| You can save money by building your own raised | | | | and fertilizing. If you have the bed against a house or |
| garden bed. These can be used for flowers and even | | | | fence, wide beds make it difficult to reach the |
| for vegetables. They are gaining in popularity because | | | | backside of the bed as well. |
| they are easy and inexpensive to build, making them | | | | Temporary beds, unlike permanent beds, allow you |
| practical parts of the landscape. Additionally, they are | | | | to change the design every year. If you like the idea |
| fairy easy to plant and maintain. They are even | | | | of being able to make small changes to your |
| relatively easy to weed. In addition to being | | | | landscape each growing season, then temporary |
| convenient and practical in maintenance, they also | | | | beds can help you achieve this. Additionally, they are |
| drain sooner as well as warm up faster. This means | | | | easier and less expensive to remove if you decide |
| that you can plant earlier in the season, resulting in | | | | that you would like to take them out. Wood is best |
| the possibility of multiple harvests if you use your | | | | for these types of beds, as the wood can easily be |
| raised gardens for vegetables. You can make your | | | | taken apart. Choosing attractive woods can add to |
| garden a temporary bed or a permanent bed, and | | | | the look of your landscape design. You can also |
| reap the benefits of a simple way to enjoy your | | | | decorate the wood with non-toxic paint if you would |
| landscape more and even dress it up a little bit. | | | | like to have a little different look. As with permanent |
| The first thing you need to do is make sure that you | | | | beds, make sure that you build them at least with a |
| have all of the necessary tools and materials. You | | | | foot of depth and not very wide. |
| can make your beds out of rocks, concrete blocks, | | | | When planting your beds, whether permanent or |
| bricks, naturally rot-resistant wood (cypress is very | | | | temporary, you should begin by preparing the bed. |
| slow to decompose), or wood treated with a safe | | | | Remove rocks, sticks, and debris from the beds and |
| preservative. It is important to make sure that | | | | make sure that they are prepared for plantings. Be |
| treated wood does not have anything harmful in it | | | | sure to allow for drainage. You can build your bed on |
| that could leach into the soil and thus be absorbed by | | | | a patio or on soil, but either way you should ensure |
| the plants. This is especially important if you plan to | | | | that there are adequate pathways for excess |
| eat whatever you are growing in your raised bed. | | | | moisture to escape. When using brick or concrete |
| Other things that you will need include optional wood | | | | blocks, they can be stacked in a staggered fashion |
| preservative (like sealant) or sheet plastic, spading | | | | to allow water out of the bed. When building on top |
| fork, shovel, iron rake, hammer and nails, measuring | | | | of soil, loosen the bottom soil with a shovel or |
| tape, compost, and topsoil. All of things are | | | | spading fork. The bed should be filled from bottom |
| necessary for creating a successful raised garden | | | | to top with a compost and topsoil mixture. After this |
| bed. | | | | is done, rake the top of the bed so that it is smooth. |
| When making a permanent garden bed, you should | | | | Once the bed is prepared, you can plant flowers, |
| make sure to use more permanent materials. If you | | | | herbs, or vegetables inside the bed. Tall plants should |
| plan to use your bed for flowers as a prominent part | | | | be put in against a fence or wall, or on the bed's |
| of your landscape, bricks make very nice beds, as | | | | northern side. Make sure that you take proper care |
| they are attractive and often complement most | | | | of your plants in your bed, and remember that raised |
| traditional landscape designs and plants. The bed can | | | | beds can dry out faster. They may need a little more |
| be as long as you would like it to be, but it should be | | | | water. Avoid stepping on the bed as much as |
| at least one foot deep and no more than four feet | | | | possible to prevent soil compaction, and follow up |
| wide. Wider beds can make it difficult to reach the | | | | your planting with a proper application of mulch. |
| middle of the bed to take care of things like weeding | | | | |