There are tons of methods of raised beds. My major concern was Money, i just picked the cheapest sustaining material...
Step One: What size?
Size. I went with 2 Beds 24x4 and 2 beds 3x18. Size really doesn’t matter, this fit my garden plat and irrigation system.
I looked at various options plastic, metal, wood, kitty pools, and decided on wood because it was cheapest. Then deciding what wood to go with was also a matter of price. If you go with wood, make sure it is treated (unless you want to rebuild it every 2 years)… I decided to use fence pickets!
Price estimate for a Bed 4ft wide and 24ft long the …
Treated 2x4(16ft): $ 62.00
Treated plywood ¾”: $ 50.00
Treated fence pickets 6’x5 ½ “: $35.00 WE HAVE A WINNER
It took 16 uncut 6 foot fence pickets, 2 2x4 cut into 11 inch sections, and 2 8 ft. pickets cunt into (making 4 4ft pickets for the end)
INSTALING (tilling & building)
I decided to till the ground first making the soil as loose as possible (You can set the raised bed right on grass, especially if you put wet newspaper down first, seethe book: Lasagna gardening ) After tilling I mounded up the dirt to the center of the row, then I used a shovel to dig into the ground where the edged of the raised bed box would fit into.
Then I made them. If you can’t build a box, you are in bad shape. I really don’t think I can help you.
1. Tilled where i wanted the beds to Go
2.Mounded the dirt
Built beds and fit them in!
OK, when it comes to gardening I am completely ignorant. What kind of tools do I need to till the dirt before I build a bed like this? I just want to build one. I was inspired by your blog and started some seedlings for green beans and tomatoes and peppers.
ReplyDeleteif you are very new, i would start small, look up the book, square foot gardener- im sure you can get info online without buying it. I would build or buy a small box (39.99 @ wallmart & sams) put 5 layers of wet newspaper on the grass, then fill it up with a cheap mixture of store bought top soil and compost. (i sued partitially my own dirt because my garden is huge!) Only needs about 8-inches, then i would simply put a black a garbage bag to do plasticulture (cover with pine straw or whatever), and water every other day or when needed.
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