limit yourself to 0.15-0.2 m. In addition, wood is susceptible to deformation changes under the influence of moisture, so there is a risk that over time, high fences will swell and lose their attractive shape; nine0015

Long beds made of wood should be strengthened in several places to avoid their deformation

• width - experienced summer residents recommend choosing a width equal to half the height of the person who will take care of the beds. Most often, this parameter is in the range of 0.9-1.2 m, because in the process of work, a person should be able to reach the middle of the structure from the side of the side rail;
• length - this parameter is practically unlimited. Although unnecessarily long structures reduce the level of rigidity of the side rails, it is therefore recommended to choose a length in the range of 4-6 m.

Good advice! When choosing dimensional parameters for wooden beds, it should be taken into account that between them it is necessary to organize passages 0.4-0.6 m wide. Only after that is the layout of structures on the site considered.

Creating mixed plantings of vegetables in the garden: photo examples and optimal schemes

The method of combining crops in practice is very effective if the companion plants are chosen well. Therefore, site owners calculate according to a special table of the neighborhood of vegetables in the beds before planting. Some types of vegetables have a depressing effect on each other, others can improve the growth and development of neighbors, provide them with protection from pests. nine0004

When planning the beds, it is worth considering that companion plants give a greater yield if they are planted side by side

The correct neighborhood of vegetables in the beds: compatibility table

significantly reduced the number of the Colorado potato beetle. Marigolds effectively protect cabbage from white butterflies. Despite this, a certain balance must be maintained. After all, an excessive amount of marigolds in the garden can drown out the growth of cabbage. nine0004

Table of neighboring vegetables in the garden, creating a successful tandem:

Vegetable crop name	Plants for successful combination
strawberry	beans, spinach, marigolds, garlic, lettuce
kohlrabi	cucumber, lettuce, onion, beetroot
peas	carrot, corn, cucumber, calendula, eggplant
bow	tomato, celery, beetroot, savory, carrot
beans	potato, cucumber, tomato, strawberry, eggplant
cucumber	radishes, peppers, peas, cabbage, beans
carrots	lettuce, onion, sage, tomato, peas
lettuce	strawberry, cucumber, carrot, radish
pepper	lettuce, cucumber, beans
tomato	calendula, basil, beans, nasturtium, parsley

Poor compatibility of planting vegetables in the garden is characterized by the following pairs of plants:

• cabbage and strawberries;
• onions and beans;
• carrots and celery, dill, parsley;
• cucumbers and potatoes.

Even in a small area, you can get a high yield by using the plant-neighbor correspondence table when planting

Useful advice! In the garden, in addition to the main crops, it is recommended to plant spices and ornamental herbs pointwise. Thus, the garden will be not only beautiful, but also useful.

Examples of mixed planting vegetables in the garden: popular schemes

A good example of the compatibility of vegetables in the garden is the combination of onions and carrots. As an independent crop, onions are able to produce about 2.5 kg of yield from 1 m² of beds. Carrots on the same area gives about 6 kg of crop. With the joint cultivation of these crops with 1 m², you can get 9kg of vegetables. These plants create protective barriers for each other against pests, so the efficiency of the used area increases.

Onions and carrots are excellent neighbors, so they are usually planted side by side.

Of course, when planning a joint cultivation of crops in a garden, you need to group the plants according to their height so that none of them blocks the light for the other. This is necessary because vegetables can not only have different heights, but also grow at different rates. It is desirable that compactors that are planted additionally be lower in height than the main vegetables. The principle of a multi-tiered neighborhood of vegetables in the beds allows you to create favorable conditions for the root system of crops, and also contributes to the rational use of solar energy. nine0004

High yields are gathered from the beds where beets and late cabbage are planted. To do this, beets (9 plants) and cabbage (4 bushes) should be planted on an area of ​​\u200b\u200b0.8x0.8 m, while not forgetting to fertilize the holes with a glass of compost and a handful of eggshells (pre-grind).

By planting marigolds near the beds, you can avoid some pests in the garden

To get an excellent result when planting beans and tomatoes, it is recommended to place the plants in a row with a step of 0. 3 m. A drip irrigation system is installed along the row with bush beans so that each plant was on the drip. Tomatoes are planted in the central part of the garden. As a result, bean and tomato bushes should be staggered. nine0004

Good advice! Tomato stalks are best cut for the winter, and as low as possible. And the beans, on the contrary, are recommended to be left untouched.

Proper planting of vegetable crops is the key to a rich harvest

Table of vegetable rotation in beds by crop groups

Crop rotation can also affect the yield of beds. If the annual change of crops grown in the same garden is carried out in the correct order, the garden will produce good yields. nine0004

Benefits of proper crop rotation:

• eliminates the possibility of soil fatigue on the site, since the same vegetable every year absorbs the same set of nutrients from the soil and does it from the same depth;
• the spread of diseases and pests that infect plants of the same family is prevented;
• it becomes possible to rationally use fertilizers.

Green manure and crop rotation should be used to increase the yield and restore the soil

The most primitive way of organizing crop rotation in the garden involves planting plants from different families on the same area every year. The easiest way is to break the crops into four groups:

1. Leaf crops - these include various types of cabbage, green onions, leafy lettuces, and spinach.
2. Fruit vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, pumpkin.
3. Legumes - beans, chickpeas, peas.
4. Root vegetables - potatoes, beets, radishes, carrots. nine0015

Table of the simplest crop rotation in the garden:

Planting sequence by years	Recommended crops for planting
	1st bed	2nd bed	3rd bed	4th bed
1 year	fruit	roots	legumes	sheet
2 year	roots	legumes	sheet	fruit
3 year	legumes	sheet	fruit	roots

Outdoor cucumber beds: photos and tips

Outdoor cucumber beds are usually prepared in autumn. This should be done before the onset of rain and temperature drops. The planting area must be carefully dug up and saturated with organic fertilizers. Cucumbers like fertile, light soil that has a good level of air and water permeability. If the soil in the area is heavy, sawdust, peat or sand can be added to the ground to facilitate loosening. nine0004

To get a rich harvest of cucumbers, the soil for the beds must be prepared in autumn

Useful advice! To get a rich harvest, it is recommended to add a tablespoon of superphosphate and a glass of ash per 1 m² of area. Instead of ash, you can use dolomite flour.

The process of preparing a bed for cucumbers in the spring includes a soil disinfection procedure. For this, the place of the future garden is spilled with potassium permanganate. The solution should be hot and strong. In addition, soil fertility can be increased by introducing chicken manure or manure. This procedure is carried out locally, that is, the fertilizer is placed directly in the trench or hole. After that, the bed is covered with a small layer of soil, where the seeds are then planted. nine0004

How to make a cucumber bed: agrotechnical secrets

To get a rich crop of cucumbers from the garden, you must follow the basic rules:

1. Near the beds should not be irrigation canals, streams and flowing reservoirs.
2. If the planting area is not protected, the vegetable garden is best placed in a quiet place where there are no drafts.
3. Procedures such as watering and loosening the soil should be carried out on a regular basis. Otherwise, a hard crust will form on the surface, and the bed will dry out a lot. nine0015
4. Cucumbers grown in the open field need to be fed much more often than plantings growing in closed beds.
5. During harvesting, it is not recommended to change the position of the vines of the plant or turn them over.
6. Plants in open beds should be weeded more frequently than indoors.
7. It is recommended to cover the entire surface of the bed with black film.

In order to collect clean cucumbers without soil, you need to think about what you can tie long shoots to

Cucumbers need a rich biological composition of the soil. Therefore, it is recommended to fertilize the land with organic matter, for example, grass, humus, branches, rotted manure, food waste. In the process of their decomposition, not only the fertility of the soil increases, but also heat is released, warming the soil. So that the high temperature does not damage the root system of cucumbers, experienced gardeners advise to carry out abundant watering.

Interesting fact! Sometimes the decomposition of organic fertilizers is so active that the soil in the garden warms up to 80 ° C. Under the influence of such a high temperature, many pests, viruses and pathogenic fungi contained in the soil die. The result is a natural sterilization of the soil. nine0084

The soil where cucumbers are grown must be fertilized after harvest

There are several ways to grow cucumbers outdoors. For these purposes, you can form a long ridge bed, a hole, dig a ditch, or build a high structure.

How to make a garden bed for cucumbers with a bookmark

To form a bed with a bookmark, you will need to dig a trench. The depth of the ditch should be equal to two shovels. Then branches are laid out across and sawdust is poured. The next layer consists of straw and garden waste. You can add autumn leaves, cardboard or newspapers, compost. The thickness of the fertilizer layer should be within 5-7 cm. The bookmark is filled with warm water and covered with a mixture consisting of compost and earth. nine0004

A planted bed can effectively serve for 5 years. In the second year of operation, it will not be necessary to add compost to the top layer, because during the decomposition of organic components, the bed itself will produce nutrients.

Planted Cucumber Bed

Benefits of Planted Cucumber Bed:

• Convenient watering system;
• water stagnation is excluded;
• in the spring it is not necessary to dig up the soil, it is enough to loosen the soil. nine0015

Plants can be planted on this nutrient base much earlier than is customary to do in conventional beds. It is not recommended to use beds with a bookmark in low-lying areas and areas where water stagnates.

Cucumbers can only be watered from below, making sure that moisture does not stagnate at the roots

Warm surface beds for cucumbers in open ground

This type of warm beds for growing cucumbers is built on the surface of prepared soil. This technology will be the best option for areas that are located in the lowlands. In order to enhance the heating process, the bed is covered with a film. As a result, a greenhouse effect is formed, which has a positive effect on the growth of cucumbers and their yield. nine0004

Surface beds also include structures in the form of boxes made of brick, slate or boards. The bottom of these containers is covered with sand, then with wood waste. Next comes a layer of organic waste and straw. After laying each component, the contents are carefully compacted and filled with liquid manure. Finally, the bed is covered with a mixture of compost and soil.

When making warm beds for cucumbers, it is worth following clear instructions so as not to oversaturate the soil with fertilizers

Good advice! Vegetable and fruit skins, fallen leaves, egg shells (powdered) can be used as organic waste.

Cucumbers are planted in two rows. Plants are placed along the edges of the bed-box, which ensures a sufficient level of illumination. If it is planned to plant cucumbers in early spring, the structures can be converted into greenhouses. To do this, you will need to install plastic arcs and stretch a plastic film over them. Thus, heating is enhanced and it becomes possible to get an early harvest. Moreover, the result is completely independent of weather conditions. nine0004

Insulated beds can be planted with cucumbers earlier than outdoors

Raised beds for cucumbers outdoors

Warm raised beds are used when the site is located in a region with a cold and humid climate. Due to this, there is a full warming up of the soil, which allows to achieve a harvest in the early stages. If groundwater comes too close to the garden, the bed rises high, due to which the plantings do not get wet on soil oversaturated with moisture. Stone trees, whose roots are severely affected by groundwater, are planted in a similar way. nine0004

Various materials are used as borders for these structures. The most popular of them are slate and wood. In rare cases, metal is used. This type of beds can be installed even in the middle of the lawn. If you make a frame in the form of paving stones or tiles, a raised garden with cucumbers will become a worthy decoration of your summer cottage.

Ordinary high beds can be used to build mini-greenhouses that help preserve crops during frosts. You can take any length for such a bed, the optimal width parameter is 1 m. You should not raise the decorative garden to a height of more than 1 m. The air that remains in the voids formed between the elements of large organic matter provides good ventilation and contributes to the rapid heating of the soil. nine0004

To speed up the process of decomposition of fertilizers, the soil is spilled with a solution saturated with special bacteria. The procedure is carried out twice a year. The first time the soil is watered with bacteria in the spring. Before planting plants after processing the beds, you should wait at least a week. The second time the soil is spilled in the fall after the crop is harvested. When the earth has already been treated with the composition, it should be loosened so that the soil is saturated with oxygen, and the preparation itself is evenly distributed. nine0004

How to make beds in the garden: a video review of technology

embankment height.

We hope that our tips on building beds in the country with your own hands will be useful not only for beginner gardeners.

Contents:

• Location selection
• Dimensions
• Decoration of landings
• How French beds differ from English
  • • Video: how to build universal warm beds
    • How to build universal warm beds

Select of a place

, some vegetable cultures, for example, a vegetable culture. dill, sorrel, lettuce, can grow in partial shade. But most plant species are not able to fully mature with a lack of light.

Therefore, when placing beds on a garden plot, they are primarily guided by their illumination - it is desirable that they be warmed up by the sun from the very early morning until 6-7 pm. nine0004

Ornamental garden plantings

When choosing a planting site, the following requirements must also be taken into account: productivity in these places will be low; plus the water in this place will constantly stagnate, which can lead to rotting of the roots

2

The site should not have a strong slope, otherwise the water will simply drain from it during irrigation, and the plants will not receive moisture

3

Large trees, buildings and fences that can shade plants should not be near plantings

4

a family of 3-4 people is enough about 1 weave; the rest of the area can be planted with potatoes, berries and flowers

6

To make the plot look neat, try to make “correct” beds of the same width and length; standard dimensions - 3. 5x0.8 m

7

Do not forget about the compatibility of plants: some of them do not get along well with each other

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Dimensions

Standard sizes of beds

In principle, you can make a bed of any length - up to 10 m. Agree, such beds look original. But constantly bypassing them when watering is very inconvenient. It is better to prepare an embankment 3.5-4 m long. This size is considered optimal. Or break a long bed into two with a small path. This will greatly facilitate your movement around the site. nine0004

Standard width 0.8 m. Don't save space (!) and never make it wider. You may be able to reach the center of the bed when planting and scatter the seeds, but weeding will turn into a real pain. Don't believe? Experiment and prepare a small but wide mound. Believe me, next year you will lose the desire to make beds of this size.

More compact version, only 0.45 m wide, made for carrots. nine0083 This culture does not like dense plantings - the sprouts should be well blown. For the same reason, try not to place tall plants next to carrots. Otherwise, you will significantly reduce its yield. On thickened plantings, it will grow small.

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Shape and Height

When decorating the garden, we can decorate it with beds of various shapes, from standard rectangular to triangular, trapezoid or oval. nine0083 There are plenty of ideas for unusual beds on the net. The main thing is that it is convenient to approach them from either side for watering and weeding.

The shape can be any

The height of the embankment depends on many factors, including the type of site. In most cases, it is enough to raise them to a height of up to 35-50 cm. This will be enough so that the roots of the plants do not rot. Too high beds - up to 0.8 m - are usually made in heavily swampy areas. nine0083

But such facilities are very labor intensive. Plus, they will need to bring at least a couple of KAMAZ trucks of fertile soil to the site. For one small bed it will need at least half a ton.

Raising beds is often required for growing heat-loving crops, such as cucumbers. Indeed, in high beds, the earth warms up much faster. It is often impossible to get an early harvest without it.

Raise the beds sometimes and just for their own convenience

Plant care is much easier in this case. Just keep in mind that the soil dries out much faster in high beds, so the plants will have to be watered more often. Experts also advise raising a landing site in areas located in the shade. The optimal height of the embankment in this case is 50 cm.

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Arrangement of a high bed

Use of high bed-boxes

The box for it can be made from improvised means: boards, plastic, metal or stones:

1

.

2

Crushed stone, expanded clay or broken bricks are used as drainage. The thickness of such a layer is 10-15 cm. If you do not want to use chemistry, mix the earth with a small amount of wood ash - it will protect the plants from harmful bacteria. nine0004

4

It is not worth filling the bed with soil up to the sides - it will constantly spill out onto the path. It is necessary to leave about 5 cm.

See also: How to make a greenhouse with your own hands: for seedlings, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and other plants. From polycarbonate, window frames, plastic pipes (75 Photos & Video) +Reviews

Drainage

In wetlands, it is necessary to take care of drainage

When the site is in a lowland or swampy area, growing many types of crops on it becomes a problem. nine0083 Vegetables and berries on it, if they ripen, then due to excess moisture, they quickly deteriorate during storage.

Their taste also changes - much less sugar accumulates in them. To prevent this from happening, take care of the drainage of the wetland.

Most gardeners know that cabbages, melons, marrows and cucumbers require more moisture to grow than other crops. But it turns out that massive heads of garlic can also be grown only in areas rich in moisture. On dry land, even with abundant watering, it is rarely large. nine0004

Drainage is not required for the above types of plants (unless, of course, stagnant water in the beds is negligible). The area for growing other crops is better to drain.

for the arrangement of drainage in marshy areas and the removal of excess moisture from plant roots

It is necessary: ​​

• along the perimeter of the beds, lay a ditch with a depth of 50-60 cm
• to shift its bottom with a layer of 20-25-centimeterus in a layer mixtures of sand and gravel
• throw light sawdust or humus on top
• the last, top layer is ordinary earth

See also: How to create beautiful flower beds in the country with your own hands? (220 fresh photo and video ideas) + Reviews

Multi-level structures

Multi-level structures

A similar technique is used mainly for decorative purposes - beds raised to different heights look very impressive. It makes sense to build such structures even if there is not enough space for landing. However, their number is always limited. Caring for plants growing in multi-tiered structures is always more difficult. nine0004

Plus, only crops with an underdeveloped root system should be planted in such structures: some varieties of flowers, strawberries, lettuce, parsley, dill and other types of greens. Very decorative look on such beds and low-growing varieties of tomato.

For the construction of multi-tiered beds, special boxes can be knocked down from wood. It is highly undesirable to use metal - it quickly heats up in the sun, and the earth in them will dry out even faster. If necessary, paint metal containers with light paint - light surfaces heat up less. nine0004

Often ready-made boxes, racks or containers of a suitable size are used for such structures. You can also place large containers filled with earth on the shelves.

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Lazy beds

Planting plants without using fences

Such embankments are used when planting a large number of plants. nine0083 They have a small height and outwardly look like bulk trapezoids without the use of a box. True, such embankments will have to be made every season - they settle over the winter.

Make a shallow ditch in the area of ​​the path, folding the earth over the ridge. Level the soil with a rake. The bed is ready.

Let's repeat - the drier the land on the site, the lower the height of the embankment should be. In marshy areas, dig paths as deep as possible and make the bed higher. On sandy soil, you don’t even need to do this - just tread the paths well on the dug-up ground with your feet, thus marking the location of the paths. nine0004 See also: Begonia - care and reproduction at home (120 Photos & Videos) + Reviews

Box for beds

Decorative option, limited box - a favorite technique of many gardeners. After all, caring for them (watering and weeding) is greatly simplified. The use of boxes is a good way to protect against soil erosion. In addition, the paths between them will always be clean, without streaks and puddles.

Pathways are usually covered with wood, tiles or concrete to prevent grass from breaking through the ground. nine0004

Planting in boxes

Before proceeding with the installation of the box, the place for the bed must be prepared - dig up the ground, carefully removing all weeds. Carefully level it with a rake so that water during irrigation or rain can be evenly distributed over the entire surface.

When digging, cover a little more ground. Otherwise, the roots of perennial plants will again make their way out of the ground. Pulling them out from under the box will be problematic. It is better to pre-dig the neglected area twice in spring and autumn. nine0004

Wooden box

Wooden box

The simplest wooden box is assembled from 4 long and 8 short boards of suitable size. They are connected in pairs with the help of bars. Nails, screws and metal corners are used as fasteners.

You will also need 4 pegs or a piece of rebar 0.6 m long - they are driven into the ground from the outside to increase the strength of the structure. To make the bed perfectly even, its walls are aligned with the building level horizontally and vertically. nine0004

Stone or concrete box

Stone or concrete box

Such designs are characterized by high strength and long service life. However, they will cost a lot.

Plus, the procedure for their erection requires a lot of time. Yes, and moving the garden bed will be a serious problem - the structure will have to be broken.

Metal boxes

Metal boxes

If you have scrap metal on hand, you can make beds from it. Such structures are lightweight and, if desired, they can be easily moved to another place. They are easily painted in any color, so they look quite decorative. nine0004

However, the creation of such products requires the ability to work with a welding machine. You can cut the metal at the nearest scrap metal collection point.

Slate fence

Slate fence

It is quite resistant to rotting, even when buried in the ground and can last a long time.

The disadvantages of slate structures include increased fragility - when assembling and cutting them, high accuracy and accuracy are required. nine0004

Plastic structures

Plastic structures

If you have a few plastic panels left after repair, you can make a fence out of it. Bright, they favorably stand out against the background of plants.

Moreover, plastic is able to lie in the ground for an infinitely long time - it is not afraid of moisture. However, under the bright rays of the sun, this material quickly fades and loses color.

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Mulching

Weeding often takes a lot of time from gardeners. If the site is large, this becomes a serious problem. You just have to spend the day and night in the garden.

Mulching beds

To reduce the time spent on endless weeding, prepare the so-called smart beds. The principle of their manufacture is simple. To protect plants from weeds after planting, cover the gaps between the sprouts with sawdust, needles, straw, or dried last year's foliage of trees. nine0004

Mulch the soil also by covering with dark film . It is spread out before planting, making small holes for the plants. A transparent film is not suitable for these purposes - weeds will continue to develop with access to light.

It has been proven that mulching significantly (almost 30%) increases the yield. Plus, beneficial microorganisms and earthworms multiply faster under a layer of organic matter. nine0083

Using this method, even abandoned plots can be quickly put in order - it is enough to cover the ground overgrown with weeds with mulch for a couple of years.

Unfortunately, in swampy areas mulching often leads to a sad result - covering the soil leads to stagnant water in the beds, and as a result, rotting of plants. But in this case, mulching can come in handy.

The only difference is that it is not necessary to cover the ground for the winter and early spring. Wait until the earth dries well. nine0004

Mulch should not be used during rainy seasons. If the summer turned out to be hot, with the help of mulch you will get rid of not only weeding, but also frequent watering. The moisture underneath will evaporate much more slowly. In wet areas, be sure to prepare drainage around the perimeter of the beds to drain its excess.

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Warm beds

Soil raised above the ground warms up much faster

It is not easy to achieve an early harvest in our climate. At the first return frost, tender shoots planted in open ground will simply die. Surviving plants will be stunted and diseased. The ideal outlet for growing in this case are warm beds.

They can be used for many types of crops: first greens and radishes, heat-loving cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, eggplants, tomatoes, etc.

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They can be raised above the ground or, alternatively, built below ground level.

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They are buried no more than 0.5 m into the ground. This is quite enough to protect the sprouts from spring frosts. At a greater depth, the plants will be in the shade and will be pulled.

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Raise them to a height of up to 0.5-1 m. In principle, they can be made even higher - care for them will only be simplified.

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First lay a drainage layer of fine gravel and sand. You can replace it with broken bricks, but learn that over time this material can decompose under the influence of moisture. nine0004

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The next layer is vegetable waste. The heat released during their decay will serve as natural heating. It is better to prepare such a bed in the fall, during the harvest. As a "warm layer" you can use cut tops or any weed grass left after weeding. The most important thing is that she does not have time to form seeds.

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For cucumbers, pumpkins and marrows, manure is often used as a warm layer. When overheated, it heats up much more. For the same crops as tomatoes, manure, as well as pure humus, is contraindicated. Plants on it will only increase the green mass. You can simply not wait for a harvest on manure - the ovaries will immediately fall off. Therefore, to warm up the tomato, use ordinary vegetable waste. nine0004

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The last layer is fertile soil. It is poured at least 30 cm thick.

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Novice gardeners sometimes complain that their neighbors have a high yield on warm beds, but for some reason nothing grows in them. Indeed, if a layer of grass or manure is only a little “powdered” with earth, it will simply be impossible for the roots of the plant to gain a foothold in it. Yes, and nutrition for sprouts will obviously not be enough. Overripe plants serve only as a layer of insulation. Therefore, without a solid layer of earth, you will not achieve a harvest. nine0004

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Next, arcs are placed above the bed, which are covered with a film. Covering material such as spunbond (agrofibre) should not be used for these purposes. It can be spread directly on the ground in case of returning frosts or used as additional shelter. Unlike polyethylene, agrofibre has many holes through which precious heat will freely escape.

Such a bed "works" for about 4 years. After its complete exhaustion, a new one is prepared, and rotted plants are used as fertilizer when digging up beds. The first two years, the most heat-loving crops are planted on a warm bed - cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini, eggplants, etc.

In the third or fourth year, any garden crops can be planted in this place - from carrots, beets, onions to potatoes.

See also: Western thuja: description of 14 frost-resistant varieties, propagation methods, cultivation and care (50+ Photos & Video) + Reviews Weeding the ground rammed by constant walking is problematic. But it’s enough to run a little - and the weed grass immediately crawls from it to the beds. Plus, in rainy weather, the paths become too slippery. nine0004

For the manufacture of paths, you can use any environmentally friendly and sufficiently moisture resistant material: sandy mortar paths can serve faithfully for up to 15-20 years; there are several disadvantages of such structures - low decorativeness and low resistance to moisture; plus, concrete surfaces under the influence of frost heaving often crack, and they have to be periodically added; and it will be problematic to move the track to another place - for this, the concrete coating will have to be completely destroyed

small stones or crushed stone : to prevent them from mixing with fertile soil, making paths from them will require the construction of a fence made of metal, wood or plastic

wood lifted above the ground with the help of bars; so that the tree does not bend when walking, it is necessary to choose boards of sufficient thickness; the optimal section of the bars is 500x100 mm; the reverse side of the tree is treated with mastic to protect against moisture

terrace (deck) board , of course, it costs a lot, but it looks very solid; and its service life even in conditions of high humidity and significant temperature changes is 20-30 years

Other materials can be used for laying paths, for example, tree cuts or large stones. In this case, the space between them must be covered with sand or gravel and carefully compacted. Otherwise, weed grass will immediately appear on the path. nine0004

Path of stones

Make the central paths a little wider - from 60 cm, so that a wheelbarrow can pass freely along them. For the rest of the paths, a distance of 30 cm is left (that is, equal in length to a human foot). You should not make it smaller, otherwise, moving between too narrow paths when weeding or watering, you will constantly trample the planted plants.

Old linoleum can also be used to control weeds on the paths. But covering this slippery material with a decorative face up is not worth it. Flip it over and lay it upside down. It may not be very aesthetically pleasing, but it is absolutely safe. nine0004

Preparing the beds for strawberries

Strawberry mulching

The bright red berry is not only an ideal source of vitamins and minerals, but also an excellent garden decoration.

But, since this culture requires special care, let's talk about its cultivation separately: and the berry turns out to be watery and not too tasty; so be sure to take care of its drainage

it is better to grow it on warm beds, on the bottom of which drainage is laid from a 5-10 cm layer of sawdust, straw or rotted tops of plants, mineral supplements can also be added in small quantities; to protect against excess moisture, a waterproofing film is laid on the bottom of the box

on its sides, it is necessary to drill several holes to remove excess water

it is better to make the beds high enough - it is possible to achieve high taste qualities of the berry only if the soil is sufficiently warmed up by sunlight

whimsical strawberries simply love humus; to get a good harvest, add a couple of handfuls of it when planting seedlings into prepared holes

growing mustaches of plants cause a lot of trouble - they have to be cut very often; if this is not done in time, the berry will start to shrink and the yield will decrease

to get rid of such laborious work by mulching the beds with a dark cloth; the mustache will simply have nowhere to take root; plus a layer of sawdust, needles or straw will protect the strawberries from dirt: even after heavy rain, the berries will remain perfectly clean

Planting decoration

Garden plot decoration

Even ordinary rectangular structures look very decorative if several crops are planted in them at once. Unusually shaped garden beds can also be used as decor. The only thing is that you should not make the embankments too wide so that they can be easily approached from either side.

You can decorate the site simply by alternating the shades of the planted crops

Beds can also be decorated by planting low-growing flowers along their edges (tall plants will shade the main crops). Thus, you can not only decorate, but also protect plants. For example, marigolds located next to cabbage heads will help scare away the cabbage butterfly.

These flowers can also be placed next to other plants, such as beets. They are not very fond of the bear, who loves to feast on tender young sprouts. Able to scare away marigolds and aphids, as well as wireworms. nine0004

How French beds differ from English ones

French way of planting crops

French version is one of the ways to decorate the plot. Unlike traditional planting methods, such a garden always has a strictly symmetrical shape. Moreover, it is absolutely not necessary to make the beds rectangular. They can be in the form of rhombuses, ovals or semi-ovals, etc. The most important thing is that each of the segments be strictly symmetrical to the neighboring one. nine0004

As a rule, French beds are placed at a certain height for easy crop care.
It is desirable (but not necessary) to plant the plants also symmetrically. For example, radishes are located along the edge of all the beds, lettuce is in the center, and red cabbage is on the other side.

English version

Unlike the French version, English do not require strict symmetry. The main emphasis in them is on the lawns, with which the site is decorated. Against the background of sown grass, plantings of even ordinary garden plants look like ornamental crops. In fact, it is a mixture of a vegetable garden and a flower garden.

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