Organic Gardening Raised Beds
For a Strong and Healthy Organic Garden
Organic gardening raised beds are an important part of a healthy and strong organic garden.
Plants grow best when they are in loose soil with plenty of drainage that is warmer than the ground around them.
A plant's roots are fragile, and it's easier for them to push dirt that isn't compacted. Also, it's easier for the water to get in.
That's why gardeners always till their soil in early spring, before they plant their gardens.
Unfortunately, all that tilling isn't the best for your soil. It destroys earthworms who will naturally till your soil if it's healthy enough.
But if you and your family keep trampling on your growing space, your soil won't stay loose from one growing season to the next.
That's where the wonderful raised bed comes in.
Organic Gardening Raised Beds
A Space For Growing and a Space For Walking
A designated space with the earth piled high and deep serves several useful purposes.
First and foremost, a raised bed clearly marks your growing space - people are less likely to step on a raised bed.
Also, by growing everything on these loosened areas, the rain goes deep into your soil and the excess water runs off. Plants can't stand to sit in puddles.
Best of all, a raised bed is much easier to weed and tend.
Organic Gardening Raised Beds
So How Do We Dig Them?
If you don't already have an area cleared for your garden, you'll need to do that first.
Think of it as an opportunity to get your garden off to a good start!
Last fall, I cleared a space that was about fourteen feet in width and forty feet in length.
I've found even that much space won't be enough to provide food for my family of five throughout the year, so this fall I'll be digging more organic gardening raised beds.
Organic Gardening Raised Beds
Supply List
Here's what you'll need:
- A large ball of twine
- Scissors
- Stakes or several strong sticks
- A good shovel
I mark off my area using stakes and twine and then start clearing away the grass and weeds. Save your weeds and grass for the compost pile.
Next, you'll need to mark off the areas for your plants to live.
A good width is one where you can reach to the middle of the bed easily without having to stand on the bed itself.
That means your bed will be about four feet wide. Give yourself a good three feet of walking space between rows.
That's room enough for a wheelbarrow to get through, should you need it.
Once all of your beds are marked. Dig in the bed area so the soil will be loose down deep.
Then start digging on both sides of the bed. The goal here is to take about four inches off of each walkway and add them to the beds.
Because you'll be walking - and pushing a wheelbarrow along these pathways, try to make them as level as possible by digging horizontally rather than vertically.
Once your beds are in place, add plenty of compost.
Extra Gardening Tips
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A garden kneeler and seat
makes daily weeding chores much easier by easing the strain on your lower back and knees while protecting your clothing from stain and injuries.
To protect your back, use a lifting tool
for heavy pots and other objects.
Long-term exposure to the elements will damage your tools and shorten their use.
Store your tools and other gardening supplies in a portable storage bin .
To make yard and garden cleaning easier, use a Kangaroo Gardening Container .
Invest in a sharpening tool
to keep your shovel and other gardening tools sharp and easier to work with.
Grow a successful hydroponic gardening with this helpful resource.
Protect your hands from insects and other injuries by wearing good quality gardening gloves.
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For healthy strong plants, put in raised beds.
Or avoid the digging altogether and put in these easier raised beds.
For truly rich, healthy soil, learn how to make your own compost.
Protect your plants and keep down weeds by mulching. Here are some mulching tips.
Build up your soil, and you'll keep pests down to a minimum, but what happens if pests do attack your garden? Here are some pest control tips
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click here to learn more.
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Do you have limited space? Consider growing your organic garden in containers.
Ready to have your own container garden? Here are some tips on finding the right garden container
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An good resource for raising your own food is this ebook.
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Get your garden off to the right start with strong growth and an early harvest. Learn how you can germinate seeds.
So why should you pursue organic gardening? Learn the benefits by clicking here.
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To save seeds, you must start with quality plants. Learn why you should purchase the seeds of heirloom plants by clicking here.
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Got a bumper crop of potatoes or other root vegetables this season?
Learn an economical way to store them to keep them fresh all winter by clicking here.
If you want to extend your growing season, a small greenhouse might be just the ticket.
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The winter months are a perfect time for planning your spring garden.
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Summer garden not all you hoped it to be? Consider putting in a fall garden, but be sure to protect your plants from frosty nights.
Learn how.
The ins and outs of storing produce from your garden can be found by clicking here.
If you had an abundant harvest of root vegetables this year, don't let them go to waste; store them using this time-proven method instead.
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