Gardening : Beds Can Rise Above Soil, Irrigation Problems : Gardens: Raised beds provide controlled soil conditions, irrigation and weeding is easier. They also cut down on stoop labor.
Is the soil in your garden so heavy that water lies on it for days? Or is it so light that water vanishes like smoke?
To make such soils workable and porous--and also water-retentive--would mean adding tremendous amounts of organic materials and other amendments. And it would involve countless hours of back-breaking labor. However, there’s an easier solution to soil problems: raised beds.
According to Lee and Mary Staton of Santa Ana, they had almost given up hope of growing vegetables because of their “impossible” soil. But then they explored gardening in raised beds, and now enjoy fresh home-grown vegetables most of the year-round.
In raised beds, soil conditions can be controlled by commercial soil mix or one that you make yourself. Raised beds are not only a practical solution to poor soil; if done properly, raised beds can be an attractive addition to, or even the focal point of, a landscape. Landscape architects are increasingly including them in many and varied landscape schemes.
There are other advantages. Cultivation is greatly reduced, irrigation and weeding are easier, and they are generally easier on your body, as kneeling and stooping can be reduced.
Are there any disadvantages to raised beds? Certainly, the initial cost of materials can be considerable as well as the labor involved. However, once the initial work is finished, raised beds become a permanent fixture, capable of producing vegetables and flowers year after year with little additional effort.
Raised beds are simply planting areas that have been raised above the soil level. They are contained, or bordered, by wood, stone or brick sides. They are usually rectangular in shape, but they can also be any shape you want to construct.
When utilizing wood for the sides of your raised beds, use redwood or cedar because they are rot-resistant. Redwood 2-by-12s provide good borders. Railroad ties are popular; however, they have usually been soaked in creosote, which can be harmful to plants.
Natural rock and mortar make magnificent frames for raised beds and never have to be replaced. They are, however, quite expensive and require much labor to construct.
Whatever material you decide upon to use for your beds, you might want to add 6-inch plant seats along the sides so that you can sit while you’re working.
When constructing your raised beds, keep in mind that they should not be more than 5 feet wide, so that you can reach the center of the bed from either side. The height and length of the beds are up to you; however, the higher they are, the less bending and stooping, and the more space for deep-rooted plants.
When you choose a site, make certain it receives sun in winter as well as the rest of the year. When you have located your raised bed site, spade or work the existing soil (soil underneath the bed) with a shovel or a rotor tiller before you build the bed over it; this improves drainage from the bed.
For soil you can use a commercial soil mix but this can be very expensive as most raised beds have a large soil capacity. You can also make your own soil mix.
The University of California recommends a home garden mix that calls for one-half aged or composted redwood sawdust, one-quarter small fir or pine bark particles, one-eighth coarse sphagnum peat moss and one-eighth builder’s sand. Moisten the mix and allow it to settle for two days. To each cubic foot of mix add 5 pounds of ground dolomitic limestone, 2 pounds of superphosphate fertilizer and one-half pound of ammonium nitrate.
To any raised-bed soil mix, it is necessary to add additional fertilizer. I suggest a time-release fertilizer such as Osmocote. In addition, chelated micronutrients should be added to the mix. Each time you replant your raised beds, more fertilizer and micronutrients should be added. If you are a strict organic gardener, organic fertilizers are fine.
Once your soil mix is in use, you can add organic materials such as compost or peat moss to it periodically. This will continually replenish the soil in your beds.
As for irrigation, use a hose or a soaker hose to irrigate your beds, or try a drip or trickle irrigation system. Home irrigation kits are available at most nurseries and are quite easy to install.
What to plant in your raised beds? If the beds are large enough, and especially deep enough, you can grow any type of flower or vegetable, or a combination of both. You may want your beds to be both beautiful and productive by combining vegetables with flowers; or you can relegate flowers to one bed and vegetables to another.
